Yesterday I finally got myself a new stock pot with pasta insert. My old stock pot had to be let go because it’s non-stick coating was coming off. Back in the old days I had a whole set of non-stick cookware…that was before I understood that non-stick was non-good for everything except eggs.
When I told a friend about my new acquisition, she inquired where I purchased it and then laughed when I told her I got it at Bed Bath & Beyond. I’m not really sure why. BB&B is five blocks from my apartment and on my way home from work. Besides, Williams-Sonoma didn’t have the pot I wanted.
She said she found it hilarious that I like home furnishing stores and that when I get married and register for wedding gifts, I’d probably like it more than my fiancée. I find that a little hard to believe because I don’t love to shop, but most of the women I know do. That said, I already know which blender I want.
More importantly, my cookware set is now complete. I have a fry pan, a sauté pan, two different sized sauce pans, and the stock pot. Add two non-stick fry pans for eggs (holdovers from the old set), and I’ve got all the cookware I need.
Ooh…I’ve always wanted the pot with the pasta drainer ever since I saw it on a cooking show! Enjoy!
I think you’re still missing a few essentials though.
My friend recommended these to me a few years ago and they really are great: a slow coooker, and the George Foreman Grill.
You can leave the slow cooker on all day while you go to work and come home to a hot delicious dinner. Ribs are AMAZING in the slow cooker.
The George Foreman Grill is also AWESOME for hamburgers and grilling vegetables.
I got a blender last year when I decided I was going to have smoothies every morning. Let’s just say that it looks very pretty sitting on my counter top. Ditto for the food processor (although that was a gift).
You are not the only male that knows what tools should go in the kitchen. In every relationship that I have been in, I did 90% of the cooking. The women that have been in my life just didn’t know the correct tools to use or the most efficient way to create a meal. Mostly my fault ‘cause ability to cook is not high on my list of things to look for in a woman. Quality, simplicity, and creativity are the best things to have in a kitchen.
You need at least one cast iron skillet, 10 or 12 inch (I used an 8 inch until I had a family, then I moved up to a 12 inch). Use it for frying or sauteeing just about anything. Also use it for anything cooked in a tomato sauce (or making a tomato sauce). Alternatively, use a cast iron dutch oven. The acids in the tomatoes will leach iron from the pan into the sauce and supplement iron in your diet.