What cooking utensils should I get...?

[Robo410]

a lot of us could spend a lot of your money helping you outfit your kitchen. But my advice is: 1) whatever you buy, buy good quality 2) buy what you need right now and keep a running list of items for future purchace 3) if you like shopping, check out the discount stores like Marshalls TJMax etc becaus ethey get overstocks from kitchenware companies and sell for 1/2 price. Also check out the stores like Kitchen Konnection, Kitchen Kapers, Sur la Table, Gourmet Chef etc. but beware as they all have things NO ONE needs or uses.
Bed Bath and Beyond and Linnens and Things are good too.
so what is essential? a couple skillets say 10 and 12 in non stick ... a couple sauce pans with lids 2 and 3 qt, 1 "dutch oven" 5 or 6 qt...a roasting pan, a broiling pan (most stoves came with them), a couple pie plates, mixinhg bowls, a french knife, a paring knife, and bread knife (serrated) a knife sharpoener, 2 or so wooden spoons, a set of silicon spatulas and nylon kitchen tools (that bag of black spoons etc for $5 is really worth it) a whisk.

ok you are good to go

that mixer or chopper or food processor etc are nice but get them as you really need them.

for your pots and pans: keep away from chef endorsed products. get thick walled heavy clad or anodized cookware. If you live near a restaurant supply company, pay em a visit...you will not be sorry...real one stop shopping ...no frills but real results.

 

[krnxguhj33]

is swiss diamond a good company? I think i might buy some pots and pans from them...unless anyone has any objections.

 

[GotGarlic]

Cast iron is cast iron, imo. I bought my cast-iron grill pan at a local garden store that also sells milk and veggies from local producers. There's a thread on knives: http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f90/recommendations-on-good-chef-knives-6599.html?highlight=recommend+knives

I also have a 3-piece set of cast iron pans - I've had them so long, I don't remember where I got them

 

[keltin]

oh also..what's the difference between a high quality nonstick pan and a cast iron pan..?

Nonstick pans are sealed and have no pores so when searing or caramelizing the crust stays with the food and not the pan. Since they are nonstick, food slips away from them easily and they are a breeze to clean up.

Well seasoned cast iron can also be “nonstick” as long as you develop a good seasoning on the pan. Cleaning a well seasoned pan is fairly easy as well since you only use hot water (no soap) and a towel....or just salt and a towel.

When it comes to non-stick, the quality and price range is immense.

There are cheap pans that work.

There are inexpensive pans.

There are expensive pans.

And there are over-the-top pans.

The quality of the pan will determine how well it performs for various cooking tasks. Thick, even layered, multi-ply bottoms will distribute heat evenly (no hot spots or cold spot) and maintain their heat better than thinner, less expensive pans.

Personally, I don’t use a lot of nonstick as I prefer my stainless steel or cast iron sets for most of my cooking. However, I do have a cheap set of nonstick from Wal-Mart for little things like fried eggs, grilled cheese sandwiches, pancakes, etc. They might be cheap, but they do their part perfectly.

 

[krnxguhj33]

Aren't cast iron pots a hassle to season after you use them and nonsticks easier to clean and cook with? Why does it seem that most cooks use a cast iron then..

 

[GB]

Cast iron is simple to season. You basically just need to wipe a small amount of Crisco on a warm pan then bake for an hour. That is it.

Cast iron is heavy and retains heat which is a very good property for certain types of cookware which is why cooks love to use the stuff.

 

[Katie H]

I looooove my cast-iron pans. I don't even know how many I have. But, once seasoned, they are fabulous to cook with. I have one very deep skillet I use to fry chicken, etc. in that is about 100-years-old and it's my favorite. All I have to do is to wipe it out with a hot, damp cloth and dry and it's ready to go for its next task.

Every time cast-iron is used with grease/oil/fat, it gets a little more seasoned. After a while, a pan is almost like Teflon. Whoo, hoo!

 

[AllenOK]

Aren't cast iron pots a hassle to season after you use them and nonsticks easier to clean and cook with? Why does it seem that most cooks use a cast iron then..

If you look in the cookware forum, you should find several threads about use and care of cast iron.

Cast iron requires a little more care than a standard pan, but not much.

There is the initial seasoning after you purchase it. Remove the label, wash with warm soapy water, dry, then place on a burner and thoroughly dry it over heat (the pores in the metal will absorb the water and cause the pan to rust). Preheat the oven to 350, rub the pan down well with Crisco, and place the pan, upside-down, on a rack in the oven and bake for an hour.

After you cook with it, it's easiest to clean the pan while it's still warm. Clean with warm water (no soap, that will eat away at the seasoning). Dry on the heat, then rub down with a little Crisco. Allow the pan to cool.

A new cast iron pan will darken and build up the seasoning with time and use. I would recommend that the first several times you use it, do some pan-frying or deep-frying, as this helps build up the seasoning really well. Also, I would stay away from highly acidic foods, like tomato-based dishes, fruit, and wines, until the seasoning becomes good and thick.

 

[Dave Hutchins]

Hello Lodge Co. make the finest cast iron pans on the planet I have 3 of them in different sizes and I would not part with them.....They sell pre seasoned pans straight from the factory, and for what you get they are reasonable in $$$$$

 

[krnxguhj33]

mmm, i see...SO. if my reading comprehension is good, i only need to season it well for a couple of times, then it's ready to go as long as i don't wash it with soap and water. And it retains heat well..i see..What's so important about retaining heat..?

 

[kitchenelf]

mmm, i see...SO. if my reading comprehension is good, i only need to season it well for a couple of times, then it's ready to go as long as i don't wash it with soap and water. And it retains heat well..i see..What's so important about retaining heat..?

What you need to do is go to the Search feature, upper blue bar, click on it then select Advanced Search. Insert the words cast iron and select "titles only" from the pull down menu. Once you are there search cast iron in the cookware forum - you will learn a lot. A lot has already been written about this and people just don't want to re-write it all. The info in the threads you find is exactly what you are looking for. It just takes a bit of reading.

 

[phil_uk]

the 2 things i have brought is a set of measuring spoons these were dirt cheap (only plastic but work well well) and tongs


i forgot 2 square plates as for me food looks much better than on the old plates we had

 

[GB]

Retaining heat promotes even cooking. If you have a thin pan that does not retain heat well then you will have hot and cold spots. Some of the food will burn while some of it will not cook all the way through. That is just one reason heat retention is important, but certainly not the only reason.

 

[TomSak]

Every kitchen should have at least one good non-stick skillet, and some good knives. You can never go wrong with a good set of stainless steel cookware as they do a wonderful job with you food, clean up easily and look good in your kitchen. You can pay a fortune for this stuff, but you don't have to. There are a number of good quality sets available on the market and your research in this area should pay off handsomely. Use search criteria like "stainless steel cookware set", "waterless cookware", Chef Secret waterless cookware", etc. As far as knives go, look for something made of quality steel. Whatever you do, don't buy the cheapest you can find as they probably won't hold an edge. Good brands to look for are Kanets, Chicago Cutlery, Victorinox, Messer. If you end up with a good "chefs knife", "paring knife", "slicer", and "bread knife" you will have a great start. Good luck in your search! And if you're lucky, maybe you'll find my store. Don't think I'm allowed to put my URL here, though.

I'm a noob cook and my kitchen has, let's say, less than adequate cooking utensils/anything related to cooking. Right now all i have are 3 cutting boards, some lame knives, 1 10 inch frying pan, and 3 pots. What should I get if I want to be serious about cooking?

 

[krnxguhj33]

Well, i ended up with measuring spoons and cups, an 8 inch and 10 inch calphalon non stick pans, 1.5 and 2.5 quart calphalon nonstick pots, 8 inch henckel twin cermax chefs knife, 5 inch henckel twin cermax utility knife, and a henckel diamond steel. Thank you all for all of your input.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Well, i ended up with measuring spoons and cups, an 8 inch and 10 inch calphalon non stick pans, 1.5 and 2.5 quart calphalon nonstick pots, 8 inch henckel twin cermax chefs knife, 5 inch henckel twin cermax utility knife, and a henckel diamond steel. Thank you all for all of your input.

Congrats! Sounds like you made some great choices! Have you cooked with them yet? How do you like your new cookware? Your knives? Be sure and tell us.

 

[krnxguhj33]

Well I really like my calphalon cookware but my knives come in on monday. Bummer.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Well I really like my calphalon cookware but my knives come in on monday. Bummer.

I bought mostly Calphalon, too, when I recently re-did my kitchen and threw out all the old crap. It was a real eye-opening experience to use high-quality cookware. I still haven't gotten good knives yet. I got a medium quality set that I'm using until I learn more or at least I feel like I've researched enough to make an informed purchase. So be sure and let us know how you like your knives!
Terry

 

[krnxguhj33]

Nice Terry. I bought calphalon one nonstick pans because they were on sale at TJ Maxx for like $30-$40. :] Also, i had to throw away my fissler nonstick because my cousin used a metal knife and scratched up ALL of the nonstick thing..(ionno what it is..) on my pan. I was so bummed.
:[
P.S. I'll be sure to let you know about my twin cermax knives.

 

[krnxguhj33]

oh man. My knives make me happy. :] They're razor sharp and cut so well. I'm gonna have fun cooking now!!