Selecting the Right Cookware for Optimal Results

The necessary and right kind of cooking equipment and utensils portrays an epic visualization towards success in the kitchen. Since much of our time is spent in the kitchen, the investing in quality equipment remains crucial in achieving the success hoped for when preparing Hors D' Oevers, party appetizers, scrumptious entrees and delectable desserts for family, friends and guests. Whether it be in a restaurant setting, cookout ambiance or right in your own kitchen at home, ensuring that you have the right equipment as well as quality equipment will aid in your ability to produce the best results.

Standard staple equipment and utensils such as a spatula, whisks, wooden spoons, hand mixer, mixing bowls, cookie trays, and cutting boards should come standard in every kitchen. Then the gas and electrical appliances like the stove(either convection or convention), indoor grill, microwave, toaster oven, mixer, electric skillet and blender should also be included to carry out the various fundamentals of kitchen cuisine.

Now it is time to reach out and start expanding your repertoire in the kitchen in the form of pots and pans and knife sets. It makes perfect sense to obtain a quality set of both since these will be your lifeline, so to speak, in the kitchen and will be used quite frequently. Focus on obtaining the basic pots and pans and knives first before going into overload by trying to purchase some of the plethora of specialized cooking equipment and utensils also available. In time you will be able to branch off and invest in the specialty items, such as pasta makers, large 5 qt. saute pans, rice cookers, dutch ovens, pressure cookers, electric grills and fancy roasting pans. It is better to spend the money on a quality, nice set of pots and pans and knife set than to sacrifice quality to incorporate the lesser used specialized equipment into your cooking arsenal.

When it comes to pots and pans, you should do some research and fact finding to determine what is quality and what isn't, plus you want to buy something that is appealing to the eye. Do you want aluminum or hard anodized aluminum pots and pans? How about stainless steel, cast iron, copper bottomed, non stick surface and silicone sure grip handles that can handle intense heat up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit? These questions need to be addressed when deciding on the right pots and pan to suit your fancy. The price associated with certain product brands and materials used can be very expensive to say the least, but remember these items represent the lifeblood of your culinary prowess in the kitchen. Having decent, quality equipment will ensure the equipment will last longer, look nice and heat transferability, ultimately responsible for even heating of foods, will be achieved which is very important in and of itself.

Pots and pans can be purchased as a set, usually in a 10-13 piece set. Purchasing a whole set usually saves you money in the long run as manufacturers offer deals buying this way as opposed to single piece purchasing. Set purchasing offers you a nice selection of pots and pans to handle most tasks in the kitchen. Once you have purchased the standard pots and pans, you then can focus on expanding your inventory by including such hardware as a 5 qt. saute pan, butter and fondue pot, dutch ovens and the 8 and 12 qt. steamer/soup pots as well as purchasing additional pots and pans to double up on the most used ones as often times, you need more than one 8" pan for a single meal for instance.

When it comes to knives, their is a large gap between cheap and fancy, high quality knives. Do you want wood or synthetic handle, full or partial tang, bolster included, full-high carbon forged steel, or stainless steel blade? Once again, their are many questions when deciding on the right knife set. It is best to use the hands on approach to selecting the right knife set to ensure comfortability and ease of use. Also, it is better to purchase three quality knives rather than a whole set of knives, since, many of the knives in a set are not needed or used as much. Investing in a quality Chef's knife, Santoku knife and paring knife are optimal, then possibly adding a serrated bread knife and cleaver. Most jobs can be handled with the three knives I mentioned above.

Depending on your expertise and experience with the cuisinary arts, in and of itself may sway you one way or another as well as your budget. However, by choosing the best that you can afford and using the add and omit terminology when selecting the equipment and utensils, YOU feel will be the most pertinent to your needs and wishes will help you save money. Moreover, the extra money you would have spent on less use full equipment and utensils sold as a set can be used to upgrade to higher quality pieces you will use more frequently.

Happy Eating...ENJOY