Saving Dinner Basics How to Cook Even If You Don't Know How

CHAPTER ONE EQUIPPING THE KITCHEN: TOOLS OF THE TRADE It seems like the world is obsessed with the gizmos and gadgets that illustrate a cutting-edge kitchen, rather than interested in the more utilitarian (and admittedly less snazzy) kitchen that gets plenty of use. I remember years ago when I was catering that one of my clients had this amazing kitchena six-burner Wolf range, a fabulous Sub-Zero fridge, and all the latest and greatest tools a person could lust for. And yet, this poor woman would have to call her mother to figure out how to boil a pot of water. She was totally hopeless in the kitchen. She looked great, her kitchen looked great, but the bottom line? She was a wannabe cook and couldn't find her way around that kitchen, even with an illustrated map. Most people don't want to live out their culinary lives with kitchen "sets"they really want to cook and make things happen in the kitchen, like breakfast, lunch, and dinner and an occasional dessert, too. To get there, you're going to need to make sure your kitchen is ready for real-life action, and not a photo shoot for a magazine. That means you are going to need tools and equipment, not gizmos and gadgetsthere's a big difference. So let's get to it, shall we? Get your kitchen tricked out with what you need, and leave the junk behind. I have lots of suggestions here: equipment and such that is essential, and a good description of how to set up your own kitchen. Once you're really cooking (preferably with gas), then you can add some more goodies to your basic setup. You'll figure out what you want to add as you go alongthat's how your kitchen reflects your own unique cooking personality. Maybe you've taken pasta making to a new level; it is completely appropriate for you to buy a pasta machine so you can make your own. This is what I mean by having kitchen tools and appliances that reflect your own unique cooking style. Just be careful! I've never met a kitchen store I didn't find irresistible. It's easy to fall madly in love with an expensive gadget and promise yourself that you will soon be making homemade ice cream or pasta. Inexpensive gadgets are much easier to justify (hey, it's only five bucks), but these one-trick items can crowd your drawers and cupboards and make the essential necessary tools hard to find when you need them. Being discerning has saved me from chucking expensive (and inexpensive) nonessential equipment to the Goodwill. If cooking is something you are still reticent about, let me appeal to your inner nurturer. Cooking is a soul-satisfying activity. Cooking a meal provides food and nurturing to those you love most in the world. Providing food and sustenance for your family (and doing it in a tasty and fun way) is a gratifying daily job that is more a joy than a drudgeryif you have the eyes to look at it that way. It starts with having the right tools, getting your pantry stocked, and then actually doing something in the kitchen with those tools and foods. Cooking with Gas, Literally If you are fortunate enough to have a choice of what you'll be cooking on (gas or electric), you'll definitely want gas. Gas gives you better control of the heat; a gas stove heats almost instantaneously, cools down quickly, and is the first choice of professional chefs. Electric stovetops seem to do the exact opposite and frustrate pros and novices alike. But what do you do if you're stuck with electric? Here are some tips for coping: 1. Make sure the burner elements are working properly. They sometimes need replacing, so make sure yours are in top working mode. 2. Match the size of the pan to the element. Not only is it wasEly, Leanne is the author of 'Saving Dinner Basics How to Cook Even If You Don't Know How', published 2006 under ISBN 9780345485434 and ISBN 0345485432.