Getting set up with all the right tools and equipment is one of the hardest parts when you want to start cooking at home. Over time, you slowly figure out what essentials you need and hope to find quality items. Whether you are about to graduate college and move into your first apartment, moving out of your roommates fully stocked house, or maybe you are just missing a few essentials. Made in Cookware offers informative reviews on some quality essentials that you will need to set up your first kitchen.
Small Appliances and Dishware
While your new kitchen most likely comes with the major appliances, like an oven and refrigerator, it most likely will not come fitted with the small ones. Plan to purchase a coffee maker, a tea kettle, a blender or a food processor, and a hand or stand mixer. Of course, if your kitchen does not have a microwave, that should also be on the list.
Once you finish cooking, you will need to eat your meal with and on something. Invest in a set of dishes and cutlery, as well as a set of drinking glasses and mugs. A cutlery divider for the drawer will also make your life easier.
Know your Prep-ware
Before you can begin cooking you need to prepare the food you are going to be cooking. This preparation requires several tools, knives, cutting boards and measuring tools. It would be best if you had quality knives that feel good in your hand that will last; which means you may have to pay a bit more, but a sharp quality knife that you can easily use is indispensable in your kitchen.
Essential Cookware
Pots and Pans; There are a few choices when it comes to the material of the pan, from anodized to copper to stainless steel to non-stick; choose cookware that fits into your lifestyle and budget. Importantly, make sure your selection of frying pans is sturdy and built to last. From frying eggs to stir-frying rice, a skillet or frying pan is an indispensable tool.
Having a skillet, and perhaps making at least one non-stick, is a good idea. Whether making lasagne, baked mac-n-cheese, or scalloped potatoes, you will need a casserole dish of some kind. It is wise to purchase a couple of different sizes of either porcelain, glass, or stoneware.
Utensils we all Need
Whether you stick them in a pitcher on the counter or organize them in a drawer, various utensils are crucial to a well-equipped kitchen. Wooden spoons, spatulas, whisks, a set of tongs, a soup ladle, rubber scrapers, and a slotted spoon are all smart tools to buy, some of them in multiple sizes and various materials. For example, purchase several wooden spoons of different lengths, a few spatulas made of different materials.
You will also need a colander for rinsing rice, picking through dried beans, and of course for draining pasta. If you think you will be making mashed potatoes and guacamole often, having a potato masher on hand is a good idea.
