This past Saturday, in a fit of restlessness, I did the unthinkable. I drove up to LA. I wouldn't normally cross the orange curtain unless it's absolutely unavoidable, but, again, I was bored. And The Husband was watching football. And the store I wanted to visit has only one location near me and that's in Los Angeles.
So, north I traveled. I was going to Kitchen Collection, a store that carries nearly every kitchen doo-hickey and gadget known to man.
I looked at everything from new mixing bowls to salt and pepper shakers, from ramekins to cake decorating kits, from cast iron skillets to tomato slicers.
And after over an hour, I came home with one medium-sized and very basic mixing bowl and a set of round baking cut-outs.
I just couldn't make a decision. If I had an unlimited supply of cash, I would've come home with everything I set eyes on, but... I don't.
So, I wandered slowly through the store, carefully examining each item. I picked up new mixing spoons only to set them down five minutes later after asking myself do I really need these? and deciding that no, I don't. I did the exact same thing with the juicer, the apple slicer, the bundt pan, the spatulas, the single egg skillet (why I want one of these as bad as I do, I have no idea)... all to be put down a few minutes later because I couldn't let myself buy something that I didn't absolutely need.
Internet, help me. What do I need?
What is one item in your kitchen that you absolutely cannot go without???
I'll tell you mine. It's my digital food scale. I bought it two years ago, right after I started Weight Watchers, and I sincerely believe it played the most important role in reaching my goal because Internet? If I had to use and wash one more freaking measuring cup or spoon, I was going to kill someone and then eat a whole pie by myself.
The scale saved me. And since then, I've been using it for everything! Especially for baking. I set my bowl on the scale and turn it on. I weigh my first ingredient (I weigh everything to be precise) and then I zero it out and weigh my next ingredient.
It has incredibly reduced the number of bowls, measuring cups and spoons I use each day and if it ever dies, I will shed a tear as I sprint out the door to buy a new one. I can't live without it.
I need to know. What can't you live without?
My wusthof knife set. Have had it for years and I love it. I have a digital scale, too. It's awesome!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I love anything quite that much. No wait, that's a lie. I have a stone bar pan I bought from the Pampered Chef over 10 years ago. Everything I need to put on a pan in the oven goes on that and it is well seasoned. So well seasoned it's pitch black and nothing and I mean nothing sticks to it. I swear by stone bakeware and have a boat load of it. Flat pan, toaster oven pan, bundt pan (this rocks, I can bake a cake in 9 minutes in the microwave), lasagna pan, loaf pan, shortbread cookie pan (no lie, it has a thistle design in it, beautiful!), and one big ass covered thing you can cook a turkey in. But out of all of these it's the very first one I bought that has lasted me though 2 marriages (ok I'm still on that second marriage so it's a draw) that I really love. You know it's irreplacible too, all black and seasoned like it is...
ReplyDeleteIf we're talking kitchen gadget, it's my apple peeler/corer. I hate peeling apples and my peeps love apples, but won't eat them with the skin on.If we're talking most basic item, then certainly my black iron skillet. It has seen more bacon, pot roast and cornbread than a body should eat in a lifetime.
ReplyDeleteI will tell you mine. I actually have 4 items I really love and use ALL the time. 1. My Kitchen Aid mixer2. My Henckels Knives3. My Pampered Chef stoneware (I have 3 different sizes: the bar pan, the pizza round, and the cookie sheet)4. My digital food scale (the same one you have)
ReplyDeleteA good quality sharp knife.
ReplyDeleteWell considering I threw a pampered chef party tonight, I apparently can't live without a LOT of stuff! I went through that booklet and made a LOOOONG list of things I NEED. If you need any extras email me and I'll invite you to my "book" party and see what else you need!! LOL!I also wanted to say made both your lemon and jarred peanut butter cookies today - and all I can say is YUM-O! I swear my pant size just went up two sizes tonight!!
ReplyDeleteI can't live without a small egg pan. I love to cook perfect over-medium eggs. I love to flip egggs when they are cooked on their first sides. If the pan has even one nick on the surface, the eggs will stick. The perfect egg pan will not allow the eggs to stick, and all you need to do when it's time to flip the eggs is shake it a little to make the eggs slide, and then give it a jerk to make the eggs fly up into the air and do a somersault before landing back in the pan to fry on the other side.I can make do with almost anything I have in the kitchen except for the perfect egg pan.
ReplyDeleteI'm not much of a gadget person, and I have a small kitchen, thus I do not have many of them. So my could-not-live-without, if-it-breaks-I-will-die item is my basic KitchenAid. Because I am, at heart, ridiculously lazy. Seriously, without this sucker I would never make bread or pizza dough or (probably) cookies because I hate creaming butter by hand. I would never whip cream or make meringue or properly aerate my eggs for pumpkin roll. I would, in short, be lost.But you probably already have one of those. In that case, I'd go for a silicone cookie sheet liner. That would be awesome for all the cookies you do.
ReplyDeleteTwo things, my Kitchen Aid mixer and my bread machine!
ReplyDeletethe microwave
ReplyDelete3continentfamily, that's a great idea. I've been thinking about a new knife set and I've heard good things about that brand. Will definitely have to look further into it.Michelle, is "stone bar" the same as cast iron? I have to admit I'm embarrassingly new to cast iron anything. I just bought my first cast iron skillet, was totally excited about it, and I have yet to do anything with it! What do I do???Hat Chick, an apple peeler/corer might just be my next purchase. I've made enough apple pies to believe that this gadget is necessary and I'm not sure why I don't have one yet.Yvonne, I'm so glad you tried the cookies and liked them! I was afraid I'd be the only one!Okay, the perfect egg pan? I'm not sure if that's the actual name of it, but it's the teeny tiny egg skillet that only holds a single egg at a time. Well, the only reason I don't buy this is because I always make more than one egg. Well, not always, but usually and I wonder if I'll actually use this thing as often as I try to convince myself I will.Alias Mother? Pumpkin roll??? RECIPE PLEASE???Gayle, a bread machine sounds wonderful, but I'm afraid it'll be one of those things I use once or twice and then never again. But my mom used to make fresh bread in hers and, oh man, that was good stuff. It would rarely last long. Warm, fresh, homemade bread was just too good not to eat immediately. cog, you sound just like another guy I know.Thanks for the suggestions, guys!
ReplyDeleteThe perfect egg pan is able to hold and flip two eggs. I have never heard of a perfect egg pan that could only do one egg. Hmmph. Why can't I post a comment on your blog about winning 3rd place on the picture you entered? Congratulations!!!
ReplyDeleteHey!!! About your picture up above!!! I did not know that was your picture!!!Congrats! You know what I liked besides her pretty eyes and gorgeous face?That bokeh in the background :o)Congrats!
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ReplyDelete