When I was planning my wedding, the last thing on my mind was registering for gifts. At the time, my fiance and I lived in a tiny apartment and the thought of storing a bunch of kitchenware made me cringe. This was long before I worked at The Chopping Block and knew exactly which products would give us a lifetime of great cooking. Luckily, some friends and family were able to share their wisdom and I ended up with some amazing pieces that I use regularly. With my best friend and sister-in-law both beginning their married lives I find myself full of advice; because of this I figured it would be an appropriate time to share my two cents with everyone!
My showpiece is most definitely my Le Creuset 5 ½ quart round French oven (Dutch oven). This piece is always sitting out in my kitchen for two reasons: it’s beautiful and I am always using it. It works for so many things like braising, soups, sauces and our favorite veggie cobbler. The enamel finish makes for easy clean up and the lifetime warranty makes it a great value. I have heard of many people who have their grandparent’s Le Creuset.
Whenever I prepare a meal I use my chef’s knife. Suggesting the right knife for someone is hard because there are many great brands and styles that leave it up to personal preference (kind of like a mate). I have had the opportunity to take many knives for a test drive at The Chopping Block and found I really adore the Shun brand but I would suggest you take our most popular class, Knife Skills, to see what fits you.
Finally, if you are going to be using a knife you definitely need a cutting board. There are so many beautiful and useful ones out there but for our lifestyle we chose an Epicurean. They are made from recycled materials, dishwasher safe (low maintenance) and look great. We have had ours for at least five years and it still looks new even after riding in the dishwasher many times a week.
Although I have built quite a collection, there is still an item that I haven’t acquired yet. Eventually, I hope to own a Vitamix blender. It is so powerful yet so quiet. The motor can go so fast that you can make soup in it. Also, it pulverizes food that you can use the entire fruit (think strawberry stems) gaining even more vitamins.
I am a very practical minimalist so when I buy something it must be long lasting and have multiple purposes. That is why these are some of my favorite items. I would love to hear about products that you can’t live without in the kitchen.
With the switch in seasons comes new vegetables, and it is perfect time for my favorite method of cooking: braising. I look forward to making some great stews soon. To help, I’ve recently added a new toy to my kitchen, a tagine!
So it’s no surprise to me that I like to make stock on vacation. I just got back from 11 days in the north woods, in a one room cabin on a lake, surrounded by nature. On day three, I was finally starting to relax and escape from the day to day thoughts that run around in my head and keep me up at night. I woke up at 6am, because the sun coming into the cabin off the lake is so bright and brilliant it would be a crime if I slept in. I knew it was time to make stock. My cabin is stocked with the barest of kitchen essentials; a few pots and pans, a small plastic cutting board, a Mr. Coffee machine and a few kitchen utensils. The stove is a four burner apartment stove from the 1940’s that I have to light every time I want to spark up the oven. I bring with me from home my Le Creuset bouillabaisse soup pot and it takes up two of the four very small burners.
But what I wanted to share with you was how I impressed even myself. I realized four hours into making my stock; I had forgotten at home a fine mesh strainer that I use to skim off the fat from the stock. Without the strainer, my stock was going to be cloudy and speckled with loose chicken bits and vegetables. Obsessed with making a perfectly clear stock, I looked around the cabin kitchen for a solution. I realized that I had even bigger problems; I didn’t even have a bowl to strain the stock into. So I ran to the car and remembered I had a large mason jar returned to me from a canning project last fall. Next I needed a strainer. Hmmmm. Could I use the coffee filters from the electric Mr. Coffee and stretch them over the mouth of the Mason jar attached with a rubber band ? Genius! It took a few tries to get the filter in the right place… but ultimately I was successful. MacGyver has nothing on me.
I had so much fun improvising and my stock was delicious. Half the fun was in thinking outside of the box. What I loved was that even in the middle of the north woods, cooking without the tools and gadgets I rely upon so much in my well stock kitchen, I was able to create something delicious. I would not have been able to do this if I hadn’t taken the stocks class at The Chopping Block. By understanding why I was doing what I was doing, I was able to improvise. I also appreciate all of my tools and gadgets in my well stocked kitchen even more now.
Check out my cinnamon rolls I made in my cast iron skillet. They cooked evenly and tasted amazing!