Neccessary Kitchen Items

[Aloysius]

Eagles - here are 2 good EDF threads that address alot of what you're asking about wrt equipment:

Help Me Build a Culinary Toolkit

Cooking Knives Thread

El Sapo:

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You don't need specialty kitchen shops or high-end groceries to make really good food. Patience and practice makes up for a lot of that.

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Definitely agree with you and I think I'm getting to the point where it's true for my own cooking - but what do you think about paying more for "quality" proteins? The thing that leaps to mind is free-range chicken - am I imagining things but to me it tastes alot better...

-Al

[gumpzilla]

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Definitely agree with you and I think I'm getting to the point where it's true for my own cooking - but what do you think about paying more for "quality" proteins? The thing that leaps to mind is free-range chicken - am I imagining things but to me it tastes alot better...

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In the end, it probably doesn't matter if it's just in your head if it actually does taste a lot better. But yeah, I think it's probably in your head. I've been reading The Omnivore's Dilemma recently (which is a [censored] awesome book) and I'm under the impression that "free-range" just implies meeting some not particularly stringent criteria and doesn't really say much about the chicken at all. For example, the chickens need to have access to the outside, but that doesn't mean they ever leave the factory coop, nor are they even obligated to be allowed outside the entire few weeks of their existence. You only need a pretty small window for it to qualify.

[offTopic]

I didn't see these listed, and they're pretty inexpensive:

- bench scraper
- pepper mill (which allows you to keep peppercorns which come in handy for some recipes, plus the pepper tastes better)

[gumpzilla]

[ QUOTE ]
I didn't see these listed, and they're pretty inexpensive:

- bench scraper
- pepper mill (which allows you to keep peppercorns which come in handy for some recipes, plus the pepper tastes better)

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Good call on the pepper mill. It tilts me when I'm cooking in somebody else's kitchen and all they have is a giant can of pre-ground black pepper.

[JackInDaCrak]

You should get a cheese grater too.

A box grater is probably the most useful, as it can be used for hard cheeses (parmesean reggiano) or semi-soft cheeses (cheddar), and usually has a slicer on one side too

[Aloysius]

It still sort of amazes me, the difference in taste between fresh pepper and pre-ground pepper. I don't even have any pre-ground pepper lying around.

-Al

[Chomp]

A wife.

[Rococo]

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Herb wise other than what's already been mentioned I'd suggest (dried) Basil, Thyme, Oregano and maybe rosemary.

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Dried basil is worthless. You might as well julienne some newsprint and sprinkle it on your food.

[Rococo]

I would add the following

Red pepper flakes, which add zip to a lot of green vegetables, particularly if you tend to saute your greens in oil and garlic.

Kosher salt (bigger grains, seems less salty tasting)

Fish sauce -- a must if you ever cook thai food and more useful and delicious in general than you would expect.

Lemons and limes if you cook regularly enough to use them before they go bad.

[guids]

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Herb wise other than what's already been mentioned I'd suggest (dried) Basil, Thyme, Oregano and maybe rosemary.

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Dried basil is worthless. You might as well julienne some newsprint and sprinkle it on your food.

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this is not necessarily true. Dried herbs, especially basil, are usually much better to use when you are cooking something for a long time, such as chili etc. because they release their flavors slower and you get much more depth in the taste. Some herbs dont dry well (parsley for example), basil def does, for a "quick cook" fresh is obv better, but for a long simmer/boil/etc dried is.