Kitchen Essentials

I remember during college I took a road trip to visit my buddies who were attending school in Santa Barbara. One apartment hosting three total dudes. Of course, in the kitchen there were 5 knives, two forks, one pan, a stack of red plastic cups and paper plates. I opened the fridge to find a half consumed 2 liter of soda (flat of course), a block cheese and some tortillas. Needless to say, that night we ate out.

Most guys I know would consider one pan and a cheese grater to be all they need to sufficiently cook for themselves, and while both of those items are in fact essential to a properly stocked kitchen there are a few more items that every kitchen should have. None of the items I will suggest will be expensive or hard to use. Most will be the practical choice when stocking your kitchen on a budget, and many of these things you can "borrow" from your mom while convincing her that she deserves to buy herself some new things for her own cooking. Trust me, it's a basic college student move. First off, If I have to tell you to get spoons and forks you are hopeless! This blog will do you no good. Sorry guys.

The rest of you should start here:

-Sauce Pans: Although boxes of Mac & Cheese come in one size, most things you will cook to impress your friends will not. I suggest two pans with lids if you can; 1 quart and 3 quart. Rice, soups, couscous, and sauces will get a lot of use out of these.

-Large Pot: This will basically be your go-to pot for all pasta.

-Skillet: This may be the most important item in your kitchen. I would recommend one non-stick and one stainless steel. However, if you are only going to get one then I would suggest a12 inch, heavy stainless steel skillet. This is great tool to get a good sear on meats and fish, but can also be gentle enough for a good vegetable saute. You will want one with a metal handle so that it can go from the stove top to the oven with no problems.

-Knives: Two knives are very important. A chefs knife and a pairing knife. Essentially, one large one small knife. Both have specific purposes but with both you will be able to tackle almost and dish. However, you may choose to just a buy a simple knife starter set which will give you a few more toys to play with.

-Cutting Board: Because you can't cut on your counter top! I suggest the largest one that will fit into your dishwasher, and therefor should be plastic.

-Measuring Cups and Spoons: Yes, some chefs you see don't use them, and some others will tell you that they are not necessary. Well, no offense, but I am not a professional and neither are you. So for now, we can all measure and get it right.

-Cheese Grater: A guys favorite item to bust out of the pantry because he knows that melted cheese is in his future. Get a grater with 4 sides not 2.

-Heatproof Spatula: Plastic is better than wood. Similar to the knife situation; you can purchase a set that will include other items that may be helpful.

-Not necessary but suggested if you can convince mom: indoor grilling skillet,blender/food processor and dutch oven. These items are great and will get used just not as often as those mentioned above.

Food for thought: If you are reading this blog thinking that I possess all kinds of great kitchen equipment and that without them you are hopeless, than think again. I live in a San Francisco apartment whose electric oven is as old as the house itself, and most of the cookware that I use is from my years as a college senior. Not that I want to date myself so early, but that would make them all at least 2 years old. So fear not, even the most modest of kitchen tools will offer much more than you thought they ever could. Also, if you think that I am a chef or cook of any sort, I can assure you that I am not. Years ago I worked on a grill at a tennis club and since then I have been a server at a few different restaurants. I am self taught and nothing to brag about. I learned watching television and reading a few cookbooks. I just really enjoy cooking and I think that many of my friends and people I don't even know could enjoy this lost art as well. All I am offering is just some simple kitchen know-how for otherwise clueless dudes.