So you want to cook? Come on in!Oct 04 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
Popular Products in Kitchen
The Bottom Line Take your time and get your cookware a little at a time. Yards sales are great places to start!
In the vast ocean of kitchen cookware it is comforting to know we can come here and find an ocean liner of helpful advice on kitchen products! I would like to offer my take on what I think would be helpful in your kitchen. Cookware? This may be the most important choice you make as far as your pots are concerned. I prefer Club Aluminum pots, pans, skillets and griddles. My sister prefers Pyrex Cookware. My Aunt prefers the thinner pots. A rule of thumb to use when buying pots and pans is to really think about HOW you cook. Are you a cook who lies to take their time? Slow cook all day? Club Aluminum may be right for you. Club Aluminum comes in two basic styles; coated with a non-stick surface or uncoated. I prefer the uncoated. I had a set of coated pots and after three years the coating came off. I was not happy. I found a set of uncoated (like my mom has always used) and have been happy since. Club Aluminum is a heavier cookware. The pots are a little heavy weight wise. One advantage to the Club line of products is that they last virtually forever. My sister prefers the Pyrex Glass cookware. She likes to be able to see what she is cooking and how it is doing. For her this works great. Having two toddlers in the house it is just easier to glance at the pot and keep going. She also likes the dark rose tint to the pots. The ease with which they go from stove to table is also a big advantage. Cooking and serving in one dish. Saves on bowls and extra dishes at the end of the meal. The also look nice on the table and not clunky like the Club pots do. My sister also says the glass pots hold the heat as well as the Club pots. The only drawback she said is that when they are on the table she has to remind the kids not to touch them because they are hot. My Aunts pots are lightweight because she has back trouble. She prefers the thinner pots as well since the heat travels faster to the food. She prefers to do most of her cooking in the microwave or oven cooking a huge roast or brisket. Since it is only her and my uncle it is just easier for her. I also have some good old cast iron skillets and cornbread pan. I have deep skillet for frying fish and a cornbread pan that turns the cornbread out looking like little ears of corn. I also have a Dutch oven. My cast iron cookware was handed down to me. I got it "seasoned" and ready to go. If I had to replace it I would have to do it a piece at time. This a great cookware set and will last several life times. Baking dishes? My first choice is non-stick-baking pans made by Ekco called Bakers Secret. This is a wonderful line of baking pans. They have muffin pans, cookie sheets, cake pans, loaf pans and many more. They are reasonably priced and you can add a few pieces at a time or one at a time. Ekco also makes a great set of toaster oven bakeware also. You need to look for this around Christmas time. That is the only time I have seen it actually in the store. In your toaster oven you will also find an ordering sheet that you may order a set of bakeware that way also. Throw away aluminum pans and baking dishes are nice to have also. They will not hold up as well as the Ekco cookware but I also understand in the beginning money is a major factor. You can always add to your collection a little at a time. Don't worry about trying to get it all in one shot. You can always put it on layaway! Measuring utensils? Go to your local Wal-Mart or Target and look at all the choices you have before you! I would first recommend you get a sturdy set of measuring cups as well as measuring spoons made by Ekco. They are now making them with rubber grips over the metal handle. They are very nice. Next I would recommend a wire whisk. No a big one. Get one that is about 6 to 8 inches high. This works well when making gravy, Jell-O, mashed potatoes or a cake. The stainless steels ones are the best. You need to get a spatula. Depending on what type of cookware you buy, either non-stick or regular, choose our spatula accordingly. Plastic tools work well for non-stick surfaces. The only disadvantage is that sometimes the pan gets to hot and could melt the tool into your food. Also the food may melt into the tool. That is impossible to get out. You may get metal utensils that are coated with Silverstone, which is a great non-stick surface. I prefer to get the larger tools. I have been in the restaurant field for 20 years and I feel more comfortable with the large stainless steel tools. You should also get a Pyrex measuring cup. You should get the measuring cup that measures out 2 cups liquid. They also make a 1-cup liquid measuring cup. I would suggest you get one of those also. I have one big one and two little ones. These are great for mixing Jell0O in since they are designed to take the heat of the boiling water. Chose some cooking spoons also. Get at least two with holes and two without holes. Get a deep ladle and a shallow ladle. These come in handy for spaghetti sauce or gravy or soup. You may also want to choose a few spoons that are just a tad bigger than a regular tablespoon. You keep your silverware from getting chipped by doing buying extra spoons. I like the ones also with the wooden handles. They keep your hands from getting burned and can double as serving tools also! Silverware and dishes? Find a good set and invest in the one you like. It does not pay to buy the cheap sets. You know the ones I am talking about don't you? The really pretty ones with the plastic around the fork or spoon right? Well, as you use the m the water causes the little bolts to begin to rust. The plastic falls off and the silverware is useless. You do not need the most expensive set or the largest one. Oneida makes some nice affordable sets and they will last. For your choice in dishes, it is better to buy a whole set instead of one piece at a time. One piece at a time is good if you break a bowl or plate but it gets very expensive trying to build a set of dishes that way. I prefer Corelle. Corelle dishes are lightweight but durable. I have carpal tunnel and weight is an issue for me since we have to take them "down" from the cabinet. My mother prefers the heavier dishes and my sister loves her heavy Pfaltzgraff dishes. You can easily find a set of dishes you like in a box set. Major kitchen tools and bowls? Get your self-a hand held mixer. Just a simple one will do. Black and Decker make a wonderful line of kitchen items like mixers, toasters and can openers. Get an electric one! You will be glad you spent the ten bucks! I love my toaster oven and I would recommend you get one. It is easier to bake a pan of biscuits in a toaster oven than to heat the whole kitchen. You can also fit a little muffin pan of 6 in the toaster oven nicely. Little pizzas fit into it nicely as well. Tuna melts are easier too! Bowls are a purely personal choice. I have both stainless steel and plastic. My plastic is Tupperware (bet you could have guessed that though from the Tupperware review huh?) I also have a few glass bowls but I seem to break glass things so for me plastic is much better. I got my Tupperware one piece at a time. It is expensive. You can find good bowls at Wal-Mart or any major department store. Plastic is good for storing food in. Rubbermaid makes a great set in a box, as does Sterlite. Stainless steel bowls are good for mixing and serving in at any time. You can put hot food in them without having to worry if it will melt the bowl! Do you need anything else? As you become used to your kitchen and how you cook you will see what tools you use most often and which ones you can live without! I have covered so much here. I really think I need to stop! I have tried to figure out how to tell you what I think you may find useful as well as give you ideas from other members of my family. Happy cooking!  |
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