Must-Haves in Cookware
In order to prepare the most delicious meals the right cookware is essential.You need to have high quality and a good collection of cookware. This does not however mean that you need to purchase the most expensive and popular gadgets, just make purchases that make sense and fit your skill level and are versatile in the kitchen.
Pots and Pans
Sauté Pans
Use to brown foods and fry meats and vegetables quickly. A sauté pan has straight sides, is shallow, and has a wide flat bottom. Choose a durable stainless-steel pan with aluminum or cooper cores. A stainless-steel pan conducts heat well and is less expensive than cooper pans. It should have a long handle, a tight-fitting lid and is 10- or 12-inches.
Saucepans
Vessels with vertical sides about the same height as their diameter and use for simmering, steaming, blanching or boiling. Saucepans generally have one long handle. Larger pots of the same shape generally have two handles close to the sides of the pot and are called sauce-pots or soup pots. Opt for a durable stainless-steel pan with aluminum or cooper cores.
Roasting Pans
Large, wide and shallow, to provide space to cook a roast (beef, pork or chicken). Roasting pans are usually made of heavy gauge metal so that they may be used safely on a cook top following roasting in an oven. Unlike most other cooking vessels, roasters are usually oblong or oval.
Dutch Oven
Versatile pot that can be used for stews, braised meats and soups. Dutch ovens are heavy, relatively deep pots with a heavy lid. Look for one that is cast iron, stainless-steel or anodized aluminum around an aluminum or cooper base.
Casserole Pans
Depending on their material, casserole pans can be used in the oven or on the stovetop. Casserole pans are commonly made of glazed ceramics or pyrex.
Stockpots
An 8- to 10- quart pot that allows stock and soups to simmer for extended periods of time without reducing too much. These pots are also great to cook pasta in.
Cast-Iron Grill Pan
An indoor alternative to a gas or charcoal grill. The pan is is ribbed to let fat drain away from the food being cooked. Choose an enameled cast-iron or cast-iron grill that is a long rectangle model that will fit over two burners.
Cast-Iron Skillet
Slow to heat, but once at temperature provides even heating. Cast iron can also withstand very high temperatures, making cast iron pans ideal for searing. Being a reactive material, cast iron can have chemical reactions with high acid foods such as wine or tomatoes. Season the pan before use to prevent rusting. Seasoning also creates a thin layer of fat and carbon over the iron that coats and protects the surface, and prevents sticking. Never put cast iron the dishwasher. To clean wash with mild soap and water, dry completely with kitchen towel and rub with a thin layer of oil before storing.
Nonstick Skillet
Provides a large flat heating surface and shallow sides, great for making omelets and scrambling eggs.
Wok
Typically used only for stir-frying, but they can actually be used for anything from steaming to deep frying. The rounded shape allows heat to spread evenly which cooks food rapidly which is ideal for stir-frying.
Bakeware
Round Cake Pan
Are 9 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep. You should have two of these pans in order to make round layer cakes.
Springform Cake Pan
A two-piece baking pan where the sides and bottom can be removed. The round 9" and 10" heavy-gage steel and anodized aluminum are best. Cheesecakes are mainly baked in springform pans.
Angel Food Cake Pan
A tall, round pan with a tube up the center that leaves a hole in the middle of the cake. The cake batter bakes evenly and keeps the cake from collapsing. It has a center tube that allows the cake batter to rise higher by 'clinging' to all sides of the pan.
Cookie Sheet
Choose sheets made from heavy aluminum, light metal sheets work best.
Baking Sheet
Flat, rigid sheet of metal on which bar cookies, breads, biscuits, jelly rolls etc. are baked. Shiny, heavy-gauge aluminum baking sheets are good and produce evenly baked and browned goods. You should at least three to four baking sheets.
Tart Pan
Can range in size from 8- to 12-inches in diameter and are typically used to bake tarts and quiches. The pan as fluted sides and removable bottoms.
Pie Pan
A 9-inch pan will work for most recipes. Purchase a glass pan, the heat disperses best and allows for better browning.
Ceramic Bake Dish
Used for preparing baked pasta, gratins and cobblers. Goes from oven to table.
Muffin Pan
A mold in which muffins or cupcakes are baked and most have 6 or 12 cups. Used to make cupcakes and muffins.
Loaf Pan
Great for baking bread, pound cakes and meatloaf. The rectangular pan come in many sizes. The standard sizes are 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches and 9 by 5 inches. Get metal or glass they both work fine.
Wire Rack
Allows air to flow around baked goods that are cooling.
Non-Stick Bake Mat
Great to use instead of parchment paper to line baking sheets, plus it's reuseable. Just wipe clean after each use, allow to dry and store either rolled up or flat. It's a good idea to have a few of these.
Tools
Box Grater
Four sided grater to grate hard cheeses and shred veggies.
Colander
Used to drain pasta and vegetables, choose one that is stainless-steel.
Cutting Board
You need to have at least two, one for vegetables and one for fish and raw meat to avoid cross contamination.
Kitchen Timer
Get one even if your oven has one, you may need to time various projects at one time.
Ladle
Used to ladle sauces for pasta and for serving up stews and soups.
Liquid Measuring Cup
Choose one that is made of glass and heat resistant.
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Needed to measure dry, liquid and solid ingredients.
Meat Thermometer
Tool to read the temperature of meat in order to know when it's reached the desired degree of doneness.
Mixing Bowl
Great for a number of cooking tasks. Tempered glass and stainless-steel bowls that are heatproof are your best buy.
Pastry Brush
Use to apply glazes to breads and pastries and egg wash to pies.
Pepper Mill
Use to grind whole peppercorns.
Pizza Wheel
Great tool to slice pizza and other flatbreads, also makes a good stand in for a pastry wheel.
Potato Masher
Best tool to use to mash potatoes instead of using a food mill.
Rolling Pin
Choose a wooden pin, one that is 12-inches long.
Spatula
Use to flip and lift food as it cooks. A variety of spatulas, such as a cake server are a great addition to any kitchen
Spider
A skimmer used can the form of a wide shallow wire-mesh basket with a long handle.This tool is ideal for lifting and draining foods from hot oil, soups, stocks and boiling water. It is also deep frying foods.
Tongs
Use lifting pasta out of water and to turn roasting or browning meat.
Vegetable Peeler
This tool is used to peel vegetables and fruit. Choose a model that has a steel blade.
Whisk
Use to combine ingredients, such as eggs, creams, and sauces. Stainless-steel works best.
Wooden Spoon
The most essential tool for mixing. Purchase good quality spoons and have a set for savory food and sweet foods, as wooden spoons are absorbent to food odors.
