Do Yourself A Favor and Invest In… Kitchen Edition
Rancho Santa Fe Kitchen, 1961
Nice Pots and Pans.
Sure, you could keep on using that set your mom got you when you graduated college, but why would you if you cook at least a few times a week and actually enjoy it? When I finally got rid of my Cuisinart pots and pans, I replaced them with All-Clad. (Specifically, the Copper Core kind). Are they heavier? Yes. More expensive? Certainly. Admittedly the price tag made them a little painful to purchase, but they’ve practically paid for themselves at this point. The pans heat up faster and more evenly than less expensive sets, and I’ve but once had to soak and scrub them after a treacherous dish. I’ve had them now for three years and they still look great, especially after cleaning them with a little bit of Bar Keeper’s Friend.
2. A Digital Meat Thermometer.
My favorite is the Thermapen. It’s accurate, and I’ve never been let down by the result of the interior of the meat after aiming for a specific degree of doneness, unless I became too impatient in the roasting process.
3. One really good, large, chef’s knife.
You could buy a value set of one of those large blocks with all different sorts of knives in them, or you could just buy one, singular, great chef’s knife. Mine is Sabatier, but there are other great brands out there that make an equally sharp (pun-intended) product. I own paring, serrated and the like, but I only really use this 8” chef’s knife, for most everything.
4. A Le Creuset Dutch Oven.
Get the round 6-3/4 quart (or one equivalent in size) and thank me later. I’ve used mine for the past six years for countless soups, stews, roasts, and even Maiale Al Latte. As I’ve tried more and more recipes, it’s truly become one of the most oft-used – and attractive – pots in my kitchen … one that I’ll literally have forever.
5. A French press, if you’re a coffee drinker.
I’d take good beans in a Bodum Chambord press over Nespresso pods any day. Sure, Nespresso (or Keurigs) are convenient, but let’s be honest: the coffee they yield is serviceable at best. While $40 is not big dollars compared to other coffee makers, the presses practically last forever (as long as you don’t break the beaker!), and the end result (precisely because of the steep time and the coffee oils it expels) is rarely disappointing.