build your own smitten kitchen
Does anyone run out of ways to spend their hard-earned money? I suspect they do not and it is for this reason that I generally shrug at gift guides. I mean, really? That $3,400 razor set has been marked down to $1,700? Oh thank heavens! I was wondering what to do with this money tree in my backyard that never stops growing.
But all most sarcasm aside, I do, you know, spend some time in the kitchen. And my kitchen is tiny, even tinier than the one I had when I wrote this, which means that paring down my kitchen purchases to the most utilitarian items is more essential than ever. These are the things I couldn’t get by without. My interest is in items that are practical, well-constructed, clever enough to multitask, pretty enough to move from kitchen to table, and — look, this is just my personal schtick as I fear things that melt close to temperatures I routinely use when cooking — involve as little plastic and silicone as possible.
So why do these fairly basic things make great gifts? Because I think the best presents are the things that you either might not think of or might not want to shell out for but end up making your life easier, everyday. More than one-off, silly or amusing kitchen tchotchkes, odds are people will be using these same ten items in ten years, fondly remembering that kick-ass person who bought it for them in 2009.
1. A Dutch Oven [Which Doubles as Both a Doorstop and Exercise Weights, which comes in handy when you need to work off all of the lush things you cooked in it] Heavyweight pots that go from stove to oven are essential for any and every type of cooking, especially the stewy soups and braises this weather demands. Staubs are my personal favorite; I not only like their cool industrial design but two features that others do not have — little divots, called “self-basting spikes” under the lids and handles that are steel, not plastic, meaning that you do not have to worry about them melting should your oven exceed 450¯F. You only *need* one but I’ve been unable to resist two over the years. My 7-quart oval is great for big meals, dinner parties and is large enough to hold a whole roast or bird. My 5-quart round is the perfect size for everyday cooking.
Can’t get enough? I’m hopelessly in love with Staub teapots, both square and round, but the obsession is form, more than function. I mean, they work just fine but mostly I just find them real purty.
[Links: Staub 7-Quart Oval Dutch Oven; Staub 5-Quart Round Dutch Oven; Staub Teapots, Square and Round]
2. A Great Big Knife [Because Nothing Says Love Like a Very Sharp Knife] I’m going to be honest with you: I don’t understand what half the knives in those giant blocks do. Partly due to laziness, partly due to an inherent desire to do more with less, I get everything I need done with one big chef’s knife, and I’ve used it long enough that it feels like a faster, more fierce extension of my hand. Globals are my first choice, but I warmed to Wushtofs after receiving one as a gift. I keep both sharp on a Furi, but try to take it for professional sharpenings every month, er, when it happens.
If you want to buy two knives, get a good bread knife. Until recently, I never used to understand why people spent good money on bread knives. Seeing as you cannot sharpen a serrated knife, I didn’t understand why the quality of the blade mattered. So I had a $5 one and tried to pretend everything I cut with it didn’t look like I’d chewed the loaf into slices. Then someone lent me this one and my life was changed forever. It glides through bread, it sweeps across the tops of cakes, and it slides effortlessly through marshmallows, bar cookies and chocolate, giving you a clean-cut edge you though previously only existed in the pages of Martha Stewart Living. So yes, occasionally a second knife has its merits, too.
[Links: Global 8-inch Cook's Knife, Wusthof 8-inch Chef's Knife, Furi Knife Sharpener and a F. Dick 8-inch Bread Knife that not only makes me weepy with joy, but will land an entertaining flux of Google searchers on this site]
3. Salt and Pepper Grinders [That Promise to Last Forever] You probably don’t realize how much you care about having a set that can last forever until you’ve had three in a row that so ineffectively chewed peppercorns that you were constantly met with the unwelcome surprise of a sharp crunch in a delicate pile of salad greens. And then they broke on you. Sometimes I want a fine grind, sometimes I want a coarse grind and I decided it was time I had mills that did both equally well, when I told them to. I adore my Peugeot set (I have it in a discontinued mustard color Keen-eyed Reader Wendy found them at Williams-Sonoma. Thank you!), but if I were doing it again, I’d go for a less expensive and even better-reviewed one from Vic Firth.
[Links: Classic Peugeot Set, My Peugot Set in a discontinued Dijon color at a much better price, Salt and Pepper Mills from Vic Firth]
4. Favorite Mixing Bowls [That Double As Serving Bowls] Could I go on about my four-bowl set anymore? Probably not, but I will anyway: I just love them. They hold their volume more vertically than horizontally, which means that they take up less real estate on my single, sorry 24″x36″ counter, they nest so they save space in my nonexistent kitchen cabinets, they’re minimal enough that only the food commands your attention, oh and they’re dirt cheap which comes in handy when you’re as clumsy as I am.
What could go wrong? They’ve been unavailable on Amazon for a while. I have dug and dug, and only found a 3-piece version of the set on Overstock for, uh, twice what I paid for the four-piece but if you can get past that, we’re still talking about only a tiny investment into something I’ve kept in constant rotation since the day I brought them home.
[Update: Some astute readers have found these bowls in a few stores. Walmart is one, but it is not on their website. Additional links below to places where you can buy them online. Thanks, astute people!]
[Links: Anchor Hocking 4-Piece Bowls on Amazon (placeholder in case they get restocked), Anchor Hocking 3-Piece Bowl Set on Overstock, Anchor Hocking, 1-, 2- and 3-Quart Bowls, sold separately on Web Restaurant Source and the whole 4-piece set is available at Kohls.]
5. Favorite Ramekins [That Double As Ingredient Prep Dishes] Look, I just really really like my ramekins. Buy a dozen and you can use them for everything, from individual portions of bubbly baked dishes to big muffin cups, in a pinch. Heck, buy two dozen! They barely cost a thing.
[Link: Stockholm Ramekins]
6. A Digital Scale [That Doubles As A Sanity-Saver] You know what’s a pain? Measuring out 2 3/4 cups of flour over two one-cup measures, one half-cup measure and one quarter-cup measure. You know what’s easy? Weighing out 12 ounces on a digital scale. Unfortunately, most American recipes and yes, regrettably, this site (as of now; I have hopes…) are geared towards measuring cups, not weights but if you have a digital scale, a world of recipes is open to you, not to mention huge time-saving shortcuts where equivalent weights are offered. My Salter scale works great, is inexpensive (and you can often find them on sale at the big box stores for less), easy to use and — this is key — easily switches between ounces and grams.
[Link: My Salter Scale]
7. Various Space Savers [Because An Uncluttered Kitchen is the Best] Strainers that double as sifters. Round cutters that I use for everything from cookies to hand pies, dumplings, biscuits and you name it. A solid timer than hangs out on my fridge, not counter which both ticks quietly and rings clearly. A simple, space-efficient pot rack that gets them out of the way, but leaves them easy to grab.
Finally, my newest, funny little space saver tiny pot that has all but replaced our microwave. You see, when I moved into an even tinier kitchen, I realized that there was no reason to give up precious real estate to a microwave, when I barely used it. Yet still, I missed it every time I needed to melt a single stick of butter or simmer half a cup of cream, and I’m too incompetent to be able to pour from a small saucepan into a bowl without half of the liquid dribbling down the sides. I brought this tiny, pour-spouted pot home two weeks ago and have used it almost every day since. It will so be used to reheat baby food down the road.
[Links: Strainer/Sifters, 11-Piece Round Cutter Set, Fridge Timer, Slimmest Pot Rack I Could Find and A Tiny, Two-Spout Pot]
8. Favorite Gadgets and Gizmos We all have giant messy drawers of gadgetry, right? These are the standouts in mine: Pastry cutter (for the flakiest pies), pastry scraper (no easier way to clean a counter), tongs (I don’t remember how I did anything before these), whisks aplenty and at least one flat one (for the corners), an inexpensive mandoline, an offset spatula (that I use for everything from icing cakes to lifting cookies) and an array of microplanes which I find easier to store and less cumbersome than a box grater; my favorites are the classic zester, the extra-coarse grater and something new I’m playing with, the large shaver.
Borderline-ridiculous gadgets I generally don’t admit to owning, but make me happy all the time: A garlic press that actually works (no garlic left behind!), apple slicer and corer and a fancy grapefruit knife that piths (piths!). Gosh, I feel better getting that off my chest.
9. Cookware and Bakeware If there is one place it is nearly impossible to reign in kitchen clutter, it’s cookware and bakeware. You can try to tweak and redistribute recipes whenever possible, but fact is that a loaf pan is a loaf pan and it looks nothing like a pie dish, and simmering two cups of stock in a 7-quart Dutch oven is absurd. So, after you get your Dutch oven, how do you get started? I vote for figuring out which things drive you the most crazy that you don’t have. I started there and built my way up to the, well, way-too-much that I own these days. [Hey, I baked a wedding cake. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.] What I decide I need may be different for you, but in the interest of hey-you-never-know, these are the pieces of cookware and bakeware I get the most mileage from. My preferences? Heavy pans, squared-off sides for clean edges, no nonstick. Oh, and I link to some All-Clads below because that’s what I have. And I like them, but I am not overly devoted to any brand of everyday cookware.
[Links: A 10-inch Cast Iron Frying Pan, 3 or 4-Quart Saute Pan with Lid, One Small/Medium-ish Saucepan. At Least 3 Baking Sheets (which double as roasting pans; I use tiny ones because my oven is small), a 9x13 Ceramic or Metal Pan, Loaf Pan, Pretty Little Pie Dish or Tart/Quiche Pan, and a 9- or 10-Inch Springform]
10. Something Pretty On Which To Display Your Hard Work: Essential? Probably not. Does your cooking deserve a great big “ta-da!” when you set it out? I think it does. The set that you see in almost every picture on this site is from Martha Stewart. They’re not only inexpensive, you can (slightly precariously) stack three of them to make a cookie or cupcake stand. Beyond that, you can get really far with one sturdy porcelain platter and the kind of wide bowl that holds pastas, salads or, heck, even a pretty centerpiece display.
[Links: Martha Stewart Whiteware Cake Stands, A Giant Octagonal Serving Platter (or Oval, if that's more your thing), A Large, Wide Serving Bowl]
And if you really want your own Smitten Kitchen… You’re going to need one of these arm’s reach from the kitchen. For one of these to chill in. While you do things like this.
An apology: To my people! Hanukah is just minutes away and wow, I did not see that coming this year so I got this out a little late. Would a great latke recipe make it up for this oversight?
These are great tips! I really agree with the digital scale and ’something pretty.’ My kitchen is small, but I have a ton of counter space. Unfortunately, it’s not that pretty! I need me some accesories. :)
Great ideas! I need more display type pieces for my kitchen.
Great ideas. I’m pretty smitten with my kitchen, I just need more counters! Arrggh~
With all my kitchen gadgets, I can’t imagine downsizing my kitchen ever! Where would I store all my collectibles then? :D
Love your ideas and tips.
As a proud new owner of a kitchen, this was just SO very perfect and timely!
I think this might be my favorite round-up of kitchen items so far this year… and it’s thanks to you that I’ve asked for a bread knife for Christmas :)
Oh what I wouldn’t do for a dutch oven…I guess I’m waiting for a wedding registry (first I need a ring ) haha.
This list reminds me of Laurie Colwin’s list of required kitchen gadgetry- I think she calls it the “low tech person’s batterie de cuisine.”
Also- I have a little boy a couple of weeks older than yours and I can definitely vouch for the handiness of that baby swing!
I’ve got 9 down, just need the big fancy and “sharpened” knife to go! My dulled down Ikea knife ain’t doin’ me any justice anymore. *hmmp
Actually, I take that back, I need a Dutch Oven too! Accept I’m really good at buying tv dinners than cooking fresh. I’m a baker, not a cook. A-hem…there’s a difference!
Anyways, thanks for the guide! You rock!
Love,
Heather
Talk about a fun, exhaustive, space- and money-saving culinary gift guide! Fantastic. All of your readers will be thanking you for putting this together for sure. Only problem is, my kitchen is already overflowing with tchotchkes and is not exactly big on space. Oh well, what’s one more spatula gonna do, right?! :) Thanks for the latke recipe too, nice bonus. Happy Chanukah to you and yours !!
I love your website and especially like the picks of Jacob helping you cook. I try to make two new Smitten recipes a week (I have to make up for the 3 years before I got smitten bitten.)
Here’s a super source for any one who wants to mimic your OCD spice collection http://www.specialtybottle.com
Aha!! nice list of things and gifts!! Thank you for putting this together. Now I have tons of ideas of what to buy for my wife.
Thanks a lot.
I admire everything in your kitchen – especially the simple white cake stand and the ramekins! :)
Great ideas. I love the retro timer!
Is it terrible that I’m going to forward this link to my boyfriend?? Perhaps he can get some fabulous Christmas ideas from it! Oh, and Deb, your baby is just adorable!
Also, if you are a fan of All-Clad, there is a cheaper, comparable alternative. Stainless-clad Tri-Ply Tramontina. You must get the tri-ply and make sure the tri-ply is not just on the bottom–some pots sold directly in the stores have it only on the bottom. It is slightly thinner than the All-Clad, so the saute pan doesn’t work as well, but the price of $129 for an entire set at Wal-Mart is less than you might pay for one All-Clad pot. I’ve been using this set (which includes their Dutch Oven) for two years and love the way they conduct heat. Here’s the purchase link:
http://www.walmart.com/Tramontina-8-Piece-Cookware-Set/ip/5716478
And a discussion on ChowHound about the comparison:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/537551
In our house, I am Baker & boyfriend is Chef. We’re both very serious about it. He’s opening a restaurant in the next two years.
Yet we own such a mash of things from our moms, cheap stuff we bought in college, and castoffs inherited from friends who raked in wedding registry gifts; streamlining and selectively owning beautiful kitchen tools is becoming a top priority!
Inspired by your love for your Staubs, and looking forward to gift-giving season, I recently asked him if he needed or wanted a Dutch Oven… and learned that has another definition which made for some amusing misunderstanding!!
Tart/quiche pan is definitely the next item on this wish-list for me. And I really must strenuously agree with this whole list!
I have to say we keep about a dozen clear pyrex ramekins and use them for absolutely EVERYTHING, from prep to serving. When I made him a Millennium Falcon birthday cake, I whipped up different colored frosting in each one! And my nesting glass mixing bowls, which go from Jacob-sized to ramekin-sized (and which I keep in a deep drawer for easy access!), are probably the very first thing I’d rescue in a kitchen fire (my boy would grab his One Great Big Knife!)
Ah, wish list updated. Many thanks, this is awesome!
Those are all great ideas! The best gift I got was a marble for working chocolate! I love to temper chocolate for candy and truffles and the marble makes it easy! Also, I adore my cast iron dutch-oven. Can’t live without it!
I have a small kitchen, but a big living room, so a big shelf out there has been a lifesaver. You want a great laugh, check out this Kitchen 4B video from the NY Times, the best is when she cops to owning a twinke pan… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1ORzX-yBkw
A great gift list. Thankfully inspired, but without the usual arm and leg loss.
PS Thanks for the latke link !
Michaela
Oh, Deb. Just when I’d narrowed down the wish list to a mere flat whisk and new Microplane, you had to reveal the source of that dang perfect cake plate.
YOU.
I am madly in love with my Peugeot pepper grinder. We, too, went through three inferior products that ended up either being too difficult to grind or turning the peppercorns into little cubes rather than grinds until we found our Peugeot. It’s a bit expensive but so worth the cost.
I do need a nice cake stand. In our last move, my pretty cake stand was the only kitchen item to break (sad, sad, sad). Luckily, it was a Target $10 item so I wasn’t too devastated but you just reminded me that I need another one.
My kitchen collection is currently a motley mix of Ikea purchases and hand-me-downs. But! I’m getting married next October and this list will totally inform my registry choices. Thanks so much!!
I’ve got a great scale and love recipes with weights used instead of cups. Where’s a good place to find how much a cup of flour or sugar should weight etc… for converting my recipes that use cups?
I am bookmarking this post, to send to my husband the next time he asks me “What do you want for (insert gift-giving occasion here)?”
I feel so much cooler now that I know you own a furi knife sharpener! I agree with your list whole heartedly.
Love this list! BTW – they sell those Anchor Hocking mixing bowls individually at Wal-Mart. I have them and love them, since I too have a small kitchen.
My kitchen scale is awesome. It measures my ingredients for cooking and I can also use it to weigh my yarn to see how much yardage I have left in a skein. Best thing I every bought!
Your baby is too adorable. Makes me want to start baby making right now!
Your mixing bowls can be found at Kohls under the Food Network brand (they are Anchor Hocking but not labeled as such). I bought mine when they were 1/2 off and I had a $10 coupon so I got the 4 set for $12! Excellent purchase!
http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/kitchendining/brandsforkitchen/foodnetwork/PRD~262984/Food+Network+4pc+Splatter+Bowl+Set.jsp
Great ideas! I second the dutch oven (love my le crueset) and a good knife. Crucial.
Thank you, Slack. I was thinking the FN must sell them, since all of their chefs use them!
As a visual person, I’d love larger photos of each item. It’s hard to tell what I’d be interested in at a glance.
I am checking out the Dutch oven and the serrated knife!! Thanks for all the information. This will be a great guide for my students.
Your baby is so absolutely gorgeous! So much hair!!
And I love your Kitchen Wish List … simple, yet practical. I love having the right tools for the right jobs, but appreciate an uncluttered kitchen at the same time.
I very much enjoy your blog.
This is an awesome list and I’ll even happily forgive you for it being so close to Hanukkah and thus missing my list that I had to give to everyone. I think I’ll just make a few key purchases for myself and my tiny kitchen :) I love new kitchen toys, this just made my crappy Thursday much better!
Slack-awesome! I will be heading to Kohl’s this weekend thanks for the info!!
Thanks for the knife recommendation – I do the same thing, use some of the ones from my block, but they’re not very good and I desperately need a new one!
Le Creuset has finally also figured out about the perils of plastic knobs (what do you mean I can’t put it in the broiler?!) and has come out with a replacement knob made of steel for its pots. Here’s the Amazon link: http://bit.ly/7xlECu.
It’s no self-basting spike, but for the already-Le-Creuset-enabled, it might be worthwhile!
I love my Martha Stewart cake stands! My favorite way to use them is at Christmas – as a kitchen-y Christmas “tree”:
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v829/155/66/792038059/n792038059_1814447_3790.jpg
Thanks for sharing all of these wonderful things!
A digital scale is so helpful! I only bought one about a year ago an now I don’t know how I lived without it! Great recommendations :)
Soon you will learn that your ramekins are indispensable for serving up baby-size portions of puréed peas and the like. They are tough enough to knock off a high chair tray onto anything but a tile floor, they don’t offend the eye like all the plastic dreck, and they can be microwaved without the plastic hysteria du jour. Couldn’t live without mine.
I really love those Anchor Hocking mixing bowls. I’ve been watching a lot of daytime Food Network lately, and most everyone of the chefs HAVE THESE BOWLS. Anyone ever noticed that? I understand their liking, as this way cameras can see through them and look at the goodies inside. Anyways, once my current collection of mixing bowls starts to really dwindle, a chip here, a crack there … I am buying these bowls asap!
Excellent list… there are a few things on there that I still need like a kitchen scale and something to organize all of the dishes and things we already have.
I have one suggestion to add to the list that I find irreplaceable: silicon coated tongs. They are fantastic for doing any work on non-stick or other easily scratchable surfaces and having something that can grip and stir AND handle high temperatures is an great thing.
OoooOooO you’re such an enabler! (in a good way). :-) Most of your list is already in my daydream-of-kitchen-gadgets head… thanks for the useful comments of how you use them too. My kitchen is tiny also. I live in a small 2 bedroom apartment built in the 70s. With 70s cabinetry, flooring and stovetop too.
For folks looking to buy “the” chef’s knife, if you can, get ye to a store that carries many brands, and test them all out: hold them in your hand, make the cutting motions. You shouldn’t “feel” it at all – it should be part of your hand. If it’s not comfortable and natural in the store, it will never become comfortable and natural at home. I love Shun knives, but they’re not for everyone. There are several really good quality brands out there that will last you a lifetime, so there’s a choice: do the research. There’s nothing worse than a knife that makes you feel like you’re wrestling with your ingredients.
Anyone have a suggestion for a great blender? We have an old cheapie and recently my hubbie has started loving smooties. I was told about the Blendtec ~ but it’s so pricey! Is it worth it? Comments or suggestions please and thank you :)
These are all great suggestions for a foodie gift! Also, just wanted to let you know I linked to your Varenikis recipe today. Thanks!
great list! i’m a sucker for kitchen gadgets…wouldn’t mind an apple corer or a mandolin, myself. i’m going to link this post on my blog.
i’m also going to try your coffee toffee this week. couldn’t find parchment paper @ the grocery store (i don’t know why), but wax paper should work to??
Are the ramekins stackable? Can you stack a half dozen of them, or does the pile get too high and tippy?
I got rid of my straight sided ones years ago becuase they wouldn’t stack and were hard to store. These look like they might not have that problem.
Here’s from one tiny kitchen to another! Thanks for the great tips! My in-laws were just asking for my amazon wish list, and I was just thinking about upgrading my pots & pans (can you believe I don’t have a Dutch oven?!).
And I love how you snuck in a picture of Jacob at the end. Brilliant!
Nothing is better than getting kitchen gear as a gift! This year I’m after an immersion blender, food processor, and madeleine pan.
Alexandra – I recently bought a KitchenAid blender: http://www.shopkitchenaid.com/product_detail.asp?T1=KTA+KSB560PK&.
While it’s not excellent for making dips and pesto, it’s great for smoothies (and margaritas). A bit noisy but very powerful and of course, quite heavy.
Great post! This was so helpful. I love kitchen gear, but I don’t have all that much of it. It’s nice to know what’s “worth it” and what’s not.
I want a Memoria kitchen haha…or a bigger physical kitchen with every, single gadget in existence. Thanks for the big list. I have a million tabs on my web browser now.
Thanks for all the great ideas. I have those ramekins and love them. I should go get more. And yes, they do stack, but I’ve only tried 4 high (since that’s all I have). I’ve been wanting a tart pan, and think I’ll have to get the one you suggested. Also, couldn’t agree more that desserts deserve to be set out on something lovely. I’m adding that cake stand to my wish list.
this is a spectacular post! with wonderful insight into the workings of your kitchen…& great gift ideas…thank you!
btw: the adorable photo of jacob more than makes up for “hanukah is just minutes away!”
happy h to you & your family!!
What an awesome idea for a post right before the holidays. I know I kept going back to your post about cameras when I was looking at buying a new one, and I think this post will be frequented as well in days to come.
Thank you for the great guide! Though I have a fairly larger kitchen I don’t like clutter so this is perfect. I’ve already “saved for later” quite a few things in my Amazon.com shopping cart!
i love the square martha stewart cake plates.
The cradle swing is a must; we inherited the aquarium model from my sister and it’s proving to be a life/sanity saver.
No paring knife? I mostly use an 8″ chef’s knife, but have found a paring knife extremely handy on occasion.
Have a lovely holiday!
I was just talking about this with some friends – essential, practical gifts that make your friends swoon with joy. I had already planned to get my friend Katie a temperature gauge for her steamed milk. Thanks for supplying all the great links. Many an inspiration.
Those ramekins are exactly what I’ve been searching for. They’ve been on my list for years, but I hadn’t yet found the perfect ones (I mean sure I could have gone with classic vertical ridges).
Regarding butter melting and no-microwave – when it is for baking I’ve taken to putting butter in a small oven-safe bowl and placing that in the oven while it preheats and set a timer and you might need to stir, depending on how much butter you melt.
Since my husband likes all your posts (food-wise) I am hoping he’ll find something on your list that I don’t have…well he knows my wish list and has definitely said no to a baby so kitchen stocking it is.
Happy holidays to you and your family. And yes to the latke recipe.
I have always used my bread knife more for slicing tomatoes than bread – serrated edge just seems to work better than a regular knife. So, even more reason to follow Deb’s tip #2!
Great post, Deb! These are all amazing products, and I LOVE the gorgeous photo of Jacob! He is just the sweetest baby…:-)
I don’t have that small a kitchen any more, but I wholeheartedly agree with almost all of your essential picks here. If you have just a tiny bit more space, I love the IKEA Grundtal shelf as a pot rack: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00011428
Also, if you really want mind-blowing latke deliciousness, try replacing about a third of the russets with garnet yams.
I have the same All Clad butter melting pan! When I got it as a hand me down, I thought it was the most absurd thing, but since I don’t have a microwave either, I use it to do all those things you mentioned.
BHT — They don’t stack wonderfully; I get about 4 high safely but even then, not the best. Ones that taper more towards the bottom, a more traditional shape, would stack better.
Soupaddict — Great advice!
Awesome post, as always :)
This post is so great! A link should be sent to my husband and family as you have listed all the things that I have been dreaming of having in my kitchen!!! Thanks for compiling all these things and providing links! Easy shopping! NO EXCUSE!
But why are there no baby pictures?
(I kid! I kid!)
Great ideas! I already had the dutch oven on my wish list. Another great use for a serrated knife is cutting tomatoes.
If you ever make crumpets (I have to – I’ve never been able to find them in the tiny corner for Austria I live in, sob) you’ll find *yet* another use for your round cutters, yay for multi-tasking! You probably know this but the batter is so loose they need to be cooked in egg rings which, um, weirdly enough I never got around to stocking up on so I substitute.
Ha! I just smiled my way through this whole post. First, I patted myself on the back for the items that I also have (peuguot salt grinda, what! what!) and then I ooed and ahed at the things I need but can’t afford (dang it I need to get married already, so I can get the STUFF) and then I died laughing a little bit when you said (Pith!) because my last name is Pithie, and my nickname in high school and beyond was always Pith and now I feel even closer to the smitten kitchen, just a little teensy bit. Happy Hannukah Deb and fam!
Great post. I agree with most everything but would add a good cutting board as good knives and countertops don’t agree with each other. Oh and THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! to Sarah for posting about the replacement knobs for Le Creuset and a link to them on Amazon. Those knobs are the only thing about my Le Creuset I don’t like.
Hi Deb, what about your camera? Your pictures are amazing and I’d love to know what you use to capture the great images of your food and your son.
regarding the little stockpot and reheating baby food….if you serve your little guy room temperature baby food, and he likes it (or learns to) then things are much easier when you are out and about….and you don’t have to wash that pot 3x per day! just a thought….
Yay! I’m not the only one who gets fed up with a crappy pepper grinder.. this is so great! Thanks a million..
Hi Deb! I can’t seem to find a medium or small pie pan/dish. I don’t always want to make a 9″ pie! I’d love to have a 6″ pie pan. Have you ever seen one? Or any smaller size but same general shape?
Happy holidays of whatever flavor!!
Deb. You *still* have not revealed what food processor you use…despite the fact that you seem to use it constantly! It’s “next” on my wishlist…and while you’re doing my bank account a favor, I really would like to know what I’m coveting!
Smitten – when I saw the picture of the Anchor Hocking bowls I wondered if their flatter bottoms inhibited being able to mix as well as a bowl with a rounded bottom?…especially if one ever uses a hand mixer?
I like the way they look!
good knives. yes. i just got my very first adult kitchen knife (ok, so i’m lucky and I got a few) but WOW, it’s amazing the difference a good knife can make. and double agreed with the bread knife! also, i recommend trying a Shun knife if you ever get the chance… amazing!
Thank you so much for creating this for us! I can’t figure out when you have time to do these things. The picture of Jacob literally took my breath away. Happy Chanukah! I’m cooking latkes for 30 tomorrow. It’s at a friend’s house so I’m thrilled to do it. I’m partial to Edward Schneider’s latkes. He posted his recipe on Mark Bittman’s blog last year. It’s how my husband’s grandmother made them, how my mother made them, and now how I make them. It’s all in the magical ACME grater. http://bitten.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/latkes/
I love, love, love my digital scale. A good space saver is…a cutting board(s). You can prep something and move it to another surface, using the original area to prep something else on another cutting board.
This is really bad for me. I already have far too much kitchen stuff (store some things in the garage and others in the basement). But, I might have to go buy the mixing bowls (swoon) and the ramikens, even though I already have perfectly good ones in my kitchen. I may love the tools almost as much as I love the cooking!
I had been looking and looking and waiting and waiting for those same mixing bowls – and I found them FINALLY – at tylerflorence.com – they’re the set of 4 splashproof bowls – he used the same ones on his show, and I guess they had stopped making them (as many paths I pursued all ended in “unavailable”) – but they’re here now! WOO!
I can’t wait to get a dutch oven. It’s on my registry. Can’t bring myself to spend hundreds on a kitchen item for myself, but family/friends can go right ahead…is that bad?
Great list! I’ve collected most of the cookware I’ll ever need except the Dutch Oven. Thanks for the reasoning behind the Staub recommendation. A good bread knife I do need, but I never really missed that until I started baking good crusty bread. And last, the round cutter. I’ve been using a soup can, but the edge just isn’t sharp enough! I also want your wavy edged cutter set. Man..those sets are expensive, that’s what’s been holding me back..I just can’t justify based on the amount of usage they’d get, uh, but I want them anyway!
e — Yes. Fat Daddio (love the name, love the cheap, restaurant supply-ish bakeware) makes a 6-inch pie pan. Which reminds me that I have this set of four 4-inch mini pie pans. The rationale behind the set of four is that you should be able to use it to make four small pies from one standard 9-inch pie recipe (I believe that is the conversion…), or say, two mini-pies from half a recipe.
Dutch ovens — Yes, they make great gifts. My 7-quart was a first anniversary present from Alex. We joked that it would double as a baby bassinet one day. I had totally forgotten about that until now, and I believe it calls for a photo-op, no? (P.S. We’d need two of them to fit Jacob now!)
Thanks for posting this! I’m glad my guy hasn’t started shopping for me yet…. now I know what to ask for!
Hey I guess I have a real Smitten Kitchen or maybe just a replica, since I don’t have a cute little boy and actually my little girl is one now. I’m actually setting them up with a play kitchen next to mommy’s kitchen since the swing no longer keeps them occupied. But thanks for finishing my wish list for me. I was wondering where to get a few of those things.
My son loved that swing also. It actually replaced his bassinet when he was 6 weeks old! He slept in it for 3 months. And I soooo need that tiny little sauce pan. When yours gets to be 5( and 2) you will heat up lunches for small people in such gadgetry.
deb, what about the little pyrex glass storage containers with the plastic lid? can’t beat them for storing leftovers (i know you’re averse to leftovers, but still…) and throwing it right from fridge into oven to reheat. they’re also great for work lunches for those of us who, like you, dislike using plastic!
“And if you really want your own Smitten Kitchen… You’re going to need one of these arm’s reach from the kitchen. For one of these to chill in. While you do things like this.”
Makes me think that I could do it… oh, that would make my husband so happy… I want to, but, yikes!
I had to laugh at “Nothing says I love you like a very sharp knife” because last year for Christmas, my boyfriend gave me an 8″ Wusthof chef’s knife (which I love and is the most used thing in my kitchen). And then a few months later, he got to drive me to the ER when I cut my hand pretty badly with it… Ok, so it’s actually pretty funny now, but at the time it was horrible!
K — You know me so well! My next project is getting rid of every bleeping plastic container — The lids never fit! They never look or smell clean! They make me fly into a rage sometimes, I confess — and replacing it with a mega-set of those Pyrex. I even considered including it on this list, but I don’t use them (yet) and I wanted to keep it honest. (I seriously dislike plastic so much we have glass bottles for the baby. And I might be less leftover-averse if they were in less sketchy packaging.)
i am completely with you on all aspects of plastic container usage. blech. if you put anything tomato-y in there, they stain. anything oily? they get sticky. and i’m skeeved out by microwaving in them, lest toxins leach out into my food. and i won’t lie — i’m also drawn to the aesthetic aspects of the pyrex. what, i’m a girl. btw, you can sometimes get good deals on the huge pyrex sets at target, assuming you feel like lugging it back home!
Wow, and here I thought paying $17 for my razor blades was rediculous.
I love everything on this list and must have it all! Thank you :)
Fun to see a wish list posted. Great recs…especially agree with dutch oven (I love my red le creuset…makes me smile every time I use it) and knives (yes on bread knife…live and learn). Simple extras that I love: my Microplane zester/grater and my little wooden hand juicer. Great wish list!!
fantastic stuff…i’ve already made my wish list, but i’ll definitely think about getting some of the more economical items for myself.
i too am a One Big Knife person. mine is a Shun 7″ santoku. the asymmetrical handle sold me. http://www.kershawknives.com/productdetails.php?id=249&brand=shun
i could probably transition to a Global now that i’ve had a couple years practice. when i bought the Shun i was still a bit of a novice and the Global metal handles seemed a bit slippery for me.
This is a great list! I will have to check if I have all these… though I doubt it! It’d be fun to go shopping for all these items!
Speaking of storage..The Working Glass. I have a set I bought at Crate and Barrel eons ago and I still love them. The small hold 16oz and the large 24 (I think?) They come with plastic lids that you can also buy replacements for. They were perfect when my kids were young as no-tip drinking glasses and even better for keeping leftover sauces, jams made with over the hill fruits and hot fudge sauce among other uses.
Happy Hanukkah Deb.
I made a noodle kugel, not latkes this year!
Nice list of wishes…….I think I will order that Global knife tonight and maybe treawt myself to the bread knife too!
Best for a happy healthy holiday,
Stacey Snacks
What a great list Deb. If only we could ALL have a Smitten Kitchen… (and be as talented as you!)
I have the Anchor Hocking 10 bowl set… LOVE it! From a large bowl to serve salad in to small pinch bowls. If one has the room, I’d recommend this set.
if you need a bread knife of your own since you borrowed yours, check out the wusthof super slicer…its AMAZING! bread, cakes, tomatoes, my fingers occasionally, but it’s phenomenal.
http://www.wusthof.com/desktopdefault.aspx/52_view-121/categories-121/tabid-75/105_read-133/categories-210
Ok- at the risk of sounding like a psychotic lunatic (yes, psychotic AND affected by lunacy), I’m just going to go ahead and say this…I love you. Yep, I said it. Love.
Your writing, your photos, your recipes, and that SWEET BABY. It just doesn’t get any better. Thanks for taking the time to do this post….I know it took a ton of work. Lots of great tips and sound advice.
A few weeks ago my mom was searching the internet high and low for a good homemade yellow cake recipe. She finally settled on one and when I saw the computer I said “Yes, that is Smitten Kitchen. I link to her from my blog”! I was excited…as if I knew you, gave you the recipe myself, and had some story about serving this cake, alongside you, to the Pope or something. Well, the cake was great (as are all your recipes).
Thanks again. I know this takes alot of work. My daughter just turned 10 months and I love any posts in which you talk about cooking with the baby strapped on or trying to finish some dish while they’re screaming…. I can SO relate. Just tonight I managed to do what I thought was impossible, but it turns out that you actually can mince garlic with only one hand. Who knew?
Happy holidays. Hope you enjoy that little one and find some time to kick back and enjoy your favorite seasonal treats! Oh, and just a tip…while “Bjorning” the baby beware of steam from pots, tall stacks of canned goods at the store, and fennel fronds swaying just in front of your baby’s face while standing in line at the farmer’s market. My toes have been injured along with my pride as onlookers gawked at a then 5 month old chewing on fennel and chunks of dirt.
Best wishes!
Carli
Velveeta Aint Food
Fat Daddio also makes a beautiful set of 6″ cake pans…no seams to collect crumbs/grease/flour.
I had so much fun reading your list! I work in an independent kitchen store and have spent my fair share of time creating and constantly editing the list of kitchen must-haves I give to customers who are just starting out.
Sorry, that was unclear. Someone lent me the bread knife and then I went out and bought it. I love it. I use it almost every day.
[Seriously, I really do own everything on this list. I bought everything myself. I don't accept freebies or samples and I'd never tell you to buy something I hadn't bought myself. Yeah, that sounds defensive, right? It's why I didn't mention it in the post. I just hope everyone knows that when they read the site!]
Your post made me think about what’s essential in my tiny 70s-never-updated-rental kitchen these days. While I could do without a microwave, I have to say that it has come very useful to reheat/thaw my children’ meals… but yes, I could do without one if I had to.
I love my dutch oven (brought back from France when it was still possible to check heavy luggage)… but I use my pressure cooker even more (brought back from France as well). Not for the same things but when it comes to making a quick dinner soup because the kids are really hungry or to steam veggies, there is nothing faster (and healthier).
PS: A bread knife does make a difference; it’s on my to-get list (together with the bread board to trap the crumbs!!). Happy Holiday!
deb…i was so thrilled to see you in my latest oprah magazine yesterday. there was a list of four websites to check out for “healthy” eating and “smitten kitchen” was number one. i was so proud of you! i’ve been following you for two years when my friend told me about it and now i have told many, many others about it. some of my best and most requested recipes have come from you. thank you!
While the Staub’s are very nice dutch oven’s my Lodge Cast Iron dutch oven does have the self-basting lid. Also I particularly like my Forschner 8″ Chef’s knife. GREAT bargain.
John — Thanks for the reminder. I have a tiny one from Lodge and indeed it does!
well this is just about the best gift guide i’ve ever read. i couldn’t agree more about how useless the lists of expensive frivolities are to me. useful kitchen gear…that’s what my wishlist says every year.
Hi,
I really enjoy reading your blog and looking at all of the beautiful pictures! It makes me hungry! :) I wanted to tell you that, if you have a Tuesday Morning store near you, they currently have a bunch of Staub ceramic ware for sale. Lots of little dishes and ramekins that are little replicas of their pots. They are great for storing spices and salts. :) They have some bake ware as well.
Keep up the great work!
Hi Deb,
I’m pretty sure those Anchor bowls are available at Wal-Mart, of all places. Although I just looked at Walmart.com and couldn’t find them online, I’ve bought 2 in-store in the last few months. We use ours for a simple centerpiece on the dining room table, filled with fruit in the spring/summer and with pot-pourri pine cones at the moment. I have been loving them too, but was unaware they were so highly sought after. I just moved in with my now-husband, and had to cram all my kitchen stuff into his bachelor pad kitchen filled with plastic (ugh!) beer mugs and whatnot. Another thing I loved from Wal-Mart is a super-skinny, but deep, tower of drawers (white!). They are cheap plastic, but insanely useful. I have mine packed with all those little things that normally take up space in kitchen drawers: cookie cutters, muffin cups, measuring spoons, cups, etc. I have a tall stack right next to the fridge, and a few more tucked in tiny areas throughout the house.
You forgot the essential tool for a smitten kitchen- the laptop, all greasy and splattered (mine anyway)! The latkes link is on my desktop, all ready to go. I don’t know why b/c I have it memorized back and forth, up and down. Happy Channukah to you and your beautiful family!
Great guide – the bread knife one makes a lot of sense (now, thinking about it in my head).
I had just completed my own foodie holiday gift guide and posted it on my blog, when I decided to hop on over to Smitten Kitchen and see what Deb was cooking, and what do you know, you did a gift guide! On the same day as mine. And yours is soooo much better, so much more elegant, so much more practical. Not that anyone was going to read mine anyway, but now they’re definitely not going to. But I will say that it made me feel good that several of my gift ideas were ideas that you also listed. Great minds think alike, right?
this is great! thanks! They are not a set but if you are looking for just one of those mixing bowls – It looks like ikea has one that looks a lot like the one deb uses – for $3.99!!!! also deb – Martha Stewart (Ahhh martha I love you) has a set of wonderful pyrex tupperware that are perfect. We have never had plastic in our house since we discovered them years ago. they have plastic lids but they are wonderful and I often freeze meals in them, so busy days with the little ones they go from freezer to oven – we call them our “marthas”. Here is the tricky part – they dont seem to be easy to find – KMART periodically (And not all of them) carries them. We have often stopped at random KMARTS just to see if they had the mega sized box of 10 of them (for $19.99!!!) The set comes with two lasagna sized pans, two round smaller pans (sort of small casserole size), and two each of small round and rectangular ones – great for lunch sized leftovers.
OMG. When I bought my nephew and his wife a knife set for their wedding gift I said to my husband “Nothing says love like a new knife set!”
love your site. great suggestions and fun recipes.
your baby is gorgeous
happy holiday
I ordered a dutch oven last week because I just discovered that recipe for rustic, no-knead bread that may cause me never to bake bread in the knead-rise-punchdown-rise way again. I agree with everything on your list – I would only add that in my kitchen, I simply could not do without my microplane grater! I use it almost daily. It’s in my giant drawer of gadgetry, next to the dough scraper and the apple wedger and the huge, bad-ass knife.
Hey Deb- thanks for the Latke recipe, just in time!
The pyrex with the plastic lids are also great in the freezer. I’m due in Feb and already stocking up on things in the freezer and those containers are great for that. There’s some made by Frigovere that Container Store and Crate & Barrel carry, too.
Happy Hannukah & thanks for the list! ; )
Wow, you have an amazing kitchen! I cannot wait until I have the money to supply mine like yours is!
Great blog post! I have a Staub – it’s my FAVORITE pot now! I bake bread in it now from the book Jim Lahey – it comes out GREAT. I love the list of all your other kitchen gadgets. Maybe next time you can show us your kitchy and gadgets with photos?!!!! Happy Hanukkah!
Very thoughtful list. My kitchen lacks in category 10. I never have enough or the right pieces.
Great list! These are all essentials for any well-run kitchen. The most important things in my kitchen, without a doubt, are my sharp chef’s knives and my stainless-steel All-Clad pans (plus a couple of nonstick ones for omelets and crepes).
Special thanks for mentioning the latke recipe. Hannukah starts today and I was beginning to worry that SK wouldn’t be a part of my celebration. But no more worries – I’ll make your latkes, and my sister is making your grasshopper brownies. Maybe your next contribution could be some doughnuts?
P.S. Your baby is adorable.
I have been looking for a nice looking ramekin set and I love yours! Thanks!
about bread knives – turns out you can sharpen them. we recently purchased a brilliant electric knife sharpener by Waring and it sharpens bread knives too! love your post. happy holidays to you and your family.
OK, OK, you have inspired me to get rid of some stuff:
- The last bit of my serving dishes that I never use, but want to.
- A couple of pots (one beautiful copper one I bought a garage sale & split from it’s mate)
- The Vintage Pyrex (Boo Hoo), that are so fun, but heavy and space hogs (my inner clean sweep angel will will have to pry these from the hands of my inner clutter bug)
- Put away the knife block, and keep only 2-3 knives on magnets
And instead purchase (yipee!):
- Those glass Pyrex bowls…the search is on
- a few more Pyrex ramekins (so I like the Pyrex, who doesn’t)
- the knife magnet thingy
I have 2 of the thin pot racks…that also hold towels, apron and a few larger utensils. I love them, and so do all of my visitors.
And I swear my minimalist boyfriend WILL appreciate it after he gets used to yet another rearrangement of the new and improved smitten kitchen.
I love love love your site.
It seems that Anchor Hocking no longer sells those bowls as a set. See their catalog page 19, available here:
http://www.anchorhocking.com/download.html?url=%2Fpdf%2FRetailCatalogTableTop_10_09LR.pdf?catid=192
However, you can still find all but the 4qt bowl individually ($15 for all three).
3qt:
http://www.webstaurantstore.com/anchor-hocking-94684-3-qt-crystal-serving-bowl/55094684.html
2qt:
http://www.webstaurantstore.com/anchor-hocking-94683-2-qt-crystal-serving-bowl/55094683.html
1qt:
http://www.webstaurantstore.com/anchor-hocking-94682-1-qt-crystal-serving-bowl/55094682.html
great list. looks like you’ve got it all covered.
I love your website! I’m going to try a bunch of your cookie recipes for my holiday baking this year. And I just opened my new issue of ‘O’ magazine and your blog is mentionned! How cool is that?
you’re right about remembering the giver fondly. i think of my friend ann, who gave me my first microplane grater, every time i use it.
Oh, yes. You need a big knife. With a little practice, it can do anything a small knife can do but the opposite is not necessarily true. I use Wusthof and an old Martin Yan signature Chinese cleaver, though I’m sure Martin fronts for a new company by now. It holds an edge better than some of my more expensive knives and can carry cutup veggies from cutting board to stove. Also, thanks for helping with my pleading to the wife for a Dutch oven.
John
Chef Dad
What do you recommend as a good meat thermometer? I need one… Thanks in advance!
*snif* my Amazon wishlist just got HUGE. Nice set of links!
I’m almost hoping I don’t get the traditional ramekins I asked for, so I can buy those other ones instead!
I second Sara’s request! Plz plz plz give us a good sufganiyot recipe! I hate frying things and would love your guidance. Plz plz plz (before my excuse to make them is gone)!
I agree re: the cake plates. Now, if they could only design something for us to perch on that would make us look as delectable as a confection on a pedestal…
it’s as if you’ve been rummaging through my kitchen! I have been buying Forschner chef knives for my siblings as entry-level-but -still- great cooks tools whenever they show the slightest interest in cooking.
mimi — I think they’re called Louboutins.
Sufganiyot — Would you believe I never ate them growing up? Given my affection for fried dough, I was obviously deprived. I’ll see if I can get one in this week … I have 8 days, right?
Loved the gift guide!! Thank you for this. Along with the salt and pepper mill… are there any salt and pepper brands you recommend? Im having a hard time finding a yummy pepper. Would appreciate your thoughts! :)
Thank you, Deb, and Happy Hanukah! Thanks for this list with which I concur and have most of the things here and am eager to add some in the future.
I was wondering if you ever do use nonstick? I have two ScanPans that I love and which get put in play almost every, or every other day.
Also, it is a small thing, but do you have a suggestion for measuring spoons? I used my beloved grandmother’s tin ones until I notice that they were bending/degrading a bit–they are now only for display. Here’s my prob–most of them have very unclear markings–so I know pretty much what size is what–but to confirm requires stopping the cooking flow to check and re-check the size (embossed white plastic text, come on! Or etched into stainless–easily covered by flying ingredients the heat of the cooking moment…) Suggestions?
Kiss the baby for me! ;-)
The Staub Teapot you listed, is it for use heating water on the stove top or just for brewing tea? Love the list, I have the Vic firth pepper mill, like you went through a few that were just not good. I got mine from the spice house out of Chicago, they have a great website and the best cinnamon ever. and thanks fro the knife recommendation I will check out the globals.
I don’t have any of things, although I have wanted a dutch oven for AGES now. I found some Le Creuset 5 qts for $139 at TJ Maxx the other day and I am kicking myself for not getting one. Maybe they will still be here next week. I doubt they are as recognizable in this new small New Mexico town I now work in :)
On the other hand, my boyfriend immediately had to look up the F Dick knives because the name tickled him silly. I really want their 1778 chef’s series and now I have a new thing to drool over BESIDES your boozy french toast, which I made this morning :) Thanks for the insight into your kitchen.
I just weeded a ton of things out of my kitchen, deciding to favor little things like my fork and knife pastry technique over a pastry cutter, and other things. This will free up more room for things like round cutters (a set that really works) and more ramekins. What size would you recommend for ramekins? I seem to only have 4 4-ounce ones.
That is such a great list – and I love how you’re so honest about what’s useful and what’s a waste of space. I’ve just added a bunch of these things to my amazon wishlist!
PS – Sometimes I have “SmittenKitchen weekends” where I make at least three things from the site. We LOVE those weekends.
I feel a big smug to have most of what’s on the list, although I’ve yet to upgrade some of the cheaper versions. For some reason I’m not fond of glass bowls, so in addition to my set of mongo stainless steel bowls, I have a set of heavy ceramic bread bowls–not fibro-friendly, but fantastic for bread and those times I’m feeling nostalgic. I think it’s time for a good chef’s knife, though. And time to get rid of some of the gadgety junk. But I did recently acquire a 4.5 qt. Le Crueset dutch oven from Overstock for $150, so I’m making progress. My main problem is storage. I still haven’t found a home for my tube pan or stockpots! My kitchen is about 20 square feet with almost no cabinets. Ack!
I’ve got fybromyalgia, so although glass storage containers would be nice, I need stuff that’s light enough to wash and store without having to grip them hard. I even resort to plastic dishes when I’m having a flare-up! Gladware is BPA-free: http://www.glad.com/pdf/Glad-Bisphenal_A_Declaration.pdf. The glossy surface washes squeaky-clean. It’ll stain if you nuke it at very high temperatures, so you have to watch it when you microwave.
You seem to be such a lovely human being, Deb. Happy Holidays to you and yours!
As a university student I tend to move every 4 months (at end of each term) so I’ve been trying to limit the amount of kitchen gadgets that I have. This is a great list – the real essentials!
What a great list of wonderful things! I love my le creuset dutch oven; chef’s, paring and bread knives (all wuesthof). Santa will be asked to bring a digital scale this year and we’ll just have to make room for it somewhere. I agree about the ramekins. They are so useful and cute! I have some from the local hardware store and some from Crate and Barrel. Bowls that do double duty are definitely something we could use around here. Thanks, Deb, for all of your recommendations!
Deb – thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your list of favorites! And then, to the side, there is the link for “Gift-Worthy” creations. You never cease to amaze and inspire me. Whenever I bring something to share, people now know to ask, “Smitten Kitchen, right?”
Wishing you and your lovely family a wonderful holiday!
If you want to stack those cake stands safely, get some museum wax:
http://www.amazon.com/Quakehold-66111-2-Ounce-Museum-Wax/dp/B000FJU29U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=industrial&qid=1260568556&sr=8-1
It’s what curators use to keep things from rattling off display shelves.
That’s my Hanukkah gift tip to you!
I so much agree with your ideas! I love using my dutch oven and my cast iron skillet (Staub of course). Scales here in France are a necessity for baking. However, I like it when I can use cups in simple recipes such as scones or cobblers: makes for less fiddling and greater speed.
I really want a dutch oven. It seems like such a simple way to prepare great food at the end of a busy day.
I love your great ideas. I love your blog. Happy Hanukah to you and yours.
V
I’ve got those ramekins! Love them!
I’ve got a mandoline on my list, but some of those gadgets look like fun too, particularly the grapefruit slicer. I love citrus salads in the winter, so I’d probably use it all the time. Thanks for the great ideas
Do you have any idea how cute that baby is? Seriously, I am the oldest of seven children and have 4 of my own. I see babies all the time. That baby is quite honestly one of the cutest I have seen and the only ONLY one that makes me want another baby to hold. You make very beautiful children – you should have a kitchenfull of them!!
Cool list. Thanks. What kind of toaster do you have? I’ve been researching them on the internet and it seems like there is not a perfect toaster.
I have lots of rich chocolate brown pottery ramekins accumulated over the years so feel very pleased about those now that I’ve read this. But I’m still casting around (groan) for a cast iron skillet. I think I have pretty much everything on your bakeware list and a very small oven too, so my sympathies. Great post!
Gotta love the Staub pans! I bought mine several years ago after a ton of research. I always kid that if I had to pick a pan to take to a desert island, my staub would be it! My boss (who blesses me with a delightful kitchen implement every year as he knows cooking is my passion, I owe my kitchenaide mixer and cuisinart food prossessor to him!) bought me a kitchen aide enameled cast iron last Christmas – not remembering I had my Staub, I was in the cupboard for a month and had a big chip out of it! Without ever being used! I finally found a wonderful pepper grinder a few years when I was in KC (what can I say, I am a kitchen store addict and often bring myself cooking souveniers LOL). I had had several crappy ones before, so its great to have a good one!
Lib — Heh, we don’t have a toaster either. I literally have no countertop space I’m willing to sacrifice, so we ditched (er, stashed) it when we moved. I think we have a DeLonghi or something; I’m not very particular about them, only need it to toast.
Hi Deb. Since you mentioned the scale, which is indeed a wonderful tool, I figured I’d go ahead and ask — what weight do you consider a cup of AP flour? At 12 oz. for 2-3/4 cup, I think that comes out to about 4.25 oz. per cup. But I wanted to double-check. I always scale my flour and I’ve often wondered whether you do the ’scoop and sweep’ or ’spoon and sweep.” Thanks!
There isn’t one correct measurement because every recipe-creator seems to pack their cups a little bit differently. So, I do not use weights on flour unless the recipe suggests one. It could be 12 ounces, it could be 13 or 14.
i love my staub. and i’m glad you put that on your list!
Great tips! I’ve been wanting a digital scale for ages…I just haven’t actually gotten to the actual purchasing part of it..haha
holy moly! you were featured in O magazine!!! congrats :)
I have a very sad story. My mom used to have a Dutch oven, but she GAVE it AWAY. Because she didn’t use it enough. And the person she gave it to doesn’t use it either. There is something seriously wrong in my family in regards to food; clearly I am a changeling.
Is there another piece of kitchen equipment you can use in place of a dutch oven? I have always been a baker but I’m fairly new to cooking, so I’m working on improvising :) I just don’t know if there’s an acceptable stand-in for a dutch oven; I have found countless delicious-sounding recipes that all start with a dutch oven and I’m afraid to both cook the recipes without one AND spend the money and then realize I don’t really need it. Help!
Amanda — There aren’t really any Dutch oven-like pots. The thing is, you can make things that you’d make in a regular pot in a Dutch oven but you can’t get the effect you would from a Dutch oven in a regular pot. The idea is that you buy one and it lasts forever. They’re expensive (well, the Staubs are at least; I know Target has brands that run cheaper) but they make great gifts. Hope that helps.
Thank you for all the ideas and tips…I feel I am already well on my way to a smitten kitchen. :)
I really love the immersion blender we have. It works amazingly for things like the squash apple soup I just made, and everything stays right in the saucepan! I don’t have a stand-up blender, but this produces such perfectly smooth purees, I don’t miss it.
I also hope to become devoted to my new doughnut cutter, with help from your cider doughnut recipe, this Hannukah!
Thank you for this list! I am in college so I haven’t moved out and outfitted my own kitchen yet but I keep careful track of the best tools so that when the day comes I can make strategic purchases. I don’t want to waste my money or time buying crappy or unnecessary kitchen gear.
I found a darling vintage-looking cake stand at Bed, Bath & Beyond for $9.99 for a wedding present. I included a cake cookbook & it was still a very inexpensive and useful gift. Buy yourself one! http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=11716156
Great guide! I love your kitchenware, and the simplicity of it all! I hate over-the-top stuff, and in the same vein, I hate overly styled pictures with hundreds of props!!
Actually, that shaving set has a silver tip brush, so they’re not skimping on the badger quality at all. But seriously- great guide. I’m adding a few of the utensils on my shopping list. A flat whisk, the offset spatula- I don’t need them, but they will make certain things a whole lot easier. I’m also guilty of not having a dutch oven. My roommate in Brooklyn gave me a great one, but I sadly had to leave it behind when I came to Germany, as the shipping would have broken the bank.
Great list – thank you!!
So, a dumb question. I’ve been guilty of buying a whole (cheapo) set of cookware and would love to donate it and start over with just the essentials. But should I get rid of the stock pot? I noticed you didn’t recommend one – can I make pasta in a dutch oven just as well? I’ve never tried!
I found the bowls at Wal-mart and decided ‘cheap is the new black’. Even though they are very inexpensive I still have to pace myself so I will buy one every time I go to Wal-mart until my set is complete. I started with the largest and can’t wait to fill it with a colorful salad or layered dessert. . . I hear a trifle calling me.
Hi liz — It’s not that I don’t recommend a stock pot; I think they’re great and if you have one, hang onto it. I just meant if you’re only going to buy three or four very essential pieces, I would choose different things first. Once you’ve got the Dutch oven, this can be (well, at least in the 7-quart case) your largest pot, when you need one.
This list is great! As my husband loves to cook, it is a quick list for my Christmas shopping ideas.
What a great list! I just wanted to add that my grandmother told me that if you ever give a knife as a gift to someone the recipient has to give the giver some money (even if it’s just a few cents). A knife is symbolic of endings so you’re telling the person you’re giving it to that you’re cutting them out of your life, but if you give them money they won’t! Grandma’s are the best!
My ramekins are from Corningware and as an added bonus I have heavy plastic lids for them. They double as my prep bowls and super easy to clean tupperwares.
If you’re looking at ramekins I highly suggest getting a set with matching lids!
Loved the list, Deb. I have most of what you mentioned, with the exception of the dutch oven and scale. Maybe Santa will bring those this year???
Great list and adorable Jacob pix once again! For those on a budget, after a lot of research I ended up buying a Lodge Dutch oven–it’s well under half the price of a Staub or Le Creuset and has been working just great for me. I also love my cheapo Escali scale–it’s small and light and accurate (gram/lb/oz) and costs around $25 on Amazon.
I will never be able to give up my old fashioned brass balance with cast iron weights (and tiny brass weights for the smallest increments of measure). Not only are they quite precise, but they require no electrical or battery power.
Otherwise I agree with just about everything on your list and have added a bunch of items to my own amazon wishlist–thanks!
This piece is fantastic! I’m a fan of making as many uses of one item as possible, and this guide to stocking your kitchen is immeasurably useful. Thank you for the ideas & tips, as they will most definitely come in handy as I’m building my own stockpile of kitchen necessities.
“Because Nothing Says Love Like a Very Sharp Knife.”
Hee, my mother said almost the exact same thing when I began the If You’re Really Stumped For A Present For Me, A _________ (in this case: a sharp chef’s knife) Will Be Great dance.
:D
I’m working in a kitchen store for the holidays (which is a test to my willpower in itself). I was not familiar with Staub until I started working there. We seem to sell a lot more Le Crueset. I was curious why you prefer Staub over Le Crueset?
Lisa — I explained my rationale in the description.
I love this list! I recently realized the importance of a scale, digital or otherwise, while trying to make a recipe from a British cookbook, converted (by me, silly, silly, baker) into cups and such. Let’s just say, foccacia is a too lovely a thing to see end up as a brick of dense, dry, blah-blah. Scales really open up your horizons for baking, allowing you to tackle recipes you flipped past before! Nice job putting that out there!
Great post! I’m now in love with the Staub 5 qt. dutch oven in aubergine…
Your baby is adorable!
Oh, okay. I didn’t know if there was another reason. I have never heard of the handles melting on a Le Crueset.
Thanks SO MUCH for the pepper mill recommendation! I’ve been breaking and tossing pepper mills for YEARS. An awesome one for under $20? SIGN ME UP!
Just got an early Xmas present – beautiful deep green round Staub – read your blog on “Build your own smitten kitchen” – it clinched the deal btw Staub and LeCreuset and the cheaper lines of Dutch Ovens. Expensive – yes but I did get it on sale. I thought it was a 4.5 quart but when I measured it out with water it came out more like 5 quarts, which I am glad about. Can’t wait to try it out. Thank you for your site btw – it’s my new favourite.
Hi, Deb,
Do you have a suggestion for making your latke recipe for a gluten-intolerant person? Could rice (or perhaps potato) flour be substituted? I think these would be a terrific basis for our yearly Christmas party hors d’oeuvres.
Your kitchen essentials list is brilliant – multifunctional, concise, and items are beautifully designed. One item I got as a gift, which is now my go-to implement for sauteeing is a (wooden spoon-sized) bamboo slant-edged stirrer. Fabulous for de-glazing with the flat side, gets into corners well – just about perfect for every stove-top activity. Mine came with a wok, so perhaps this is an Asian tool? I’ve never seen another one.
O and a GIANT cutting board! I can’t do anything without my beloved cutting board. It’s huge and I can cut and group veggies on it all at the same time.
Monika — I think other flours could easily be substituted and it looks like others have tried it.
It’s been a pretty craptastic day over in my little corner of the world, but this was a tiny little lift to my spirits. Obsessive kitchen lists tend to do that. I just thought you might like to know. :)
For converting recipe amounts to weights (or vice versa) the WolframAlpha website is pretty good. You just type in something like “cup of flour” and it gives you a Nutritional Facts label, along with a bunch of other facts.
http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=cup+of+flour
Anyways, hope that this helps (even though it is comment 202)
I’m into minimalism / am just plain poor, so I was wondering if a digital scale was worth it. Many thanks for helping me make up my mind :]
I was wondering if you were going to do an updated “how to max out your kitchen” from a space perspective now that you have a smaller kitchen. Truly cannot imagine how you can do all this wonderful cooking in such a small space (and I was looking at the picture of the OLD kitchen). From the land where everything is bigger, including Kitchens-TX. :)
I love those Anchor Hocking bowls – and thank you to whoever figured out they were available at Kohl’s under the Food Network brand! I just bought them from Kohls.com and they’re currently on sale for $20.99 for the 4 bowls. Use the code “NOCHARGE” and “NEW5053″ for free shipping and 10% off.
I actually contacted Anchor Hocking to see if they’d be restocking the bowls (like on Amazon), and they told me that the bowls are discontinued. Thank you to Deb for such a great, streamlined list – we’re moving into a smaller kitchen so I need to downsize our kitchen stuff, and this list really helps.
The Staubs look awesome, but I am besotted with my La Cruset cook ware too.
I have the Peugot salt & pepper mills too & I love them. I had no idea that they were so expensive in the States but I would definately recommend them. They’re great! Even better than their cars :-) Although now, I think I’d buy one of the stainless steel ones, instead of the dark wood I have.
The All-Clad 8 qt. stockpot works great as a dutch oven too. Cook’s Illustrated did a comparison on dutch ovens – they loved both the LeCreuset and All Clad 8 qt stockpot. They chose the 8 qt All Clad as their “go to” because of the ease of using a lighter weight cooking vessel.
wow… Peugot salt and pepper mills… who knew?!
Some very basic essentials in every kitchen! Thanks for sharing the list. Baby is so adorable :) Time flies!
Very sound advice. Have lived without a microwave for almost 7 years now and do miss it when I need to melt butter, so am quite taken with your tiny, pour-spouted pot. Would go crazy without my digital scale too.
Great suggestions!
I don’t know if this was already mentioned, but the Anchor mixing bowls are also available at Wal-mart if you have one in your town. You can buy them piece by piece if you only need one or two. I have two now and am going back for the other two. Thanks for the list Deb.
Hi Deb,
Thanks for the great list!! I am starting over for the bake section just because I love baking! What kind of measuring tools do you recommend?
Thanks!
I saw the Anchor Hocking mixing bowls sold separately at Wal-mart the other day, they’re roughly $5/ea if I recall correctly.
Yeah, I know, Wal-mart… but hey! If they have something you can’t find somewhere else..
Great guide! A quick question about the Stockholm ramekins – can you use them under a broiler?
I keep coming back to this list! I now have the ramekins from Crate and Barrel and a Staub dutch oven. It’s so pretty and the lady at Sur La Table highly recommended Staub over Le Creuset. Thank you again for this list
Those bowls are apparently quite popular at Food Network – I’ve seen them in a couple of show kitchens.
PS – To those looking for a Le Creuset or Staub, but are looking for a bargain (but are insistent on one of these brands vs. Lodge), be sure to keep an eye on what your local Marshall’s and TJ Max are stocking. They often have them on the cheap!
Your list will come in handy for me very soon (tucking it away for the new year). We designed & installed a brand new kitchen in our first home 3 years ago (one with too many good qualities to mention) and now we’ve sold our house and have to move in 5 weeks. I think I have to bake like mad before we go because I sure am going to miss my soft close pot drawers & my super roomy floor to ceiling pantry with easy access shelf drawers, two extra wide shallow cutlery & gadget drawers (so things don’t sink to the bottom & get lost forever because when you’re in a hurry you can’t be bothered rifling around), glassware cabinets, football team size fridge & dishwasher, extra wide sink with “vege-sprayer” water nozzle and my under cupboard lighting which lights up my workspace brilliantly for all those fiddly cooking jobs.
I also have to agree Ms Smitten that those little pots with a spout are a multi-functional godsend – took me 12 months to find just the right one when I had my baby boy. By then I didn’t really need it for baby food all that much, but I sure do use it now for general cooking (e.g. melting butter)!
Love this list, Deb! I’ve added so many items to my growing wish list for my kitchen.
I wanted to mention – if anyone was interested in the salt & pepper mills in mustard. William Sonoma has them in “Dijon” on their site here: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/cw429/?pkey=csalt-pepper-mills|ctlsalmil
The mustard color isn’t for me, but I do like knowing which mills work well – there’s so many choices out there!
Thanks Wendy. I will update with that link.
Love this! I’m newly engaged and I’m using these ideas to build our wedding registry! Drooling over the Staubs.
Forgive me if this has already been brought to your attention:
http://tylerflorence.com/shop/catalogsearch/result/?q=mixing+bowl&x=14&y=16
I just found the 4, 2, and 1 quart Anchor bowls at WalMart. They were out of the 3-quart, so I’ll check another WalMart in Virginia.
Dear Deb,
I don’t usually comment, but I LOVE your blog and we cook your stuff all the time around here! I’m linking to this post from my wedding blog, because I think this is great info for people creating their wedding registries. Thank you!
I’ve got some shopping to do!! I’m getting there slowly. That Emile Henry Pie dish looks so cute. I also have a very small kitchen and no dinning table so and tips on space saving is a great help.
Faaaantastic list. I was just wondering: What type of storage do you use for your flours, sugars, etc? I’m in the (constant) process of reorganizing, and those are next.
LOL! I’m new to this site/blog and was at a little disadvantage when reading the last paragraph! I so thought you were talking about a ‘wine chiller’ for a ‘bottle of wine’ to chill in…. but the baby is definitely cuter! Great post!
Hi, Just had to say, I based my entire wedding registry around this post. My registry is such an exact copy, it’s almost embarrassing. I have visited this post numerous times to make sure I have everything exactly right. So helpful and makes me confident that I’m not wasting people’s money on gifts I won’t end up using and that my kitchen won’t be cramped with unnecessary things. Love it.
hi there.i just wanna say that your blog encouraged me and helped me to find a better meaning of my life, that is to cook.thanks
best wishes from China!
What do you think about immersion blenders?
They’re great. Save a lot of space too.