NW-Bound
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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- Jul 3, 2008
- Messages
- 35,712
What? With all that tea that you also drink, how much is your caffeine and theine intake a day?
What's in YOUR kitchen?
- Thread starter imoldernu
- Start date
Most-often used:
a GREEN Kitchenaid mixer, 4.5 qt: it no longer distinguishes between speed 2 and 4, but the food doesn't seem to mind. About 15 years old.
Wusthof santoku knife
some vari-colored cutting sheets, plastic
the Chef Choice knife sharpener--think ours is model 120
a giant All-Clad non-stick saute pan (it replaced a 20 year old Calphalon of same size & shape)
But there's not much in my kitchen that I don't love!
a GREEN Kitchenaid mixer, 4.5 qt: it no longer distinguishes between speed 2 and 4, but the food doesn't seem to mind. About 15 years old.
Wusthof santoku knife
some vari-colored cutting sheets, plastic
the Chef Choice knife sharpener--think ours is model 120
a giant All-Clad non-stick saute pan (it replaced a 20 year old Calphalon of same size & shape)
But there's not much in my kitchen that I don't love!
audreyh1
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Actually, I drink mostly coffee - and half-caff at that.
The tea - I have at most 3 afternoons a week.
That Vario is what my personal barista (DH) insisted upon since he makes my daily coffee.
Um, I eat a lot of dark chocolate too. All those wonderful antioxidants!
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Moemg
Gone but not forgotten
I have one. I was on the treadmill at the gym and the infomercial was playing and next thing I knew I was the proud owner of a Ronco rotisserie . It actually is great for chickens plus you can put the veggies in the pan on top and it really is set it & forget it.
caninelover
Full time employment: Posting here.
I love kitchen gadgets but my kitchen is not huge so I have to keep it to a few things that I use frequently:
1. Electric tea kettle - I like coffee in the morning and herbal tea at night. I use this to heat the water to the specific temperature I want for each. Then I use one of those ceramic pour-over filter thingees for my morning coffee - tastes great compared to my old drip mr. coffee maker.
2. Blender - I use it often to make soup, smoothies, marinades, dressings...anything that needs, well, blending.
3. Rice cooker - I eat a lot of rice and this makes it a breeze.
4. Food processor - For various jobs, mixing, slicing, chopping, especially shredding. When I make pizza, I use the shredding blade on this to shred the cheese...takes under a minute and tastes much better than the bagged pre-shredded cheese.
5. Cuisanart Griddler - This is a really nice indoor grill/panini maker. I do love me a good panini
That's all really. I have a cheapo old toaster that still works, and a microwave that is equally ancient but also still works. Tools like knives and cookware I try to buy quality over quantity.
The one item I feel like I'm always searching for is good quality containers for leftovers. I can never *quite* find a set that I really like. Since I'm single, most weeknights I'm cooking for myself, but I always make extra to bring for lunch, etc.
That SodaStream thing looks cool...but probably don't have the counter space for it.
1. Electric tea kettle - I like coffee in the morning and herbal tea at night. I use this to heat the water to the specific temperature I want for each. Then I use one of those ceramic pour-over filter thingees for my morning coffee - tastes great compared to my old drip mr. coffee maker.
2. Blender - I use it often to make soup, smoothies, marinades, dressings...anything that needs, well, blending.
3. Rice cooker - I eat a lot of rice and this makes it a breeze.
4. Food processor - For various jobs, mixing, slicing, chopping, especially shredding. When I make pizza, I use the shredding blade on this to shred the cheese...takes under a minute and tastes much better than the bagged pre-shredded cheese.
5. Cuisanart Griddler - This is a really nice indoor grill/panini maker. I do love me a good panini
That's all really. I have a cheapo old toaster that still works, and a microwave that is equally ancient but also still works. Tools like knives and cookware I try to buy quality over quantity.
The one item I feel like I'm always searching for is good quality containers for leftovers. I can never *quite* find a set that I really like. Since I'm single, most weeknights I'm cooking for myself, but I always make extra to bring for lunch, etc.
That SodaStream thing looks cool...but probably don't have the counter space for it.
Bestwifeever said:
It's a pretty simple process, but quite time consuming.
1. Buy the beans drying on a tarp in someone's front yard.
2. Roast them in the oven for a half hour or so til the house smells like a mix of roasted coffee and chocolate (the best part of the whole process!).
3. One by one, remove the papery husk on the outside of each bean.
4. Put the remaining "nibs" in the food processor to grind them up to coarse sand sized particles. unfortunately this is as far as normal kitchen machines will take the beans.
5. Grind these particles to a silty texture with a stone mortar and pestle.
6. Add powdered sugar, cocoa butter, lecithin, and powdered milk (last two optional....for milk chocolate). Heat slightly and mix.
7. Grind all this mixture as fine as your patience allows using a mortar and pestle or (in my case now) two flat volcanic rocks. The final results, with my limited patience, is still a little gritty, but quite tasty.
8. Warm up the chocolate a little, place it on the countertop, and work it around folding it over and over with a spatula. Then put it in whatever form you want. So far I have just been making a big flat chocolate bar and scoring it when it starts to harden up in order to make it easier to break into pieces.
My first attempt using one kilo of beans made about 1-1/2 kilos of chocolate in several batches and took about 20 hours over several weeks to finish. This last attempt started before Christmas with 2 kilos of beans, and I'm about halfway through them. The hand grinding is a very tedious and messy business, and has led to carpal tunnel-like symptoms. Thus the new approach with the new flat grinding rocks. I have made some chili- and cinnamon-flavored chocolate so far, and will experiment with other flavors as I progress. Any suggestions for flavors to try?
Finally, after all these years, I have found a can opener that really works. Was actually looking for a manual opener that you could put away in a drawer when you were finished using it. Found a small battery operated opener at WalMart that works great. It's called a OneTouch. Try it.
I got something for Christmas i never knew i needed.
A stove top smoker, not only does it do a wonderful job of smoking just about everything but it leaves the house with a nice aroma of whatever wood chips i use..
The Original Stovetop Smoker
A stove top smoker, not only does it do a wonderful job of smoking just about everything but it leaves the house with a nice aroma of whatever wood chips i use..
The Original Stovetop Smoker
Rustward
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2006
- Messages
- 1,684
We tried a Ronco set-it-and-forget-it. It did cook well, but the cleanup seemed like a major chore to us, and it took up a lot of counter space.
The infomercial was good, though.
Ron Popeil could sell ice cubes to Eskimos.
The infomercial was good, though.
Ron Popeil could sell ice cubes to Eskimos.
I love to cook.
My most used and loved items in my kitchen:
- the Bertazzoni range/oven we put in last year. No electronics... just a dumb, range and oven. We hang a thermometer in the oven to verify the temp.
30 Four-Burner Gas Range | Professional Series | Ranges | Bertazzoni
- My slowly growing collectin of vintage le creuset cookware. Every so often I check ebay and craigslist to see if there's anything interesting. This is enameled cast iron cookware. The stuff is WAY to pricy new... plus I like the patina of the 30-40 year old cookware I've been buying. My favorite is a wood handled fry pan that is the perfect size and shape for soooo many different dishes.
I've also got some regular cast iron cookware that I picked up at garage sales and good will.
Most used appliance besides the coffee maker is probably the very inexpensive hand mixer. I have an old mixmaster - but it's so bulky - that I pull out the hand mixer most of the time.
My most used and loved items in my kitchen:
- the Bertazzoni range/oven we put in last year. No electronics... just a dumb, range and oven. We hang a thermometer in the oven to verify the temp.
30 Four-Burner Gas Range | Professional Series | Ranges | Bertazzoni
- My slowly growing collectin of vintage le creuset cookware. Every so often I check ebay and craigslist to see if there's anything interesting. This is enameled cast iron cookware. The stuff is WAY to pricy new... plus I like the patina of the 30-40 year old cookware I've been buying. My favorite is a wood handled fry pan that is the perfect size and shape for soooo many different dishes.
I've also got some regular cast iron cookware that I picked up at garage sales and good will.
Most used appliance besides the coffee maker is probably the very inexpensive hand mixer. I have an old mixmaster - but it's so bulky - that I pull out the hand mixer most of the time.
Favorites:
A big and small cast iron skillet
A LeeAnn Chin wok pan--use it for lots of things besides stir fry!
A Keurig mini--love the convenience
George Foreman grill with removable grids
A set of colorful handmade bottle stoppers, a splurge from Rome and always a conversation piece
Bosch dishwasher
Got for Christmas and have enjoyed:
Raclette--had a party last week that was super fun, good conversation, good eats!
Would like:
A new set a daily silverware--mine is showing its age
A new OTC microwave. Mine still works but a) handle is broken, b) turntable doesn't turn. Don't know whether it is cheaper to buy a new one or have a repair guy come out
A big and small cast iron skillet
A LeeAnn Chin wok pan--use it for lots of things besides stir fry!
A Keurig mini--love the convenience
George Foreman grill with removable grids
A set of colorful handmade bottle stoppers, a splurge from Rome and always a conversation piece
Bosch dishwasher
Got for Christmas and have enjoyed:
Raclette--had a party last week that was super fun, good conversation, good eats!
Would like:
A new set a daily silverware--mine is showing its age
A new OTC microwave. Mine still works but a) handle is broken, b) turntable doesn't turn. Don't know whether it is cheaper to buy a new one or have a repair guy come out
obgyn65
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Honestly I spend less than 1 hour a week in my kitchen, so I am not sure what is in there. I always eat at the clinics or on my way to work. Or eat food brought by drug reps.
What's in YOUR kitchen? ... and
I missed the part about things you don't use...
There are some things I use rarely... Some cookie cutters, etc. But they get used at least once a year.
Anything that didn't get used at least that often was given to Salvation Army when we cleaned everything out during our kitchen remodel.
There are some things I use rarely... Some cookie cutters, etc. But they get used at least once a year.
Anything that didn't get used at least that often was given to Salvation Army when we cleaned everything out during our kitchen remodel.
Rustward
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2006
- Messages
- 1,684
This reminded me that for several years when I commuted from DFW to Minneapolis to work at the place with the red bullseye logo and later the Centurian (place that used to be famous for their green card) very nondescript data center, I regularly ate at LeAnn Chin's downtown. But my favorite was Manny's. Back then Manny's was in the Hyatt right next door to my apartment building.
You know, I am still using in my office the Sharp half-pint I got about 1987. The spring in the door is not great any more, but spouse and I have been through a good half-dozen bigger, splashier-looking microwaves in the last 24 years. The new ones seem to last about 3 years tops.
Meadbh
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2006
- Messages
- 11,401
You are missing one of life's great pleasures! I recommend that when you ER you indulge in a cooking course. Preferably in Tuscany. With GF.
obgyn65
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
I can't wait for it
You are missing one of life's great pleasures! I recommend that when you ER you indulge in a cooking course. Preferably in Tuscany. With GF.
regarding stuff we don't need and parttime work in ER: Soon after my surprise ER, I decided to work parttime retail for fun. 
The first job I took was at Sur la Table, a fancypants cooking supply store. It was cherry season and we were selling a $59 electric cherry pitter.
And I realized as I was helping customers that there was so much "stuff" in that store that was unnecessary for good cooking. It made me a little queasy about the whole consumerism aspect. I found I couldn't in good conscience try to sell the stuff.
So I was able to find another parttime gig in a bookstore. Much better, but I still have a hard time selling celebrity cookbooks!
The first job I took was at Sur la Table, a fancypants cooking supply store. It was cherry season and we were selling a $59 electric cherry pitter.
And I realized as I was helping customers that there was so much "stuff" in that store that was unnecessary for good cooking. It made me a little queasy about the whole consumerism aspect. I found I couldn't in good conscience try to sell the stuff.
So I was able to find another parttime gig in a bookstore. Much better, but I still have a hard time selling celebrity cookbooks!
Rustward, I happen to live in the Twin Cities and sometimes eat at LeAnn Chin's. No connection, however, to receiving my LeAnn Chin pan--I think someone gave it to me while I was still living in Madison WI. LeAnn Chin is Chinese fast food--and is pretty expensive these days, too. Manny's--that's another story.
RetiringAt55
Recycles dryer sheets
My favorite two new gadgets I bought this year are the ChopStir for breaking up ground beef when browning it and onion googles to wear when cutting up onions. Wonderful inventions!
Stanley
Recycles dryer sheets
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2013
- Messages
- 194
T-pot for wonderful tea.
Cast iron cookware so old and smooth it is non-stick.
A selection of wooden utensils to keep the above smooth and non-stick.
Cast iron cookware so old and smooth it is non-stick.
A selection of wooden utensils to keep the above smooth and non-stick.
I love this vintage hand mixer. The attachment in it in the photo is superb for quickly whipping cream. The middle attachment is excellent for beating egg whites. This was a hand-me down from my mom and was made by Rival before they had those newfangled electric mixers.
That is cool. Seriously cool.
W2R
Moderator Emeritus
I forgot to mention what I did about knives, until reading all the other posts about knives. As a single person I didnt want to spring for an entire high quality knife set. Instead, about three years ago I bought one Henckels knife that was about the right size and heft for me. I use it for everything. It's a great knife, feels good and well balanced in my hand, and I have no desire for any others.
W2R - your post reminded me about corelleware. I love this stuff. We have plane white... which never goes out of style... and a set of 20... so when we have big parties we don't have to resort to paper plates. I inherited some china from my grandmother... but the corelleware is what gets used day in/day out.
