Comments on: Outfitting a minimalist kitchen

By: [things I've tried to have] | A Very Uncommon Cook

[things I've tried to have] | A Very Uncommon Cook — Mon, 31 May 2010 00:30:59 +0000

[...] now and then, the foodblogosphere posts about outfitting the minimalist kitchen or how a no-frills kitchen still cooks or My Essential Kitchen Tools or build your own $blogname [...]

By: Jesse

Jesse — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 17:21:33 +0000

You guys are idiots. There is no way you could have a usuable kitchen with that small amount of stuff. You cannot cut everything with a knife, even cutco (I used to sell it).

Or, if through sheer stubbornness and grit you actually make that work, you will probably have a much less enjoyable experience in the kitchen and dining rooms.

You should think about what activities you want out of your kitchen – cook all at home? Base your kitchen around that. Eat out mostly, and make a few favorite recipes at home. Base your kitchen around that. Experiment with epicurian delights? You get the idea.

Minimalism is about essentials only. Your version of a minimalist kitchen can only be based on your lifestyle and what’s essential for that. Throwing away everything in your kitchen and calling it minimalist is really dumb.

By: Elana

Elana — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:25:25 +0000

These are some really great tips. I actually bought my 10″ skillet and 9 qt Dutch oven already from a place called KaTom Restaurnant Supply. Amazon has the skillet for around 15 dollars, but I got mine for only 13.80 throught them.

http://restaurant-supply.katom.....on+skillet

All kinds of really great cast iron, and information on their blogs about how to care for it.

By: Laetitia in Australia

Laetitia in Australia — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 01:14:12 +0000

I grew up calling it a spatula but then learnt that it’s an “egg flip” and a spatula is the thin, generally plastic scraper used to get your batter out of your mixing bowl.

Here are my top 10 kitchen utensils, numbered for convenience:

1. Flexible plastic cutting boards – come as a pack of four.
2. Wüsthof 9cm paring knife – Mum bought my sisters and me one of these each when we were young – must have cost a fortune for the four of us!; DH liked it enough to buy a 12cm knife and later the 20cm cooks knife
3. Peeler
4. Dutch oven – stainless, comes with a lid. Mine came in a set but I’m less enamoured of the rest of the set than my…
5. Pyrex glass three saucepans with lids set – I was given these for a birthday or Christmas and I always use them over the steel ones
6. Steel mixing bowls – Minimum of a large but a set of a large, medium and small is more convenient
7. Rectangular cake pan
8. Slotted and unslotted spoon set
9. Large measuring cup – in our recent clean up and move I realised that we have two of these – a Pyrex one and a Tupperware one; both hold two cups but the Tupperware one is shaped and labelled so you might have an idea as to how much you’ve already poured as you’re pouring
10. Strainer – double duty as a sifter

I could possibly be convinced to just get the stainless steel saucepan set (over the Dutch oven and the Pyrex saucepans) since mine also came with a frying pan, as it would allow me to get a kettle as my no. 10 which makes having a cup of tea much easier; speaking of which, that’s what I’m off to get now.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:35:21 +0000

Great suggestions! I have most of these items, but not all of them. Le Creuset is one of my favorite brands! I suggest shopping online for kitchen supplies to make the process easier.

http://www.missionrs.com/home-kitchen.html
http://www.williamssonoma.com/

By: Buying the Essentials for Your Kitchen

Buying the Essentials for Your Kitchen — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:12:02 +0000

[...] Unclutterer, Erin Doland has tips on outfitting a minimalist kitchen — a list of the ten most essential items. She covers everything from skillets to knife sets to [...]

By: Lucky Mrs H

Lucky Mrs H — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 03:22:51 +0000

My motto: ” You can never have TOO many crock pots!” I use them to cook in and keep things warm. I use them when I’m having company to have everything ready and waiting. Some days I have 2 or 3 or 4 going at once when I’m on a cooking binge. Something different in each one.

By: patti

patti — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 13:30:26 +0000

1. wok
2. chopping board
3. 8 inch santoku
4. rice cooker
5. wok spoon
6. colander

if i had to reeeaaaalllly minimise, that is what i could live with.

i worked as a professional chef for 15 years and never used a thermometer once….apart from the built-in oven/fridge thermometers.

By: Natalie from Western Australia

Natalie from Western Australia — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:23:01 +0000

I’m way more interested in the whole “food turner/spatula” comments than the kitchen list : ). I grew up calling it an Egg Flip, coz thats what it does. A spatula is a thinner and usually flexible item used to scrape down the edges of bowls.

I also love the term “Luck Out” meaning to have a win. We would just say “Get Lucky” or “Score”. Here if you luck out, its a loss – as in, down on your luck.

By: Karen

Karen — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:57:07 +0000

My list (I would need twelve items):

10″ stainless skillet w/ lid
Stock pot
2 qt. saucepan w/ lid
Mixing bowl
Jelly roll pan
9 x 11 glass casserole
Chef’s knife
Paring knife
cutting board
Measuring cups
Wooden spoon or mid-size rubber spatula
Food turner

By: Kitchen Nightmares « The Vent Pipe

Kitchen Nightmares « The Vent Pipe — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:38:19 +0000

[...] blogs that I just happened to stumble upon this year, did a post on kitchen essentials for the minimalist kitchen. Here are the top 10 items identified as [...]

By: Paolo

Paolo — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:41:11 +0000

I’m suprised that people aren’t talking more about the cheapest (and most fun, in my opinion) way of getting kitchenstuffs: your local secondhand store. A monthly trip will be a great way to outfit your kitchen, especially for the “last-forever” items — cast-irons, baking sheets and pans, metal utensils, a so on. You also might luck out: I found a food processor for $10 and a $3 french press that made my room mate swoon.

By: Hentrain

Hentrain — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:03:38 +0000

Just wanted to note that the brand name Creuset for enameled cast iron is really overpriced, and the Martha Stewart/ Rachel Ray knock Offs are also far more than they should be. If you have some extra room in your suitcase whilst travelling in europe, or a very loving friend who is willing to bring you a heavy gift, you can usually pick up a good enameled pan or pot for 5 to 10 bucks in any thrift store in northern/ eastern europe or Brico lot/ barn in france. If you want a new one–they’ll be 30 bucks in russia if you hunt a little. I have no idea what drives up teh price, but I’ve had my knock off set from latvia for 6 years now, and it works really well.

By: kt

kt — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:24:19 +0000

I find an immersion blender a great little appliance in the kitchen. You can blend soups right in the pot while it
is hot, great for anything you need to puree and it doesn’t require taking out a large food processor to do it. And it’s very easy to clean. Indispensable!

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 06:23:29 +0000

Cutco is acutally worth the investment. They stay sharp 9-10 years. Has an insanly good guarantee, and they pay for themselves in the long run. If you want to know more about them i can acutally give you a quick demo.