Kitchen Essentials

A rant!

Last week, the New York Times published a list of 70(ish) “Splurge-Worthy” devices and do-dads on Wirecutter. This list, stuffed full of more gadgets and gizmos than Ariel’s grotto in The Little Mermaid, is so wildly out-of-touch that I nearly snorted into my coffee as I scrolled through. Don’t they know there’s sort-of-a-recession going on outside?

A splurge is a splurge. I can get behind that idea, especially as a self-admitted food snob. I spend more money than I care to admit on my kitchen, from the appliances all the way down to the sea salt. But even for me, this list reads as a parody. A $1,250 espresso machine? A $420 smart waffle maker? $600 for a juicer? What world are we living in?

This week, I’m scrapping the original piece I had planned on work-from-home happy hours (don’t worry; more to come on that), and instead, we’re diving into the REAL kitchen essentials that are worth the splurge. Best part? All of these combined will only set you back $400 at most. So, really, they’re just kitchen essentials.

(For those of you who may be wondering, no, these are not affiliate links. If you want to support what I’m doing here, you can become a paid subscriber. I’m still trying to work out what that gets you, but I’m thinking one bonus recipe/month and one customized book recommendation/year. LMK your thoughts and feelings.)

1. A Good Knife

   I feel like this goes without saying. Don’t spend a fortune on a whole block of knives; just get one good, sharp knife at your local kitchen supply store and learn how to use it.

2. Microplane

   I am fully expecting blowback for this choice. And I get it. But here’s the truth: I use this tool every. single. day. I grate garlic into sauces to add instant flavor. I zest lemons for pizza, muffins, cakes, and salads (I really like lemons). I grate cheese on top of pasta. I use it for nutmeg in donuts and lime in guacamole. This might be the most important tool on this list. And it’s like $12, so, really, just get one.

3. Cast Iron Pan

   If you’ve been following me for any amount of time, you know my feelings on cast iron pans. This pan goes in the oven, on the stove, and under the broiler. It makes dinner, one-skillet brunch, and cakes. What more could you want? There is no tool I reach for more than my cast iron skillet. It’s your go-to for whatever you’re making, from an upside down peach cake to shakshuka. I’ve had the same one (that I bought at Target, no less!) since my senior year of college, and I love it more each day.

4. Food Processor

   I kind of sort of hate myself for calling this an essential because it probably isn’t, really. BUT. In a toss up between a blender and a food processor, I’m going food processor every time. It makes salad dressing, pie crust, breadcrumbs, and mayonnaise. And a blender just doesn’t cut it (literally) for all of that. If you’re not sure how much you’ll really use a food processor, start with a mini one and see if it feels like a good tool for your kitchen.

5. Dutch Oven

   I went without a Dutch oven for a long time, and it was probably one of the dumbest things I’ve ever done. I use this to bake sourdough bread loafs that are perfectly shaped and, of course, for stews and soups of all sorts. In a pinch, I’ve also used it as a punch bowl. Please know that the dutch ovens on Amazon work just as well as the high end brands (sorry not really sorry).

6. Beater/Mixer of Some Sort

   Once upon a time, I would have put a KitchenAid mixer on this list. I used to use mine all of the time, but counter space is at a premium, so it now lives in my bedroom closet, only to be pulled out when duty (usually in the form of a huge batch of enriched dough) calls. My official stance now is to start with a hand mixer and see how far that gets you. If you bake a lot of bread, make pasta at home, or whip up meringues on a regular basis, you’re going to want a stand mixer (AKA a hubba hubba machine) by your side.

Coming up: an interview with Marie Cheslik of Slik Wines. You don’t want to miss this one, folks! Other things to look forward to include a recipe for the dip I make every time I have people over and the cocktail I make for my unofficial work-from-home happy hours with my cats.

As always, thanks for reading! Cheers!