The Essentials
Know the basics
Learning to cook is not that hard. But for some people, cooking means hard work and disappointing results. Who needs that after a difficult day at the office? Never fear, there's hope for those who avoid the kitchen. The biggest obstacle for most novice cooks is their equipment. It's simple, really: You must have the basic equipment needed for the recipes you're trying to cook. Good, basic equipment doesn't mean fancy. However, every piece of equipment we use on a regular basis is available everywhere - from large, discount mart-type stores to upscale, gourmet kitchen retailers. To get you started, we suggest a heavy-gauge, 4½ quart-Dutch oven or soup pot and a 12-inch, extra-deep, nonstick skillet. A Dutch oven or soup pot is perfect for cooking pasta as well as soups and stews. Between those two food categories, you can cover more than half of typical main-dish dinners. The extra-deep skillet is sometimes called a chef's pan or chicken fryer, and nonstick is a must for health and cleaning benefits. This type of skillet is perfect for all-in-one skillet meals and provides more surface area (meaning fewer batches and less time)
The Equipment
Stock Your Kitchen
Stocking a kitchen with great gadgets and utensils can be really fun, although daunting. There are a few ways to begin collecting the equipment, utensils and appliances you need. One is to look through a list like this one, check off what you need, then go on a shopping spree. Another is a trial and error method. As you begin cooking, you'll quickly realize what utensils your kitchen is missing. Believe me, the first way is better! When you want to make a pie crust and realize you have no rolling pin, it can put you off pie crusts forever. If you really want to save money, take some time to cruise shop sales. You can find excellent cooking equipment, utensils, and even appliances for pennies if you are a savvy shopper. This is the basic list of equipment and utensils for cooking beginners. There may be other items you want to add. That's just fine! As long as a kitchen utensil or gadget works for you, and you use it, it's a good buy. Shop for quality over quantity, especially at first. I have several knives I bought 10 years ago that are still going strong. You can do the same.
KNIVES made of high carbon stainless steel
3 or 4" paring knife a serrated
knife
8 or 10" chef's knife
MEASURING CUPS AND SPOONS
Various sizes, in metal and plastic
Get at least two sets of each, so you're not continually washing them as
you cook glass measuring cups with spout, for liquids
SPOONS
slotted spoon ,wooden spoons, sturdy metal spoons, Soup ladle
MIXING UTENSILS
Wire whisks in different sizes, eggbeater
SPATULAS
straight spatulas, angled handle spatulas, rubber scraper spatulas
SIEVES AND COLANDERS
nested varying size sieves, in stainless steel (work as flour sifters too)
steel or plastic colander
POTS AND PANS
1, 2, 4, and 8-quart saucepans with covers 12"
skillet with covers 6 or 8", nonstick skillet, roasting pan ,two 9" round
cake pans, 9" square cake pan 9"x13" baking pan,9"x5" loaf pan, 9" pie pan,
12 cup muffin tin cooling racks, two cookie sheets
MISCELLANEOUS
swivel-bladed vegetable peeler grater with various sized holes rolling pin
can opener kitchen timer kitchen shears corkscrew