Essential Equipment- Intro

A kitchen can be a daunting place for the uninitiated and even for the long time cook. Have you ever looked at the gadget wall in Willams-Sonoma with no clue what something was? Weird implements of torture from the Inquisition abound in just about every drawer and while some things are obvious some are not, the best why to cut mushrooms is to use an egg slicer.

I'm going to break down the gear in importance to me and my style of cooking. This will be a several post thread but at the end of the day you only need a few key pieces of gear to make great food.

There are some rules that apply to any item you bring into the kitchen.

1. Buy the highest quality item you can afford-This does not mean buy the most expensive items just the best quality. Unfortunately, good quality often costs a bit more in the beginning but you'll save by not having to replace an item as quickly.
2. More is not always better-While sets of pots and knives are often cheaper than the individual items. You might not use every item included. Compare prices of the individual pieces you want with a set. Often times you'll save some money.
3. Gadgets are great I love em. Just make sure you don't go over board. One of my cooking heroes Alton Brown banishes all "uni-taskers" from his kitchen; if it can't do two things you probably don't need the clutter it's going to create. Do you really need a snow cone maker do you have room for it?
4. If it's not comfortable you're not going to use it. That forged knife with the thick tang that holds a great edge is not going to do you any good if you don't like holding it. Get the stamped knife with the plastic handle that holds an okay edge if it's what feels comfortable. Cooking needs to be enjoyable if your going to do it regularly otherwise you'll end up going out to eat or treat cooking like a chore.
   

Next up, Pots and Pans