More stuff everyone should have in a kitchen.

I use a KitchenAid stand mixer my Mom gave me. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a cool Mom with a spare mixer, you can find them on Craig’s List or on Amazon. If you can’t afford one, you will need to build up some arm strength and get some quality bowls. Glass or Pyrex bowls are great; completely non-reactive and they make sets that nest. (Something else you will need is somewhere to store all this crap!) Stainless steel bowls are also useful. Get some.

As far as mixing goes, you need some spatulas. Look for silicone. They will last a long time and are heat-safe. Target has a great selection of inexpensive ones. You will also need at least two whisks. Get a pretty big one (9-15 inches) with thick, sturdy wires. If you can get one with silicone coating, even better. Then you will need a whisk with thin, flexible wires for things like whipped cream and meringues and beating eggs.

And tongs. Get some tongs. They need to be sturdy and well made. the cheap stamped shiny ones will fail on you. It’s better to spend a few more bucks to get a set or two that will last instead of having one break or bend and drop a 4 pound roast on your foot.

You will need some saute pans. They come in a few different flavors: Sauteuse and Sauteur. Sauteuse is the basic, curved-side pan.

Sauteur is the straight sided pan.

Unfortunately, these terms have become confused and conflated. Don’t worry about it. You need a quality non-stick pan of each type. Anywhere from 8 to 12 inches will work. The hard anodized are better than the sprayed-on nonstick coatings. Get ones with lids if possible.

You also need a non-coated one. This is for pan-frying, simmering and poaching. You actually want some of the food to stick to the bottom, creating what is called “fond” in French. This is released by deglazing with some liquid and dissolves the flavorful stuff for sauces, etc.

Here’s a warning. If you are cooking with a non-stick of any sort, use the proper utensils. Silicone coated whisks, wooden spoons or spatulas, plastic spoons or silicone spatulas, etc.

If I see you stirring something in a non-stick with a metal fork, I will come to your house and kick you in the junk.

Treat your equipment nicely, please.

More stuff later. But now, some Descendants.