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/ck/ - Food & Cooking

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6675451 No.6675451 [Reply] [Original]

What are kitchen must-haves? I wanna become a better overall cook.

>> No.6675454

>>6675451
Sharp knife. Cutting board.
Large pot, medium pot, pan.
Wooden spoons.

Past that we'd need to know what you enjoy cooking...

>> No.6675464

>>6675451

Persistence.

>> No.6675474

>>6675454
I enjoy cooking everything, from chorizo to carrot cakes.

>> No.6675508

>>6675474
ok... here's the list of what I would buy back if my house burned tomorrow..

Baking :
Pyrex 13"
Pyrex 8"x8"
9" spring pan
Kitchenaid mixers
Assorted silicone spatula
Digital thermometer
Assorted mixing bowl
cul-de-poule (assorted sizes)
parchment paper

Cooking
On top of >>6675454
Roasting tray
cookie trays
whisk
potato masher
laddle
microplane grater
a shit ton of spices (I have a drawer full)
Large stock pot
paring knife
turkey baster
aluminium foil

>> No.6675659

>>6675508

That is the kinda of reply I wanted!

Okay I have everything except the kitchen aid mixer.

How important is the kitchen aid mixer?
Will it just make cooking more efficient?

also what kind of spices do you have in your drawer?

>> No.6675705

>>6675659
There's a lot of stuff that is simply too much labour without a mixer, like making meringues or mayonnaise. There's a lot you can do without one, but having one adds a lot of options.

I'd add a decent blender or food processor, too, for the same reason. The blender is probably better, because they're easier to clean and the only thing a food processor does better than a blender is chopping, which isn't a big deal to do with a knife anyway.

>> No.6675715

>>6675659

not him, but holy fuck are you gonna want a mixer. if you ever intend on making batter or dough of any sort, or whipping butter/cream or whatever, you'll be in a bad spot without a mixer.

also: a vitamix. if you intend on actually cooking a lot at home, you won't realize how much you needed a vitamix before you had one UNTIL you have one.

as for regular cooking stuff:
chef knife
cutting board
TOWELS
whisk
metal tongs
metal and rubber spatula
measuring cups/spoons
a good sized frying pan of decent quality
a stock pot
a medium sized sauce pot

uhh, i think that would be bare bones for being able to make literally (LITERALLY) anything you wanted. a robo coup would be cool, too, but you can do just about everything you could in that with a vitamix and a mixer and then some.

>> No.6675856

>>6675659
>>6675508 here.

The mixer makes your life easier if you do lots of baking. Creaming butter, whipping egg whites, etc. if you can't afford the stand mixer get a hand held beater.

As for the spices...
It's a long list. If the thread is still up tmr I will type it out for you.

>> No.6676764
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6676764

>>6675715
>>6675705
I got a ninja blender, no need for vitamix.

also everything mentioned from supplies i got.

wtf is a robo coup?

>> No.6676767

>>6675856
I plan on making cheese cakes, pies, cookies and shit ton of pastries in the future and if the mixer is pretty worth it i wont mind spending money on it.

yeah let me hear the spices you have.

>> No.6678566

>>6676767
Typing it out so bumb

>> No.6678794

>>6678566
bump

>> No.6678822

>>6678566
you typing this shit out or what?

how many spices do you have..?

>> No.6678852
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6678852

>>6678822
made dinner in the mean time. Here you go. Anything in bold is my bare minimums. List is the current state of my spice pantry.

>> No.6678857

Cooking or baking? My favorite toys are.

7" Chefs Knife
Silicone Spatula
Whisk
Tongs
Fish Spatula
Ladle
Microplane
Silplat
Solid metal pots and pans
Strainers
Plastic Wrap
Thermometer
Blowtorch
Half Sheetpans
Parchment Paper
Dough Knife
Bench Knife
Pyrex Bowls

>> No.6678922

What kind of cast iron pan and baking dish should I buy? What sizes?

>> No.6678923

>>6678852
That list look clean as fuck my man.

Now this thread can rip.

>> No.6678929

>>6678923
thanks.

>> No.6678935

>>6678922

For cast iron just grab a Lodge. Cheap, basic and they work very well once the seasoning is in.

I have two and I love them.

If you want to spend a bit more and have something lighter, DeBuyers makes a nice Mineral B pan that I also have. Its great.

>> No.6679024

Mandoline slicer because I'm a lazy sonofabitch.

>> No.6679046

A fucking whetstone
God I hate when I go cook on someones else, and their knives are all dull, without a single steel or whetstone for a quick sharpen
Jesus christ fuck dull knives

>> No.6679110

Aside from the essentials that everyone is mentioning, I'd suggest you stay away from gadgets and gizmos. They're pretty much useless and break easily. Like Alton Brown says, stay away from uni-taskers.

>> No.6679161

>>6679046
>go visit some friends out of state
>cook dinner for them one night
>their only knife is one of those serrated pieces of shit
>"lol it's ok anon it never goes dull we've had it for like 3 years"

>> No.6679202

>>6678852
>>6678923
y'all wanna make a spices google doc?

>> No.6679218

My must-have is a grill. You can get them brand-new as cheap as $10, buy one used, or build one for next to nothing. You could even just dig a whole in the ground or build a spit over a fire. For fuel, you can scavenge for firewood or buy charcoal. Charcoal goes on sale all the time. There was a sale recently for 40 lbs. for $10.

There's all kinds of information out there about how to cook in different kinds of weather. It doesn't have to be a summer thing.

Cooking with fire is just the way it was meant to be. I won't have it any other way.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Backyard-Grill-12-Portable-Charcoal-Grill/19597662

>> No.6679221

I like to bake. I make breads and desserts mostly.

Anons are pretty right about the mixer. I don't have one anymore since I moved out, but it basically will just make your life a heck of a lot easier. I wouldn't mark it down as an essential and you get a pretty good stamina for mixing if you don't have one.

I got a hand mixer pretty recently and its pretty much cut the tedious parts of cooking down a lot. Really would recommend a mixer if you like to make breads though, the dough hook looks like it could be a lifesaver.

>> No.6679258

>>6678852
Needs some Old Bay on the spice mix list. Shit is bananas on shrimp and crab.

Maybe soy sauce can go in the salt section? Idk. Also not really a spice but Worcester sauce is bangin.

You could also add ground mustard, grinding the seeds isn't really the same.

Also don't forget a spice grinder (cheapest coffee grinder you can find) and a spice bag (I dump out my cheap tea bags).

Also... [Spoiler] MSG [/spoiler]

>> No.6679268

>>6678922
For cast iron, start with a 12" lodge. It's the most versatile. You can later go for a 8" if you like it.

Baking dish? Idk, I have a big rectangular pyrex, some earthenware bowls, a pie dish, a springform pan, cookie sheets, muffin pans, a baking stone, etc. Gotta be more specific man.

>> No.6679289

>>6679258
I forget the dry mustard you're right. I left out anything not kept in my slice drawer, which is why sly sauce, fish sauce, worsthershire etc. Are not on it.

Not a fan of old bay for some reason.