Man's Whirled Every Guy's Guide to Cooking With a Blender

Chapter One: Rookie Playbook: The Kitchen Basics It all comes back to those days in Boy Scouts and that memorable motto: "Be prepared." You wouldn't try to restore a vintage Harley with a screwdriver and a saw and you can't expect to start cooking real meals when all you've got is a can opener and a pot you picked up at a yard sale. Truth is, even with the world's best blender, you're going to need a few other essentials to make memorable chow. But don't panic -- the right equipment and supplies don't need to break the bank and they'll make any cooking you do easier and more enjoyable. Start by compiling a small collection of essential bakeware and cookware. The simple man's kitchen is equipped with cast iron or nonstick aluminum cookware. Cast iron has great heating characteristics but cleanup can be a pain. Choose enameled cast iron if you opt for iron pots and pans, but for our purposes, high-quality aluminum nonstick cooking gear is best. Here's a list of the fundamental pieces, but you might find more complete sets on sale. Pick other individual pieces to suit your cooking style. 10-inch omelet pan 11- or 12-inch skillet with lid 10- or 12-inch grill pan. Like a skillet with raised ribs to grill meat, fish, and fowl. 2H quart pot with lid Small saucepot with lid. Buy one that is just big enough for melting butter and other small tasks. Baking sheet. Buy a large rectangular version 1 inch deep. It can be used for baking dishes like creme brulee, and can double as a cookie sheet. 9 by 5-inch loaf pan Muffin pan 9-inch-square by 2-inch-deep cake pan 9-inch-round by 2-inch-deep cake pan Large rectangular 2-inch-deep baking pan 8- or 9-inch springform pan. This is a round cake pan with a detachable ring that forms the sides. After baking, just unlatch the ring and pull it away, leaving the sides of your cakes intact! Prep's Cool The process of prepping raw ingredients to go into one of those pots and pans requires its own set of tools: Large stainless steel mixing bowl. Simple Rule Number 27: Small amounts can be mixed in a large mixing bowl, but the reverse is not true. Set of measuring spoons (1 tablespoon, 1 teaspoon, H teaspoon, G teaspoon). Set of measuring cups for dry ingredients in G-, N-, H-, and 1-cup increments. 2- or 4-cup-capacity measuring cup for liquids. Buy Pyrex. Can opener. Splurge. A well-made can opener with smooth action and a comfortable grip makes life soooo much easier. Hand grater. Buy one with a medium-fine cutting surface and a comfortable handle. You'll use this for an amazing array of tasks from zesting oranges to shaving chocolate. Peeler Colander. For draining pasta, washed salad greens, and more. Go for a sturdy stainless steel type with a deep basin and comfortable handles. Handheld strainer. Buy a medium size with a fine-mesh basket and a handle that feels good in your grip. Pepper mill. Fresh-ground pepper is an indispensable ingredient and the only type of black pepper you should use in recipes or to flavor salads and other prepared dishes. A Cut Above You don't have to watch West Side Story to know how important a good knife is. Buy a name-brand starter set, but handle them before buying to make sure they are good quality (poor knives don't hold an edge and make cutting food a risky and frustrating adventure). You can tell a wPeterson, Chris is the author of 'Man's Whirled Every Guy's Guide to Cooking With a Blender' with ISBN 9780743270236 and ISBN 0743270231.