Some good feedback came in on my recent post about 10 of my favorite kitchen tools, and I’m pleased the information was helpful!
I love being in my kitchen, and over the years through trial and error I’ve found some things that really work for you, and others not so much.
Today’s post features 10 MORE kitchen items I highly recommend as tried and true in my cooking and baking experiences with them.
And, as noted in the earlier post, The Daily Artisan is not participating in affiliate paid advertising programs (and even if I was, I’d only recommend things I use and appreciate). I’ve indicated below where I purchased each item in case you’re interested in them, but that’s the extent of it.
And – in no particular order – on to 10 MORE favorites in my kitchen!
1. Wusthof Classic Knives
I’m starting the list with an old friend in the kitchen.
Wusthof Classic Knives are my absolute favorite chef’s knives available, and I started my set many years ago. Instead of buying a fixed set, I wanted to have the flexibility to choose the knives that made sense for me.
With an empty knife block, you can build your collection over time and select what you need.
Wusthof was started in 1814 by Johann Wusthof in Solingen, Germany, and more than seven generations of the family have carried the company’s reputation for the highest quality and precision.
In addition to the Wusthof Classic series, the other series are Wusthof Classic Ikon, Wusthof Perfomer, Wusthof Gourmet, and Wusthof Crafter. I’m partial to the Wusthof Classic and buy only these. They’ve been cutting and chopping with me for years.
They’re available at many places, including Williams Sonoma where I’ve bought mine.
My favorite of all the Wusthof Classic knives? The Hollow-Edge Santoku Knife!
2. PaperChef Culinary Parchment Non-Stick Baking Cups
One of the reasons I’ve never really liked making cupcakes is because of how they stick to the paper liners. Not so with this brand!
The PaperChef baking cups live up to their advertisement of “non-stick,” and they’re a game-changer over every other brand I’ve ever tried.
Cupcakes and muffins bake nicely in the cups, and then when cooled release perfectly. I’d given up on paper baking cups until one day in Sur La Table, I saw these and the parchment reference caught my attention since I use it for all my other baking.
Boxes later, I’m happy I took that chance. I’ve recommended them to other people who have had the same wonderful experience. In addition to purchasing them at Sur La Table, I’ve ordered them from Amazon.
3. Williams Sonoma Soup Bowls (Discontinued)
As I was preparing for this blog post, I looked online at Williams Sonoma to see what colors these come in now, and was disappointed to see they’re no longer sold. They’re by far the best bowls I’ve had for both cooking and serving.
The bowls are 6″ diameter and 3″ tall, and they’re safe for both the oven and microwave. I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve used them to bake soups like French Onion as well as seafood individual casseroles, and also to serve soups and stews. No matter how high the temperature, the handles always stay cool to the touch, which continues to surprise me.
Williams Sonoma now sells a different set of soup bowls, but I don’t know how they compare to the ones I own. If you ever happen to see them on eBay or elsewhere, scoop them up! I have six of them, and given what I learned today, going forward I’ll be even more careful with them than I already am!
4. RSVP International Stainless Steel Prep Bowls
These little prep bowls are incredibly versatile and handy to have in your kitchen. I like preparing my ingredients before getting started on something – especially with baking – and you can’t go wrong with stainless steel prep bowls.
They’re made by RSVP International, and measure 5 1/4″ diameter and 2″ tall. Each holds one cup.
The prep bowls come with plastic lids to make them airtight, but I don’t use the lids very often. They stack nicely for storing, and I finally came to terms that as stainless steel, they will have fingerprints on them. It is what it is. But they’re a great addition to your kitchen and cooking!
5. KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer
The KitchenAid Stand Mixer gets a LOT of play in my kitchen! I bought this mixer more than 15 years ago, and it’s still the standout it was on the day I brought it home.
It comes with a five-quart, stainless steel bowl and attachments that work exceptionally well. But you don’t have to stop there. The range of other available attachments from pasta maker to ice cream maker is almost beyond words … be still, my heart!
This mixer has been my go-to for scores of birthday and celebratory cakes, as well as other kinds of desserts. My dear sister-in-law thinks I have an addiction to small kitchen appliances – I will say my KitchenAid mixer is like a member of the family!
6. Le Creuset Cookware
Le Creuset cookware and bakeware has no comparison, in my experience. Since 1925, this French line of handcrafted kitchen essentials has been wildly popular with chefs and home cooks alike all over the world.
Back then, cookware was black or a drab gray until Le Creuset fashioned theirs with vibrant colors through a glazing process that covered the cast iron with a beautiful layer of colorful enamel. They’re so impressive from their look to their performance.
When I started my collection, I wanted them to be in the color cream or ivory, and found a Le Creuset line exclusive to Crate and Barrel in cream. I’ve been adding them piece by piece over the years, and I’m happy to say I use the pieces pretty much every time I cook.
Shown in this post’s sample picture is the 1.75-quart saucepan, which I use regularly. But the piece I use most often is the 7.25-quart Dutch oven for all my stews and soups. What I love most about Le Creuset is the splendid way they cook – and also how you can take them from stovetop to oven to tabletop.
These are serious pieces of cookware and bakeware and a wise investment into your culinary life. The saying goes that you don’t leave your Le Creuset to your children, but rather to your grandchildren. They’re that good!
7. Flex-It Silicone Measuring Cups
Oh, how I love these measuring cups! They’re made from food-grade silicone, and firm enough to use as a scoop but flexible enough to pinch together as a spout for pouring.
It’s no exaggeration that my hands touch at least one of these every single day!
I believe the set came with the three larger ones (4 cups, 2 cups, and 1 cup), but somewhere over the years I also added the small two-ounce one.
Mine came from Williams Sonoma, but I believe they can be purchased in other places as well.
One of the many versatile uses that works better than anything else I’ve tried is adding liquids or eggs to your stand mixer while you’re preparing batter.
They’re heat resistant up to 490 degrees; can be placed in the microwave and dishwasher; the numbers on the sides stay perfect; and they nest for storage. What’s there not to like?!
8. Old Bay Seasoning
Old Bay Seasoning needs no introduction to most of you, I’m sure, but a list of my kitchen favorites wouldn’t be complete without it.
If you cook seafood and poultry, you need Old Bay Seasoning. I can remember like it was yesterday the first time I boiled shrimp, and the smell of the Old Bay as it heated to boiling.
This is an iconic seasoning that lives up to its hype. I used to buy it in the little metal tins, but this one-pound and eight-ounce size is the way to go if you cook a lot of seafood.
And from my various blog posts on all things shrimp and fish, I qualify!
9. Mrs. Anderson’s Bread Lame
Last summer when I learned to bake bread, I wanted to turn out boules with the beautiful markings we’ve come to know on artisan breads. I had no idea until I started my bread education that such a thing as a bread lame existed!
It’s pronounced “LAHM,” which is French for “blade.”
This lame by Mrs. Anderson Baking comes with 15 changeable blades that have exactly the right curve to artfully score the bread dough without damaging it just before you place it into a smoking hot oven.
Mine came from Amazon.
And for inquiring minds … I’ve not been able to find out if there’s a real Mrs. Anderson. All I know is that her bread lame and other baking products come recommended for good reason!
10. 12″ Stainless Steel Whisks
For this last item on the list, we’ll end (photo-wise) where we started at the top!
These 12″-tall stainless steel whisks are invaluable in my kitchen, and sometimes I think maybe I need a third one!
The whisks are versatile workhorses for mixing a wide range of ingredients, from delicate eggs to sturdy meat dishes.
Whisks come in a variety of types, including French, dough, flat, spring, ball – and this one, the balloon. I bought mine in a commercial restaurant supply store that’s no longer in business, and I’ve been using them for years.
There’s just something so chef-like when you’re using one of these beautiful balloon whisks to whip up a dish – and you don’t have to be wearing a chef’s hat to get that feeling!
So, there it is – 10 MORE of my favorite kitchen items! What are some of yours? What don’t I have yet?? Please comment below!
Ken
This is awesome.
Susan Evans
Thanks, Ken – bet you guys have some top favorites in your kitchen too!