Contents
Kitchen Organization
Appliances
Knives You Should Own
Pots and Pans You Should Own
Bakeware You Should Own
Other Crucial Kitchen Tools
Electric Appliances
How to Stock Your Kitchen
How to Use a Kitchen Knife
How to Follow Recipes
Glossary of Basic Cooking Terms
How to Cook Safely
Cooking Measurement Conversions
Basic Cooking Techniques
Braising
Grilling and Broiling
Poaching
Roasting
Sautéing
Steaming
Stewing
Stir-Frying
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Other Crucial Kitchen Tools
Beyond knives, pots and pans, and bakeware, there are a number of other kitchen tools you’ll need.
Bowls
Your kitchen should have at least three different-sized mixing bowls—ideally seven or eight. It’s best to buy your bowls as a set that’s stackable for easy storage. Flat-
bottomed bowls are best because they’re more stable.
Bowls may be made of plastic, glass, or stainless steel. Plastic bowls are cheap and virtually unbreakable but warp and stain easily. Glass bowls are heavy and prone to chipping or breaking but won’t warp or stain. Stainless steel bowls lack these flaws but cost more.
Cutting Boards
The basic kitchen should have two cutting boards—one for raw foods and one for everything else. Wooden boards are more attractive than plastic boards but are more difficult to clean and maintain, since they warp. Consider purchasing two plastic boards, or one plastic board for raw food preparation and one hardwood board for all your other jobs. (See How to Cook Safely for wooden board cleaning instructions.)
Measuring Tools
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2-cup pitcher with spout
top: Used to measure liquids, these pitchers are generally available in glass or plastic. Make sure you choose one with both imperial (cup) and metric (milliliter) measurements so that you can follow any recipe.
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Measuring spoons: Available
in plastic and stainless steel, make sure your set includes 1- and 1/2-tablespoon measures, as well as 1-, 1/2-, 1/3- and 1/4-teaspoon sizes.
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Measuring cups: Cups (with handles)
for scooping dry ingredients such as flour and sugar. Available in plastic or stainless steel. Make sure your set includes 1-, 1/2-, 1/3- and 1/4-cup sizes.
Miscellaneous Tools
Recipes commonly call for a number of other kitchen tools, including:
- Aluminum foil
- Bottle opener
- Can opener
- Colander (strainer)
- Corkscrew
- Grater
- Ice cream scoop
- Instant-read thermometer
- Ladle
- Oven mitts (at least 3)
- Perforated steamer
- Plastic wrap
- Resealable plastic bags
- Slotted spoon
- Solid spoons (metal and rubber)
- Spatulas (metal and rubber)
- Storage containers (various shapes/sizes)
- Timer
- Tongs
- Vegetable peeler
- Whisk
- Wooden spoons (2 or 3)
- Zester
If you’ll be baking frequently, you’ll also need:
- Bench scraper
- Rolling pin
- Scale
- Sifter
- Tube pan
- Wire cooling rack
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