The Hardware

If you want to do some serious cooking you need some hardware. Investing in good implements early will make your cooking life a lot easier, enjoyable and versatile.

Chef's Knife: The most versatile knife in the western kitchen is the chef's knife. It is used for cutting, slicing, chopping, and mincing. The curved blade allows rocking back and forth for fine chopping and mincing. Chef's knives come in blade lengths from 6 to 12 inches. The longer the knife, the more you can cut, but the more difficult it is to control. If you've got small hands ( you may want to stick with the 6 to 8 in. variety. If you've got one of these and a board scraper, you won't need or want to use an Asian cleaver.

I treated myself to a wide bladed Santoku by Kershaw:

The Shun Classis Santoku Chef's Knife.

• Its Damascus-look blade profile reduces sticking and results in less damage to the food being cut and faster prep times.
• VG-10 stainless steel is clad with 16 layers of SUS410 high-carbon stainless steel on each side, producing a rust-free Damascus style. The VG-10 "super steel" is composed of Carbon, Chromium, Cobalt, Manganese, Molybdenum, Silicon and Vanadium.
• VG-10 holds an incredibly sharp 16 degree edge.
• Black PakkaWood handles with the ergonomic and stable"D" shape design.
• Stainless Steel bolsters and end caps for beauty and durabilityMade in Japan.
• Limited Lifetime Manufacturer Warranty.

Here is a great video with Alton Brown on this knife seres: http://www.altonbrown.com/shun/shun_flv_sm.html

Boning Knife: This thin, usually flexible, knife allows you to remove membranes from meat and meat from bones easily. Typically, this will be the sharpest knife you own because it will also be the thinnest knife. Use this to cut anything soft that needs fine precision work, but don't cut semi-frozen meat with this blade (use a chef's knife for that).

Victorinox or RH Forschner brand boning knife with Fibrox handle

This is one of the best boning knifes available and is 1/5 the cost of most high end knives. This is the one I own.

Cast Iorn Skillet: Bare cast-iron vessels have been used for cooking for hundreds of years. Cast iron's ability to withstand and maintain very high temperatures makes it a common choice for searing or frying , and its excellent heat diffusion and retention makes it a good option for long-cooking stews or braised dishes. Because cast iron skillets can develop an extremely "non-stick" surface, they are also a good choice for egg dishes, particularly scrambled eggs. It transfers well from the stove top to the oven for two phase cooking. Cast Iron is very economical and cooking with it supplies us with dietary iron, which many of us (especially women) tend to run short on. I opted for a pre-seasoned 12" version since I only wanted to have one. It will definatley train your bicepts! Make sure you keep it away from soap and the dishwasher and season it regularly. Take care of it well and it will last generations.

Spring Loaded Metal Tongs: Very versatile grabbing and holding implement. As good in front of a hot stove or a grill. Great to use to mix your food on a non-teflon pan.

Dutch Oven: This will be your basic soup and stew pot. Its great for braising as well. It will hold up well on the stove top or in the oven. Get the one with the iron lid. As with the cast iron skillet if you take care of it well it will last for generations.

Hand Blender: Relatively inexpensive verastile tool that makes quick work of pureed soups, dips and sauces right in the cooking vessel. Many versions come with a small cup and attachments that can be used as a small food processor. Get the on with the chord so you do not skimp on power. Look for one with a metal end, its sturdier. This one costs only $30.

Hand Grater: I like hand greaters. I use mine all the time. It's like a mini workout, when you go through a few carrots! Why allow machinery to do all the work? Get one with a comfortable handle and 6 sides for all of your needs. This one is only $20. http://www.fantes.com/graters.html

Cutting Board: If you want your knives to stay sharp never cut on glass, stone, metal or ceramic. Wood cutting boards can harbor nasty bacteria if not cleaned properly and thoroughly, In addition wood cutting boards need to be sanded and oiled regularly to maintain them. I recommend getting a large plastic cutting board with anibacterial protection. Flexible cutting boards also give you the advantage of bending them to funnel food into bowls or cooking ware.