What is the kitchen utensil/gadget you can't live without?

[indysteel]

I know that quality kitchen stuff is really expensive... I save money for the stuff I want, sometimes I ask something for my birthday like a Peugeot Peppermill, or I look out for special sales (like stores that have to close down...). And i participate in contests... that's how I won my creuset.

I just take my time.

It does pay to be patient. My BF and I recently combined a sale with a rebate to finally get a KitchenAid stand mixer for over $100 less than what it typically sells for. Same with my roasting pan. I've signed up for a couple of sites like Cooking.com that have good sales here and there. I got a good deal there on my stainless 12-inch skillet. I do think quality pays off with certain items.

[MommyBird]

Mine is an "out of the kitchen" utensil.

We discovered Dutch Oven cooking this Spring.
Not the same type of DO that has been listed by others on this thread.

Here is a link to some DO's in service on the Cabelas site:
http://www.cabelas.com/p-0013227514234a.shtml

This DO is for cooking outdoors with coal or over an open fire. We do the coal version.
The DO is cast iron and has three legs and a recessed lid to hold the upper coals. You put a specified number of coals under the DO and on the lid as per the recipe.
My husband is the main DO handler in our house. He loves it because he gets to wear a big pair of bright red suede gloves and use a special lid lifting tool. (He has a pic on his computer, I'll try to post it later)
Our favorite recipes are the fruit cobblers and crisps.
We have made pot roasts as well. We love making cobbler so much that we have been a bit lax on our recipe experimentation.
Plus, we need to expand our collection so that we can make chili, cornbread and dessert at the same time!

Next Fall we plan to attend "Dutchstream" in TN.
This is a combined Airstream and Dutch Oven rally.
Yes, the bikes will come too. Hubby cannot miss a chance to ride in the mountains and I should be ready for them by next Fall.

[papaver]

This is an ultimate dream...

http://www.traditionaloven.com/

[SadieKate]

Oxo salad spinner.

Amazingly, that's the gadget maillotpois can't do without in my kitchen.

[withm]

Several years ago I bought a set of Le Creuset on Ebay - 2 small saucepans w/ lids, am 8" skillet, and 6qt Dutch oven. It was around $275 or so but honestly I don't remember. I've since added a 2 and a 5 qt dutch oven and I use the small one a couple times each week for sure. It's the perfect size for one person. I love this stuff and it will last forever. Definitely an investment.

[papaver]

This was a present too...



An Alessi whisk... quite handy....

[shootingstar]

I know that quality kitchen stuff is really expensive... I save money for the stuff I want, sometimes I ask something for my birthday like a Peugeot Peppermill, or I look out for special sales (like stores that have to close down...). And i participate in contests... that's how I won my creuset.

I just take my time.

When my partner's mother died last year, we inherited alot of her top-notch cooking ware. She was an excellent cook, baker and did use quality kitchen tools --ie. her special cooking pot for steaming and cooking dumpfenudel.

Yes, serious German cooks have a particular type of pot so dumpfnudels don't stick much and steam doesn't escape when cooking. Yup, it's been used since dearie and his brother have made dumpfnudel several times since her death. Dumpfnudel is like a Chinese bao, steamed white bun --but no filling for dumpfnudel. But each bun type uses a totally different way of making the dough and slightly different steaming technique and apparatus.

That's how we also ended up having some wonderful kitchen shears, etc.

[shootingstar]

This thread is interesting..really show such varied cooking style preferences. For instance, I can't get overly excited about certain Cruset pots nor Dutch ovens. I've never used a Dutch oven...yet.

[Tuckervill]

I cook outside with cast iron Dutch Ovens, too! Love its ease, and I especially like making a big breakfast in mine, but I don't see me going to any shows or cook-offs.

Karen

[papaver]

This thread is interesting..really show such varied cooking style preferences. For instance, I can't get overly excited about certain Cruset pots nor Dutch ovens. I've never used a Dutch oven...yet.

I didn't get it either... till I got one for free... seriously... you never burn things, it's perfect for slow cooking...

[ny biker]

This thread is interesting..really show such varied cooking style preferences. For instance, I can't get overly excited about certain Cruset pots nor Dutch ovens. I've never used a Dutch oven...yet.

And then there are people like me who would have to answer "the microwave" because we can't cook...

All the recommendations for good sharp knives makes me think of my mother, who has been using the same old paring knife for more than 50 years. I don't think she has ever sharpened it. But you should see her peel and slice a big pile of apples when she makes apple pie -- that knife works fine and there's no way she'd want to replace it.

[papaver]

my paring knife is about 20 years old, my mom's was her mom's and she got it wen she was 21. My grandmother was born in 1901. You do the math.

[ny biker]

my paring knife is about 20 years old, my mom's was her mom's and she got it wen she was 21. My grandmother was born in 1901. You do the math.

And I bet food tastes better when that knife is used to prepare it...

[papaver]

And I bet food tastes better when that knife is used to prepare it...

Hmmmm... nothing beats my mother's handcut frites...

[OakLeaf]

My parents got their Le Creuset pans around 35 years ago IIRC. They may as well be new, by the looks of them.

And they have a lifetime warranty if something should go wrong. The enamel on my 5-1/2 qt soup pot got crazed and all I had to do was send it back for a replacement.


Papaver, I was looking at the different types of whisk at Sur La Table the other day. What an assortment! I wondered what type of food each one is best for?