In the Kitchen - Batterie de Cuisine

Here is a comprehensive list of what I have in my kitchen and what you may need in yours, complete with copious explanatory notes. You can manage perfectly well with just a couple of saucepans and a wok, you do not have to have every size and type of cookware going. I mean to say, fish poachers? The fuck? On the other hand if there's anything basic I've left out, or interesting gadgetry you know of, please let me know.

The "Assorted Gadgetry" section is for all the things I simply cannot live without, but are obviously optional items. I'm a Gadget Whore.

I do have one rule or guiding principle though -- except where I've indicated it is most definitely worth paying for quality cooking gear. Buy the best carbon steel fully tanged knives you can afford; ditto heavy stainless steel copper bottomed saucepans and frying pan with lids; and a really good stainless steel pressure cooker - this is worth paying for to get the absolute best as you will get loads of use out of it and it'll last forever (my parents got theirs for a wedding present 40+ years ago and its still going strong) - mine cost about $250 and I don't begrudge a cent. These items do the best job and last forever if you take care of them, so if you intend to be cooking and eating for a while yet, its worth the investment.

Cookware

• carbon steel wok with lid - for best results, get a flat bottomed wok if you have an electric cook-top, and a rounded bottomed one if gas. Cheap woks from Asian grocers are often just as good or better than the expensive ones, and a heavier steel one is a trillion times better than the light non stick or electric variety. Also for ease of use, buy one that has a long straight wood handle on one side and a curved metal handle on the other (as opposed to two curved metal handles).  I've had my current baby several years, its been worked hard and is authentically blackened and battered
• stainless steel pressure cooker, 8 litres
• stainless steel saucepans with heatproof handles and lids, copper bottomed if possible in three sizes - 2.5 and 5 litres, and a 8-12 litre stockpot
• stainless steel frying pan with heatproof handle and lid, again preferably copper bottomed - 26-30 cms in diameter
• Professional French Roasting Pan - one of those deep ones with two riveted handles - the anodised aluminium stuff is great
• large round or oval two-handled Le Creuset cast iron casserole dish with lid
• round china or earthenware casserole dishes with lids in small/medium and large
• large shallow square and/or oval china baking dish
• a couple of china or Pyrex bowls for salads, mixing, etc
• one maybe two chopping boards - I prefer the brightly coloured acrylic ones from Ikea et al - they're more hygienic and cheaper than wooden boards, and obviously, easily replaced when they start to look tacky
• steamer insert - one of those cheap aluminium expandable ones
• colander - metal NOT plastic, trust me on this, with TWO strong handles and a stand or "feet" so it can stand up by itself in the sink or whatever
• wire sieve/strainer
• non stick frying pan 26-30 cms in diameter - this is one item I wouldn't spend loads on so buy the $25 job rather than the $100 one and replace when the Teflon starts peeling off
• assorted oven trays, pizza trays, muffin pans - see above

Cutlery and Chef's Knives

• stainless steel steak knives; butter knives; forks; soup spoons; dessert spoons; teaspoons; serving spoons; salad servers; chopsticks
• 8" chef's knife - buy a really good carbon steel one with tanged handle. Actually the same goes for all your cooking knives; going for the cheap option is false economy so buy a good chef's knife first and then add to your collection as you can afford
• Chinese meat cleaver
• vegetable/utility knife
• bread knife with a serrated edge - also invaluable for cutting tomatoes, lemons etc
• carving knife and fork
• 'sapphire' sharpening steel
• poultry shears ie big fucking scissors - the type that can be dismantled and the blades sharpened are best

Cooking Tools and Utensils

• assorted spatulas, spoons and egg-slices (I like to have a range of wood, plastic/Teflon friendly and metal utensils)
• wok chan
• soup ladle
• slotted spoon
• Le Creuset Screwpull - my standard housewarming gift, this is the best corkscrew of all, but any one that works will do!
• tin opener
• potato peeler
• cheese grater - the larger size square/rectangular ones with a handle at the top are best
• metal egg whisk
• metal potato masher
• plastic spaghetti spoon
• lemon zester
• lemon juicer

Crockery and Dinnerware (settings depend on your needs and entertaining habits - I have settings for eight in the following)

• china or earthenware dinner plates; wide flat pasta bowls; bread and butter plates; saucers, teacups and/or coffee cups
• china rice/noodle bowls - medium-large size
• pretty glass dessert dishes
• large wine glasses; champagne flutes; tall tumblers; highball glasses; small shot or liqueur glasses; martini glasses
• one or two heavy glass water jugs - equally good for juice, iced tea or cocktails!

Assorted Gadgetry - "must haves" in my kitchen but optional for the less foodie (greedy?) type

• Braun Multiquick handheld food processor with grinder attachment - This gutsy little lovely does everything from pureeing soups to whizzing cocktails to grinding curry pastes, nuts and coffee beans, and is real easy to clean. I couldn't live without it, personally
• Electric rice cooker, preferably one with a stainless steel outer shell rather than plastic - absolutely fantastic, cooks really yummy never-fail rice with zero effort, but possibly only worthwhile if you eat a lot of rice
• Granite mortar and pestle
• Mezzaluna with wooden board
• Kitchen blowtorch - handy for finishing off crème brulées and other dessert dishes, and threatening recalcitrant boyfriends ...
• Deep fat fryer - again, preferably a stainless steel one rather than plastic, being easier to keep clean and shiny - plastic gets grubby looking quickly no matter how careful you are
• Manual pasta machine
• Electric frying pan
• Cocktail shaker
• Juicer - These can be a bugger to clean but worth it if you adore fresh juices or are disgustingly virtuously healthy! I advise getting a heavy duty, industrial strength model; in my experience the 'domestic' models burn out way before their time. Oh and put the fibrous fruit/veggie mush left after juicing into your compost bin - the worms and hence your garden will adore it.

Plastic storage containers

This stuff is weird, yo. Either it seems to breed at an alarming rate and burst out of cupboards, or it disappears without trace. I've certainly never been able to work this particular paradox out - anyone? Anyway, get heavy duty square/rectangular stuff in a range of sizes that can stack efficiently and go straight from freezer to microwave. Tomato sauces stain for all time, so I actually line containers that I'm going to fill with bolognese sauce et al with cling film, but as we all know I'm anally retentive. Hush you.

Good Hunting!