My best finds in the kitchen

Over the years I have replaced and replaced knives,and just about anything else in my kitchen. My favorite things I have now and will have for a long time consist of my first favorite and that is my Wusthof Classic Knives. I may have 17 knives but the 7 inch Santoku is always the knife I love to use more than any other knife I have ever owned. I bought my first knife block in the Wusthof and had to order a larger block later 2 more times to make them all fit in it. After my first purchase of a 9 piece set I went on to buy 8 steak knives and the 7 inch Santoku and Santoku paring knife on Ebay. I found that I could save money buying what other knives I wanted to have by bidding on them there. I was using the 8 inch Chef's knife that came with the block but when I first held and used the 7 inch Santoku I loved the lighter weight and the blades grooves in my aid to cut faster and safer and better. I picked up a couple more Wusthof in Williams Sonoma in a sale basket so be sure to always check for the sales on them.


I also purchased from Ebay my 4 qt red Le Creuset that does great for sauces to deep frying. It was a bargain price for $140 compared to the 5qt for $280. I wanted after several years a new cookware set and decided from buying a 1 qt All Clad and a non-stick Calphalon One in the past what would work best for me. I purchased one day at Williams Sonoma a open-boxed 13 piece set of Calphalon, I knew I really liked cooking in the one big saute Calphalon pan I had. I had made anything from steak and gravy to shrimp and pasta all in that 12 inch pan. I know sometimes you think you need all these pans to cook with but I know most of us use only 3 to 4 tops for it all. I own now about 20 pans and use the Le Creuset and the one 12 inch saute pan more than anything else.


As for small appliances I never pull out the Kitchen Aid food processor and would rather use my Santoku knife and cutting board for cutting about anything. I do like to use my Microplane grater that stands at a angle and has several cutting slots to chose from to grate. I'll make a list of all things that new cooks need in the kitchen so you will know what you don't need to load the kitchen down with to feel like a chef in your own kitchen.