Stocking Kitchen #2 From Scratch

[caleb]

Starting in August, work is going to require me to live away from the home base eight months of the year.

Most of my cooking stuff is staying in Kitchen #1 (the home base), so I'll be stocking Kitchen #2 (satellite house) from scratch. I need your help deciding what to get for Kitchen #2.

Requirements: I don't need anything fancy, but I'd like to be able to cook for and serve six people. I'm not big on kitchen gadgets, and I'm generally happy to do things manually. I'm happy to buy from thrift stores where it makes sense.

Kitchen #1 was a gradual ad hoc accumulation of stuff, most of which I should throw out. For Kitchen #2, I'd like to stick with the bare minimum without inhibiting my ability to cook.

Here are the categories I can think of:

Pots and pans
Cooking utensils
Cutlery and cutting boards
Plates and bowls
Serving dishes and utensils
Silverware
Glassware

So point me toward your favorites in each category, or just pick your pet category. Also, feel free to include stuff I've forgotten.

Help me stock Kitchen #2 right.

[rowdyhillrambler]

Where is kitchen number two, in regards to kitchen number one?

[caleb]

Kitchen #1: Minnesota
Kitchen #2: New York

[jitahs]

Hooptie bike with Wald basket.
Run around, meet locals.
Go to thrift stores (I've gotten Buffalo china there), pick up a sturdy 10" chefs.
Go to knife sharpening guy.

Smokey Joe!

[Too Tall]

Pots and pans - Thriftstore / yardsale cast iron, all clad non stick skillet
Cooking utensils - Bed Bath and beyond: you'll know it when you see
Cutlery and cutting boards - One good Wustof 10" chefs and a bread knife, modest wood cutting board and one all purpose plastic cover for the board. Hard to beat any of the bargain cooking stores.
Plates and bowls - pottery barn they practically give away the plan white dinner service stuff.
Serving dishes and utensils - flea market mix and match buy as many different types / styles of dishes and utensiles as possible it's fun and cheap.
Silverware see above
Glassware Williams and Sonoma....suck it up bucko, lousy water/booze/coffee glassware is hateful. Get something nice.

[ron l edmiston]

-- tammy bucko, right there with you tall-man..

ronnie with a healthy smile

[rec head]

Costco is not a bad option for most of that stuff. Personally I'm a big fan of big cutting boards and have a couple from Target that I like a lot.

[spopepro]

Is there a Daiso out there? I like their dishes, and you can get a ton for cheap. I've had spectacular luck at Tuesday Morning with finding proper cut-rim crystal glassware, but it can be hit and miss.

[Noteddy]

TT's got it pretty well covered. I second the notion of a good piece of cast iron or two. They are cheap, you can saute, fry, bake, braise in a 10 or 12" cast iron fry pan. And, properly seasoned, they are about as non-stick as anything but a new teflon pan. While I'm a big All-Clad fan, I'm more partial to cheap, thick aluminum non-stick from Costco or a restaurant supply when it comes to non-stick. The coatings just don't last forever.

A 1.5 qt and 4 qt pot - all clad if you have the chips and want to keep them forever. Otherwise, restaurant supply grade. Maybe a 6-qt dutch oven that you can use as a soup pot. Lodge makes one that is reasonably priced.

Good 10" chefs knife that fits your hand and that you know how to sharpen along with a 3-4" paring knife are all you need. Add a serrated bread knife if you want to go all out. The Vitorinox are not Ken Onion's, but are repeatedly cited as great values. Make sure you have a steel to go with your knives. A couple of half Size Sheet Pan 18-inch by 13-inch, and a couple 1/4 size. Also available from restaurant supply places for <$15 each.

Don't forget to set aside some $ to stock your pantry with the key basics. You can always come up with a meal from a properly stocked pantry and a couple of eggs or handful of herbs and veggies.

[Shinomaster]

Get one of these. It replaces all those other worthless German knives and you can scoop up all your finely chopped Italian parsley with it.

[caleb]

Thanks for all the good suggestions.

On the note of paring and utility knives, have any of you used Opinel's line of kitchen knives? Opinel Paring No112 Beechwood Handle | OPINEL USA

[Cookietruck]

they're ok, especially for the price
the blade is really flimsy which makes them kinda delicate to sharpen
i haven't touched them since i got a nice 160mm petty knife...
i had the 102 which is the carbon blade...they looked really bad because me and the lady were binging on soda water with limes for a yr or so

[jitahs]

A $10 Opinel has all the structural rigidity of an ABG-era Litespeed.

[caleb]

A $10 Opinel has all the structural rigidity of an ABG-era Litespeed.

Good to know, thanks. In Kitchen #1, I'm used to using a Hattori petty. Sounds like I'd be disappointed with the Opinel.

[zetroc]

Look for an Asian restaurant supply store and stock up there. Pennies compared to the usual suspects and the quality is still good. The one near me stocks very, very good knives and great dishes, pots, pans, cutting boards, tools and utensils for less green than many online sources.

[spopepro]

and I think the fibrox handled forchners are the caad 9s of knives. Anything beyond is for particular taste, or aesthetics.

[Coppercook62]

I would agree about forchner. Easy to keep a edge and they are comfortable to hold. There pairing knives are good too.

[Rayburn Shaun]

I like to keep it cheap, kinda.

10" Dexter chef + paring knife + something serrated for bread/tomatoes/etc. If you like, get a 6" flexible boning knife for chickens + double duty as a fillet knife.
10-12" skillet with a lid.
5 qt CI dutch oven... or saucepan + lid (must be able to go in oven).
Maybe a 6-8" skillet for small stuff (omelet or coupla' pcs french toast or dinner for one)
Coffeemaker/ A.M.brewing tool.
Wooden spoon and a silicone spoonula.

BIG cutting board.

That's bare bones food prep for me. It only goes up from there.

[Too Tall]

Nice work Tom.

I like to keep it cheap, kinda.

10" Dexter chef + paring knife + something serrated for bread/tomatoes/etc. If you like, get a 6" flexible boning knife for chickens + double duty as a fillet knife.
10-12" skillet with a lid.
5 qt CI dutch oven... or saucepan + lid (must be able to go in oven).
Maybe a 6-8" skillet for small stuff (omelet or coupla' pcs french toast or dinner for one)
Coffeemaker/ A.M.brewing tool.
Wooden spoon and a silicone spoonula.

BIG cutting board.

That's bare bones food prep for me. It only goes up from there.

[JoB]

i moved into an empty apartment in Denmark for a year and went straight to Ikea ... they had it all. I actually kept their 8" chef's knife and the paring knife after we came back. New job meant not a lot of time for shopping, and it was nice to have it all in one place.

speaking of ikea, they make a cast iron crock pot that is only enameled on the outside ... doesn't make a lot of sense but works very well and only cost me $50.
SENIOR Casserole with lid - IKEA

Good luck on the move!

Starting in August, work is going to require me to live away from the home base eight months of the year.

Most of my cooking stuff is staying in Kitchen #1 (the home base), so I'll be stocking Kitchen #2 (satellite house) from scratch. I need your help deciding what to get for Kitchen #2.

Requirements: I don't need anything fancy, but I'd like to be able to cook for and serve six people. I'm not big on kitchen gadgets, and I'm generally happy to do things manually. I'm happy to buy from thrift stores where it makes sense.

Kitchen #1 was a gradual ad hoc accumulation of stuff, most of which I should throw out. For Kitchen #2, I'd like to stick with the bare minimum without inhibiting my ability to cook.

Here are the categories I can think of:

Pots and pans
Cooking utensils
Cutlery and cutting boards
Plates and bowls
Serving dishes and utensils
Silverware
Glassware

So point me toward your favorites in each category, or just pick your pet category. Also, feel free to include stuff I've forgotten.

Help me stock Kitchen #2 right.