My dad sent my mom, my brother, and I an article today from the New York Times that talked about the essential items needed for a kitchen and how much (or little, actually) you should spend on them. I am amused by this article for two reasons.
1) I am not sure that I've ever seen my dad hold a pot besides to dry it after it was washed. (No offense, Dad. It's just that the kitchen never seemed to be your realm, I picture you more in the electronics area...perhaps that's changing?) So I was shocked when the article was not his typical math/science/world event article that he usually sends to us but instead was a cooking/kitchen article. It gave me a small chuckle. I do appreciate the fact that even though he was probably not interested in the article, he sent it on to the three of us knowing we probably would be.
2) I never realized that I was a kitchen essentials snob until I read this article. (What does the author mean that a $10 plastic handle knife is ok? I've ALWAYS heard one should go with the stainless steel.) The aritcle was certainly informative and interesting, although I am not sure I can break out of my ways. My favorite quote: "The point is not so much that you can equip a real kitchen without much money, but the fear of buying the wrong kind of equipment is unfounded. It needs only to be functional, not prestigious, lavish or expensive." Thank you, Mr. Bittman. Point well taken. I will try to remember this in the future and break free from my kitchen equipment bias that I seem to possess. Click here if you are interested in reading the rest of the article.
HAPPY COOKING!
7 comments:
Hello Anna. Glad you enjoyed the article. I did once cook an egg. That probably makes me a super chef. Don't underestimate the power of your Da.
Love you.
Da
Hmmph! I don't know, A... I may just be snobbishly loyal to my 2 wooden-handled Warther knives, but my "malarky radar" went off a couple of times while reading this article. (case in point: "the oft-used asafetida"... ??????? Okay, granted I'm grouchy because of lack of sleep and being COVERED in poison ivy... but oft-used ASAFETIDA?! Wikepedia says, "also known as devil's dung, stinking gum, asant, food of the gods and giant fennel.") The other thing he's wrong about is that the stand mixer is a trivial matter... as anyone who "managed" for years with ho-hum appliances and whose counter now sports a KitchenAid will agree, I'm sure. Just today, I made bubble bread AND two loaves of oatmeal bread. I have kneaded many a batch of dough, but I am so thankful for my STRONG KitchenAid stand mixer. Heat resistant plastic spatula replacing the trusty old wooden spoons? Dismal. One item I learned about at the bakery and LOVE in my kitchen and use a lot is a little white plastic pan scraper. It is DIVINE with the cast iron skillets. It was very inexpensive, and I have come to regard it as indispensible. So that's my 2-cents worth, and now the calamine lotion is calling me.
i think they mean the handle should be plastic? not wooden?
I think as long as M enjoys cooking, I am fine with purchasing whatever utensils she wants. As far as my cooking skills go, I know the grill and how to make 18 varieties of eggs...all I really need is a fork, a knife, and a spatula (don't care if it is wooden, plastic, or made of tofu) to do those things.
For those times when neither she nor I feel like doing our kitchen thing, I have a red-haired, pig-tailed girlfriend named "Wendy" that cooks me good food!!!
SIDE NOTE ON KITCHEN THINGS: Personally, I hate electric can openers and hearing the microwave go "ding" when it is done. I may blog about this...stay tuned.
I think if you are a sentimental person in other areas of your life you may possibly be a sentimental chef. By this I mean you might attach good memories to your kitchen utensils and appliances. Cooking can be more than just an means to an end, it can also be about putting time and care into something that you will share with friends or family. Therefore you might want to surround yourself with things that are special to you and you care about in your kitchen if you take this approach to food preparation. If you are just throwing frozen dinners in a microwave every night I agree that quality uetnsils are not important.
-M
Well said, M. I am attached to some of my kitchen utensils - but probably more because my mom used the same thing than because they are actually the best thing out there for the task at hand.
I also must chime in about knives. If anyone has tried to cut meat or veggies with a run-of-the-mill knife that isn't quite sharp enough, you know how frustrating that is. Then when you use a knife that cuts through things like butter - not only does it make things look better that you're cutting, it is faster and, I believe, safer.
Anna, I personally cannot do without my Warther knives, my Kitchen Aid heavy duty mixer (you go, Amy!,) my old, round Farberware electric skillet, and my Danish cutting board. Also, as M says, I try to surround myself with lovely things in my kitchen, as I spend a great deal of time there. Best of all, though, are the windows through which I keep track of the flowers, the birds, and the sun--with the lovely light it casts in the mornings and evenings. --FW
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