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Essential pots and pans
May. 21st, 2008 06:51 pmI'll start by saying that this is different for everyone, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Having said that, here are the pieces I consider to be the essential basics.
Stovetop items:
1 large silicone lid. I finally bought one when I moved down here and got a couple of items to cook for one person until I could collect my real cookware which is in storage. I've been very impressed. The seal is usually air tight.
1 skillet at least ten inches wide and two inches deep. Ideally, this comes with a tight fitting lid, but if your silicone lid is wide enough, you should be fine. This can have either straight or slanted sides as long as the lid fits.
1 stockpot or dutch oven that holds at least 5 quarts of liquid. Must have an oven proof tight fitting lid. If it has a collander liner and/or a steamer insert, all to the good.
A 1 quart covered saucepan.
Baking items:
1 cookie sheet. Yes, two is more practical, but we're talking bare minimums here. I like the larger size.
1 rack suitable for either broiling (by putting it on the cookie sheet) or cooling cakes.
2 cake pans. I don't care whether they're round or square. Most people who make cakes make layer cakes, so two pans required.
1 pie pan (if you make your own crust).
1 casserole dish. Alton Brown explained to me why round is better if you make souffles.
Other essentials:
2 (1 large and 1 medium) mixing bowls
1 whisk with a large ballon
1 wooden spoon
1 mesh strainer
1 collander (Yes, if you have a large enough strainer, the collander could be considered optional. Right up to the point where you have to strain multiple things at the same time. If your 5 quart stockpot has one built in, there's no need to buy a duplicate.)
1 pancake turner type spatula.
1 rubber (or silicone) spatula.
1 microplane grater. If you want to have a box grater too, that's fine. But my microplane is nearly constantly in use.
1 mortar and pestle (you may not consider it essential, but I do. Whole spices can often be found cheaply at health food or other specialty stores. Whole spices need to be made into ground spices somehow and a mortar and pestle is usually cheaper than a grinder and, unlike electric grinders, doesn't change the volatile oils with heat.)
1 ladle or serving spoon
1 pierced serving spoon
Now, let's talk about materials. For stove top, I like enameled or cast iron. My absolute favorites are Le Creuset, which is enameled cast iron, but even on sale they can be expensive.
Stainless is fine.
I don't like aluminum much for various reasons. Teflon and other nonstick surfaces are also non-starters for me. Once the nonstick surface is broken or cracked, it is no longer safe to use. Ultrahigh temperatures render it unsafe to use, too, but they are virtually impossible to achieve on a conventional stove top.
In every case, I prefer not to have plastic handles. There are times when a skillet needs to go under the broiler. That's impossible if the handles are going to melt into the food or give off noxious gases.
Wooden handles, which don't conduct heat are fine for saucepans, but again, not for skillets or anything else that may need to go in the oven. Still, I should mention that I've managed to singe, and in one case destroy, all my wooden handles.
Any suggestions? Any essential that I missed?
Stovetop items:
1 large silicone lid. I finally bought one when I moved down here and got a couple of items to cook for one person until I could collect my real cookware which is in storage. I've been very impressed. The seal is usually air tight.
1 skillet at least ten inches wide and two inches deep. Ideally, this comes with a tight fitting lid, but if your silicone lid is wide enough, you should be fine. This can have either straight or slanted sides as long as the lid fits.
1 stockpot or dutch oven that holds at least 5 quarts of liquid. Must have an oven proof tight fitting lid. If it has a collander liner and/or a steamer insert, all to the good.
A 1 quart covered saucepan.
Baking items:
1 cookie sheet. Yes, two is more practical, but we're talking bare minimums here. I like the larger size.
1 rack suitable for either broiling (by putting it on the cookie sheet) or cooling cakes.
2 cake pans. I don't care whether they're round or square. Most people who make cakes make layer cakes, so two pans required.
1 pie pan (if you make your own crust).
1 casserole dish. Alton Brown explained to me why round is better if you make souffles.
Other essentials:
2 (1 large and 1 medium) mixing bowls
1 whisk with a large ballon
1 wooden spoon
1 mesh strainer
1 collander (Yes, if you have a large enough strainer, the collander could be considered optional. Right up to the point where you have to strain multiple things at the same time. If your 5 quart stockpot has one built in, there's no need to buy a duplicate.)
1 pancake turner type spatula.
1 rubber (or silicone) spatula.
1 microplane grater. If you want to have a box grater too, that's fine. But my microplane is nearly constantly in use.
1 mortar and pestle (you may not consider it essential, but I do. Whole spices can often be found cheaply at health food or other specialty stores. Whole spices need to be made into ground spices somehow and a mortar and pestle is usually cheaper than a grinder and, unlike electric grinders, doesn't change the volatile oils with heat.)
1 ladle or serving spoon
1 pierced serving spoon
Now, let's talk about materials. For stove top, I like enameled or cast iron. My absolute favorites are Le Creuset, which is enameled cast iron, but even on sale they can be expensive.
Stainless is fine.
I don't like aluminum much for various reasons. Teflon and other nonstick surfaces are also non-starters for me. Once the nonstick surface is broken or cracked, it is no longer safe to use. Ultrahigh temperatures render it unsafe to use, too, but they are virtually impossible to achieve on a conventional stove top.
In every case, I prefer not to have plastic handles. There are times when a skillet needs to go under the broiler. That's impossible if the handles are going to melt into the food or give off noxious gases.
Wooden handles, which don't conduct heat are fine for saucepans, but again, not for skillets or anything else that may need to go in the oven. Still, I should mention that I've managed to singe, and in one case destroy, all my wooden handles.
Any suggestions? Any essential that I missed?
