Topic: Cookware - Your favourite kitchen tools

[OrchestralNut]

I know there are a few diner threads discussing food and drink, but I wanted to start a thread discussing what some of your beloved, favourite cookware are.

So, what are they? Do any of you have all-stars in your kitchen?

For me, my favourite tool and all-star in my kitchen is my 5qt. Lagostina Dutch Oven. More affordable than a Le Creuset, but equal in quality. I use it at least twice a week. I just find it to be so versatile and also easy to clean.

[Brewski]

Good topic! I confess that a dutch oven is also my favorite. Though I did splurge, just a little, on my first piece of Le Creuset earlier this year. (They had a sale with everything 50% off, so I couldn't resist.) I'm not familiar with the brand you mention, but am sure it is competitive.

In any case, yes, it's now the star of my kitchen. Most recent use: gumbo for Christmas Day, and a pot of black-eyed peas for New Year's. Soon I'm going to investigate using it for bread.

--Bruce

[OrchestralNut]

Good topic! I confess that a dutch oven is also my favorite. Though I did splurge, just a little, on my first piece of Le Creuset earlier this year. (They had a sale with everything 50% off, so I couldn't resist.) I'm not familiar with the brand you mention, but am sure it is competitive.

In any case, yes, it's now the star of my kitchen. Most recent use: gumbo for Christmas Day, and a pot of black-eyed peas for New Year's. Soon I'm going to investigate using it for bread.

--Bruce

Absolutely wonderful, Bruce! The gumbo sounds divine.

That's pretty darn great that you were able to get a Le Creuset product at such a discount!

I was spoiled with a Le Creuset product for Christmas, from my girlfriend. She bought me a beautiful blue Le Creuset 12 qt. stock pot. I had asked for a large stock pot, as I love making my own stock and broth. I don't ever buy broth/stock since I started making my own. This pot will also be ideal for larger soup recipes, one of my favourites being Ukrainian borscht.

What size is your Dutch oven, Bruce?

[Brewski]

I bought it in April, when they were having a sale (apparently rare), and it's a standard size, maybe 5 quarts? (I can't find the order slip at the moment!) A stock pot might be my next purchase, we'll see. Great that you make your own, and the idea of having a large vehicle to make soup is appealing.

--Bruce

[OrchestralNut]

Soon I'm going to investigate using it for bread.

That's one thing I have yet to make in a Dutch oven. I'll have to look at trying it out. Although my girlfriend made bread pudding in it and it was fabulous.

[BWV 1080]

My chef’s knife



Its a chinese chef’s knife, not a meat cleaver.  Favorite knife for chopping vegetables, crushing garlic & ginger or cutting smaller sized meats

[OrchestralNut]

That is an impressive looking knife, BWV!

I can imagine doing a great, efficient job on cutting vegetables and chopping herbs too.

[Holden]

My Ninja Foodi is the cooking utensil I use the most because it's so versatile. It's a combination pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, steamer, roaster and dehydrator. It does most of these functions very well.

As for knives it's hard to beat a good Victorinox. This is the knife of choice for the majority of butchers in Australia. The secret to all knives is keeping them sharp.

[Mandryka]

Chop to Pot

     

Get the white large one if you can. Joseph and Joseph. The reason for white is that you can clean them really easy after use by blasting them with a bleach kitchen cleaner and letting it stand for half an hour. With the colours the knife marks make them look a bit shabby after a few years.


https://www.abraxascookshop.com/products/joseph-joseph-large-white-chop2pot?_pos=4&_sid=4e5efe2d1&_ss=r

[Brewski]

My chef’s knife



Its a chinese chef’s knife, not a meat cleaver.  Favorite knife for chopping vegetables, crushing garlic & ginger or cutting smaller sized meats

Now that is one beautiful knife. I may be inspired to get one, thanks.

--Bruce

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Boy, favorites?  Hmmm....

1) Another vote for Le Creuset's Dutch ovens.  I have three of them; 2, oval and 1 round (3 1/2 qt, 6 3/4 ? qt. and  7 1/4 qt. - the round one).  I find that I use the two-largest ones the most.  Heavy as (fill in the blank) but great!  I use them for:  soup, spaghetti sauce, browning roasts, and making stews...and yummy things like shrimp creole.    I also have a couple of round brasiers but don't use those as often.

2) A 1970's (maybe '80's?) Osterizer blender (used to be my mother's):  not as strong/fast as those fancy new ones, but made of metal and glass and still working like a charm!  Use it for making smoothies and also for pureeing soups.

3) A nice set of Wusthof knives, a steel, and also a Global chopping knife [Gotta have at least a few good knives and keep them sharpened!].

4) *Two slow cookers:  one is a 6 qt one and I think that the other is 4 maybe 3?  I use the 6 qt one 95% of the time.  I will often brown things like chuck roast on the stove top, put meat into the sc, deglaze, etc. the Dutch oven, and finish cooking the roast in the slow cooker (along with vegetables, herbs, etc.).  Things do come out meltingly tender from it.  I've also made caramelized onions in it....came out great and only stirred it occasionally.  Plus you get great onion-flavored butter for use separately.  They freeze well too.

*Just your bare-bones basic and inexpensive type.  There are a number of much fancier ones these days.

Will ponder further.... 

[Mirror Image]

I asked my mom this question and she said almost immediately that she couldn’t live without her Kitchen Aid mixer, the Artisan model to be exact:



She said one of the bonuses of these mixers are their attachments. She said she loves grinding her own ground beef (of the 95% lean variety) amongst other meats.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I asked my mom this question and she said almost immediately that she couldn’t live without her Kitchen Aid mixer, the Artisan model to be exact:



She said one of the bonuses of these mixers are their attachments. She said she loves grinding her own ground beef (of the 95% lean variety) amongst other meats.

Yes, it's a fine piece of equipment.    I have their 6-quart one (believe that your mom's is a 5-er??).  With the help of a friend, I hope to move mine to an easier-to-use spot.  I've used it (so far) for making desserts, but do have a bunch of their attachments (including a meat grinder attachment, some pasta ones and one for making vegetable 'sheets' off the top of my head).  FYI, it's pretty heavy to move!    And props to your mom for grinding her own meat too. 

Another item that I love (and am using more frequently) is this:  https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/food-processors/bfp680.html

PD

[Mirror Image]

Yes, it's a fine piece of equipment.    I have their 6-quart one (believe that your mom's is a 5-er??).  With the help of a friend, I hope to move mine to an easier-to-use spot.  I've used it (so far) for making desserts, but do have a bunch of their attachments (including a meat grinder attachment, some pasta ones and one for making vegetable 'sheets' off the top of my head).  FYI, it's pretty heavy to move!    And props to your mom for grinding her own meat too. 

Another item that I love (and am using more frequently) is this:  https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/food-processors/bfp680.html

PD

Yep, my mom’s is the 5-quart version. I bought it for her for Christmas one year. I believe I bought it at Macy’s with a 40% off coupon. That food processor looks like a good one. My mom has this one (also a KitchenAid):

[Daverz]

Ruined a couple sauce pans before I got my rice cooker:

[OrchestralNut]

This is excellent! I appreciate the participation and sharing in this thread thus far. It has exceeded my expectations. 

John (MI),

My girlfriend also got a KitchenAid mixer for Christmas from her mother (Xmas 2017). A different model than your mother's.

Hers is an Ultra Power model, 4.5 quart. It is ice blue in colour (or robin's egg blue), as I like to call it.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Ruined a couple sauce pans before I got my rice cooker:

Yes, rice can be a drag to get off the bottom of a pan if burnt on.

This is excellent! I appreciate the participation and sharing in this thread thus far. It has exceeded my expectations. 

John (MI),

My girlfriend also got a KitchenAid mixer for Christmas from her mother (Xmas 2017). A different model than your mother's.

Hers is an Ultra Power model, 4.5 quart. It is ice blue in colour (or robin's egg blue), as I like to call it.

Some of the colors and bowls that they've come up with are gorgeous!  I loved their limited edition anniversary one, but couldn't justify buying it as I already have one which works just great (in...not certain what they call it, but it's cobalt blue).  This was there anniversary one...in a beautiful icy blue:

[OrchestralNut]

That is quite lovely, PD! Especially the frosted bowl.

[Mirror Image]

This is excellent! I appreciate the participation and sharing in this thread thus far. It has exceeded my expectations. 

John (MI),

My girlfriend also got a KitchenAid mixer for Christmas from her mother (Xmas 2017). A different model than your mother's.

Hers is an Ultra Power model, 4.5 quart. It is ice blue in colour (or robin's egg blue), as I like to call it.

Great to hear, Ray. They’re excellent mixers and, boy, do they take a beating but keep on ticking.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

That is quite lovely, PD! Especially the frosted bowl.

The bowl made me think of things like cake stands and candy bowls that had that sort of raised dots (bubbles?) on it from I want to say the 30's (maybe later?).

PD