This isn’t about replacing your funky old dishwasher, too small fridge, peeling cabinets or stained countertops—though my sister, Janet, and I did do a total makeover of our kitchen some years back, and it made a big difference in our lives.
Renovating your kitchen can also be about looking at what kinds of knives you use (and how you care for them); what basic dried herbs and spices you have handy (and how often you replace them); and checking out the current quality of the pots and pans you use daily. Which cooking utensils and implements, such as colanders and sieves, salad servers, cutting boards, measuring cups and spoons, spatulas, stirring spoons and soup ladles are important?
View this as a beginner’s course in renovation of a different sort. It’s useful information even if you’ve been cooking for years. If your passion, as is mine, is focused on having the right and best tools at your fingertips, while pursuing your vision as an unusually good and dedicated cook you might just discover some ideas that hadn’t occurred to you. Dig right in!
There are three types of knives that cooks and chefs must have. These are a paring knife, a serrated (bread) knife, and a chef’s knife (the last should be 8-10 inches in length).
An important aspect is that the knife has a full tang. That’s the part of the knife that extends past the blade and into the handle, making the knife stronger and more durable. Stainless steel blades will stay sharper longer, as will carbon steel. I have both German knives, which tend to be heavier, and Japanese knives, which are lighter and sleeker. Either way, it has to feel right in your hand.
If possible, have your knives professionally sharpened twice a year. If not, treat yourself to a good-quality sharpener or learn how to use a whetstone. (I have not done the latter). Hand wash and dry your knives immediately after use and store them in a slotted wooden knife block; a magnetic knife rack affixed to the wall; or in separate sheaths, which come in a variety of materials. I favor sheaths.
Lastly, purchase a honing steel or rod and use it each and every time you are about to use a knife. This tool keeps your knives extra sharp by straightening and aligning tiny metal fibers on the knife’s edge.
I like to have cutting boards in a variety of sizes and prefer those made from bamboo, but other wood is fine as well. Plastic or polyethylene are too soft and eventually the cut marks made in them harbor bacteria. Wash and dry your cutting boards well, which will add to their longevity.
The colander
I have an enamel-coated colander for rinsing foods or straining pasta and vegetables. I use a fine-mesh sieve when I want to squeeze out as much liquid as possible or strain soup of its solid pieces to obtain a broth. A miniature fine sieve is also good for dusting powdered sugar over cakes and cookies.
What pots and pans are most useful? I prefer nonstick skillets in at least two sizes for frying eggs, making omelets, cooking quesadillas and sautéing pretty much anything, as well as stir-frying vegetables. A well-seasoned cast iron skillet (made by the Lodge company) is indispensable and nearly indestructible. It retains heat well and can reach high temps, making it ideal for searing. It’s a good source of iron and can go directly from stove-top to oven easily.
Saucepans are great for myriad preparations. I have a small one, which I use for making sauces, and a medium-sized one for boiling water for pasta or for making popcorn. Pots and pans should have some heft to them. It’s worthwhile to do some research. Check out various offerings. I prefer to shop in person, rather than order online, so that I can look closely at what I might purchase and how it feels in my hands.
Dutch ovens can also go from stove-top to oven, and they are the perfect vehicle for making stews, soups, sauces, stock and braises. They are made from a variety of materials. I find the ultra-heavy ones made by Le Creuset, Staub and Lodge too cumbersome for me. I prefer one made of enamelware. They come in many colors and look great on the dining room table.
Finally, I have a wok, which I could probably live without, but I do a great deal of Asian-inspired cooking and enjoy having it.
I have a ridiculously large amount of dried herbs and spices, somewhere around 50. Most are certainly not essential for your larder. I cook dishes from a variety of countries and so many of my herbs and spices are particular to specific ethnicities. I also like spice and herb mixtures and rubs, which make life easier. I don’t have to concoct them myself, though I have when I’ve had the time.
First off, I never use onion or garlic powder, though some recipes call for their use. That’s up to you, but it’s not for me. Large supermarkets, such as ShopRite in Monticello and Liberty, now carry a large variety of herbs, spices and spice mixtures. If what’s available to you is limited, there are a lot of spice purveyors out there and their inventory tends to be fresher, so they’re more potent and flavorful. I like The Spice House, Penzeys and a company called Spice Islands.
Dried spices and herbs can last for different lengths of time depending on the type of spice and how it’s stored. In general, they should be kept in airtight containers in a cabinet or drawer away from heat, light and moisture. If the color has faded, the flavor has likely faded too. If they don’t smell like much, or the scent is faint, they’re probably past their prime. Whole spices retain their flavor longer than ground. Dried and ground spices and herbs should be, if possible, replaced at any point from every six months to one year.
So, as to the basics, let’s start with salt and pepper. Buy a good pepper grinder, such as those made by Peugeot or Le Creuset. Never buy pre-ground pepper in a jar. Pepper should be freshly ground. Tellicherry peppercorns, if you can find them, are India’s highest grade of black pepper. They taste piney and peppery with supporting flavors that are citrusy, fruity and pungent.
Kosher salt is good for cooking or baking, but I like coarse Himalayan salt crystals, which I use in a grinder made specifically for salt, for seasoning and finishing a dish. You might be able to find pre-ground Himalayan salt in the spice aisle of the supermarket, as well as in adjustable grinders (for both salt and pepper) by such brands as McCormick.
You should also have: Cinnamon, paprika (either Hungarian, sweet or smoked), bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, tarragon, red pepper flakes (I prefer Aleppo for its complexity), ground ginger, oregano (and/or an Italian spice mixture), curry powder, chili powder (ancho chili powder has fruity overtones and is not extremely spicy) and dried cumin.
Depending on what kind of cooking and baking you do, you might want to consider many other spices and herbs, such as turmeric, ground nutmeg (though I prefer to buy whole nutmegs and grind them on a fine grater), pumpkin pie spice, ground coriander, taco and Cajun seasoning, yellow mustard seeds and seasoning mixtures or rubs made specifically for fish, beef, pork and chicken.
Finally, we get to the essential tools used in the kitchen. I like a wide plastic or silicone spatula for flipping pancakes, French toast and fried eggs from my nonstick skillets. Always useful is a flexible rubber spatula used for scraping batter, dough and sauces from a bowl or pot. Its flexibility allows for getting every last drop from the vessel. Some people like a fish spatula for gently getting underneath the piece of fish to flip it. Personally, I don’t find it necessary.
I have cooking spoons, some slotted and others in well-worn wood or silicone. These are for all purposes and I own an assortment. I use whisks often, so I have a few sizes.
Then there is a need for a vegetable peeler, salad servers, soup ladle, hand-held can opener, pie cutter, box grater and hand-held long, fine graters for hard cheeses, ginger and garlic.
I tend not to measure ingredients unless I’m working on developing a recipe, but it’s helpful to have a measuring cup and measuring spoons.
I own a blender, a food processor and a hand-held immersion blender for making chunky soups or lumpy sauces smooth.
Everyone needs some kitchen tools, but this category can be more personal than most. I’m not one for bread machines, pasta or ice cream makers, canning or pizza-making equipment. Each to their own in that department.
This is true of condiments, as well. Am I the only one with mango chutney and pomegranate molasses in the fridge?
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