I’m very, very particular about my kitchen. It’s probably the most groomed room in the house. No, not because of expensive appliances. It’s also more akin to a galley on a small boat, so every iota of space counts and for one who likes all his tools at hand, this can be a blessing and a curse.
The pots and pans became a major storage issue until I bought a pot rack, from which hang at least 8 pans and pots. Brilliant!
Early on, I had a very expensive food processor, but I ditched it. I actually prefer to do the prep and I have a hand mixer so it’s not necessary.
I need a very, very good chef’s knife that always has to be sharp enough for me to literally shave with.
I need a dishwasher. My kitchen is too tiny to put up wooden dish racks. I like all needed items, eg. vegetable peelers, cheese graters, pizza cutters and so on to be within hand’s reach. Same with oils, sauces, dry goods and spices.
I need an in-sink garbage disposal. I can’t stand the smell of yesterday’s chopped, discarded lettuce rotting in the garbage. I do all the peeling, husking, coring and discarding directly in the sink.
I need lots of counter lighting, preferably halogen. One at each station. I need counters to be swept completely clean constantly. I cannot cook if I sense the counter is dirty.
I mainly use paper towels to dry/clean things. Dishcloths or sponges accumulate too much bacteria. (Chuck Gerba once opined that a typical kitchen counter has more bacteria on it than your toilet seat). If the sheet of paper towel is only wet and not dirty, I hang it over the oven handle and let it dry and then use it as a counter rag.
The kitchen should be used for only one thing at any given time; I can’t stand someone coming in to make a sandwich while I’m prepping dinner. Actually, make that I can’t stand anyone being in the kitchen while I’m cooking unless we’re partners making the same dish.
I love my kitchen. And my kitchen loves me.
I know how you feel Nick. I too am fussy about my kitchen and hate it when there are ppl in the way when I am working. I do have an list of things I want for my kitchen. However at the moment, number one on my list is counterspace.
ReplyDeleteJudy,
ReplyDeleteYep, my kitchen is my kingdom and I hate anyone messing with it. The real dilemma, though, is when I cook in someone else's kitchen! And it amazes me, the state of some people's kitchen . . . all their knives couldn't cut cooked pasta, Star-frit implements, dollar-store box graters . . . the list goes on.
I try to keep my kitchen locked down and strapped tight, almost like an O.R. . . .
And I most definitely need more counter space!
I was visiting a friend last year and he commented on how he never thought having an expensive knife made any difference until he got a top of the line Henckels. I agreed. Then I used the knife to cut something and it was as dull as a soup spoon. Well, at least he's half way there. :-/
ReplyDeleteRegarding towels, I agree that most people's kitchen towels are disgusting. Here's what I do: I have a stack of old tea towels in a cupboard, and I grab a fresh one every time I start cooking. For most meals one is enough, but sometimes I go through two or three. At the end of the meal, I use the towel when cleaning the stove and countertop, then into the laundry it goes. That's the key; you only use the towel for ONE MEAL. Every meal starts with a clean towel.
(If I have to clean up a particularly goopy mess, like raw chicken stuff, etc., I use paper.)
I find I use less and less disposables as I go along. For example, instead of tenting a steak or roast in foil, I just throw an inverted pot or a small roasting pan over it. Same effect, no throw-away. Ditto with cling wrap; if it's short term, I just put a plate over the bowl, or a damp tea towel.
I go through about 25 feet of aluminum foil a year. Probably the same with cling wrap.
Yeah, we all have our habits. It's silly to buy an expensive knife and not keep it sharpened. It WILL GET DULL.
ReplyDeleteI always try the Test before starting an extensive chop session: if, while drawn with only its own weight over the skin of a ripe tomato the knife doesn't penetrate, then it's sharpening stone time. There's nothing worse than wrestling (and mashing) a tomato with a dull knife.
That's a good idea about the towels. But make sure they're washed on max heat as otherwise the bacteria won't be killed.
I don't use a lot of aluminum foil but I have an EZWrap cling wrap dispenser, so I use a lot of it. Can you say death by Bisphenol?
Hmm . . . this is not good . . . today I was looking at Swiss Diamond cookware . . .
Nick,
ReplyDeleteMy kitchen in New Jersey is sacrosanct. It is also the size of the proverbial postage stamp.
My American husband's idea of cooking is opening a can and nuking whatever is inside.
This is a man with a George Foreman grill, fer krissakes. Yet unused to my knowledge.
Said husband is, however, allowed into the place that will magically produce his dinner in order to make his killer Frozen Margaritas. Mack makes the best Frozen Maggies in the wooooooorld (Cf Mark Bittman).
Late follow-up... Extreme washing isn't really required for my towels. As I said, I don't use them for sloppy things like chicken; it's mostly just for drying my hands every five minutes (I'm a frequent hand washer while cooking).
ReplyDeleteBetween the washer, the dryer, and the sitting for days in the cupboard with zero moisture, there's no bacteria to worry about.
Cowgirl,
ReplyDeleteThere is never anything wrong with someone who can make good margaritas. All that was written before in the above post is out the window if someone is coming in to lubricate The Machine. Blork, I know it's basically a waste issue but I'm the type of person who washes his hands in a public restroom and then uses the paper towel to open the door.What's funny is that I know I'm not alone . . .