What You Need in a Gourmet Kitchen

The best way to decide what you need in your kitchen is to first decide what it is you are going to be cooking in there. The best suggestion I ever heard on this matter is to find five dishes you really love. The dishes you like to find on menus at restaurants. The next thing you want to do is learn to prepare those dishes to your standards. This is going to take some time, and some research, but I promise you it is well worth the effort.

They say that professional cooks don't like to discuss the way they prepare a disk or recipe, and I find this to be a fallacy most of the time. People in general love to talk about what they do, and enjoy appreciation for their hard work. So don't be afraid to ask, politely, a chef how he makes a certain dish or what is in the recipe. Keep the question general, and you might be surprised about the tips you can pick up from a simple question. If she doesn't want to share her knowledge, thank her and be on your way. Its not like you can't find out from several other sources what is in a certain dish and how to prepare it. No harm no foul. Most of the time I get great results by paying attention to the chef if only taking a quick look at his pots and knives.

Each of our five dishes are going to have a few nuances regarding the items required in their creation. But there are some basics we want in our kitchen no matter what we are going to put on our home menu.

The first item on the list is a set of good cooking knives. You can't do much without chopping and slicing. A set of good knives is always worth the money. Generally they last forever. When ever I get offered something like a "life time warranty" I always wonder "whose life?" But in the case of a fine set of cutlery we don't have to worry about things like that. In the higher echelons of fine cooking, a chef's set of knives is part of the job interview process.

When you look at chef knives, you will notice they generally have a wide triangular blade which tapers to a "center tip", meaning both the back of the knife and the blade are gently angled to meet in a point at the tip.

This blade shape is perfect for allowing the blade to rock back and forth on the tip (using it as a fulcrum) when you are chopping. It is a great all-around, all-purpose knife for most of your kitchen. They tend to be a bit heavy, 6 to 10 inches long with the most popular being 8 inches. If you have never purchased or handled on on a regular bases, start with an 8 inch chef's knife and get used to how it feels before moving on to something bigger.

Another choice you will have to decide on is whether you want a French or German style chef's knife. The French version has a longer and thinner blade that is better for slicing while the German style is shorter and wider and better for chopping. To help you make this decision, check your list of five dishes and see what you are going to be doing the most of. Make sure the knife has a secure grip and a good feel in your hand, you're looking for balance. The handle should be riveted to the blade. Those would be real rivets, not the painted on kind.

The next items we are going to need are a good set of pans and pots. Which pots and pans can probably be decided by our list of five dishes we made before. However, the pans should be of good quality. We don't want a poor 'non-stick' application flaking off and ruining our dinner. There are plenty of things we can do to ruin our own dinners, we don't want to be required to worry about our Cookware.

You want pots and pans made of stainless steel or heavy-gauge aluminum with non-oxidizing surfaces. The base of the pan should be thick and flat on both the inside and out for better heat efficiency. You also want handles that are riveted to the pan not welded and certainly no plastic handles. The lids should fit snuggly. The most important aspect however is how they feel in your hands. Pick them up and handle them. Just because some bouncy gourmet said they were the best doesn't mean you are going to enjoy using them.

You probably want a good spice grinder. You might already have an electric grinder for your coffee beans and these are great, but don't use the same one for your spices. Mornings have enough surprises.

Once you have these basics, start going through your recipes and keep in mind the methods you have to use to get them prepared. The rest of your kitchen will fill out from there.

Jerry Powell is the Owner of a Popular site Know as Gourmet911.com. As you can see from our name, we are here to help you learn more about different kinds of Gourmet food and Wines, Coffees from all around the world. http://www.gourmet911.com

---

The World of Cornbread

We're partial to cornbread. We like its rustic texture and... Read More

Caring For Your Wooden Cutting Board

Researchers have found that bacteria have a tougher time surviving... Read More

Alone In the Kitchen: Stirring Up Mindfulness

Put on your apron! It's time to stir up a... Read More

Two for One Dinners: Beef

If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then... Read More

How to Bake: Muffins (with recipes)

Muffins are a mainstay around our house. They are as... Read More

10 Convenient Ways To Eliminate Food Poisoning With Your Microwave

Microwave ovens can play an important role at mealtime, but... Read More

Fine Tuning Bread Machine Mixes

Sometimes bread machines can be tricky. We were trying to... Read More

The Barbecue Pit

The barbecue pit has been around since 1920,s and it... Read More

Gourmet Sauces, Rubs and Marinades - Give Your BBQ a Gourmet Kick

Many individuals agree that the sauce on barbecued meat is... Read More

Season Your Pans for Non Stick Cooking

Nothing is more frustrating than trying to cook a delicious... Read More

Wok this Way! (Part 1 of 5)

IntroductionWoks have been synonymous with Chinese cooking since the emergence... Read More

Using Bread Machine Mixes in Your Oven

You don't have to own a bread machine to enjoy... Read More

The Right Grill for Your Barbecue

Barbecue is a mix of talents. There is the choice... Read More

What is Gluten and Why does it Matter?

Gluten is a substance made up of the proteins found... Read More

What You Need in a Gourmet Kitchen

The best way to decide what you need in your... Read More

How to Prepare the Best Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Would you like to prepare the best Garlic Mashed Potatoes... Read More

Barbequing, a Fun and Convenient Way to Make Dinner

"There's nothing more enjoyable than having friends and family gathered... Read More

Grilling Tips ? Safety Comes First at the Barbecue

You're standing at the gas grill in the hot sun,... Read More

Barbecue for You

In may just be in human nature to barbecue. Well,... Read More

How to Bake: Bread on the Grill

One of the slickest tricks we know is baking bread... Read More

Wok this Way! (Part 4 of 5) Cleaning and Caring for Your Wok

Non-stick woks do not require seasoning, and come with simple... Read More

The Perfect Scone: Keys to Make Your Scone Just Right

Ah, there's nothing like a tender, steaming scone in the... Read More

Seasoning An Oven

Untreated cast iron rusts, especially around water. To prevent metal... Read More

How to Care for Your Cast Iron Skillet (includes recipes)

Some of the best meals I've ever eaten were made... Read More

Two for One Dinners: Ham

If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then... Read More

Grill Your Corn for Maximum Flavor

There's two basic theories on grilling corn. Some people prefer... Read More

How to Cook Rice Right

The easiest way to make rice well every time is... Read More

Once-A-Month-Cooking: How to Make Your Plan Work

As one of the oldest children in a family of... Read More

What is a Serving Size?

Have you ever wondered how much a serving really is.... Read More

Do you own an AGA or RAYBURN cooker ?

The Cooker-rail....This is a novel way of increasing the drying... Read More

Troubleshooting Cookies

If your cookies are too tough . . . You... Read More

To Fry Or Not To Fry?

Here's a little known factoid - did you know that... Read More

Secret of Light and Fluffy Biscuits and Pancakes

Would you like to lose some weight -- in your... Read More