ina's kitchen essentials

Kitchen Essentials
INA GARTEN, cookbook author


A GOOD SET OF SHARP KNIVES by Wüsthof, including a chef's knife, a paring knife, a slicing knife, and a bread knife

ALL-CLAD POTS: small and large sauté pans, small and large lidded pots, and a large stockpot

ONE LARGE ALL-CLAD ROASTING PAN. You can make something small in a big one, but you can't make something big in a small one.

One medium and one large LE CREUSET ROUND DUTCH OVEN

I cannot imagine not having my KITCHENAID MIXER K45

Ditto my CUISINART PRO CUSTOM 11 FOOD PROCESSOR, with its slightly bigger bowl

A set of STAINLESS-STEEL MIXING BOWLS (try a restaurant supply house). I also have a set of 10 clear glass bowls that you can get at Williams-Sonoma for about $38 — the best value in the world.

On the counter, I have a big pot of WOODEN SPOONS AND RUBBER SPATULAS

I have another pot with WHISKS AND MEASURING SPOONS. All available from a restaurant supply place — they shouldn't be fancy.

A CHEF'S CHOICE ELECTRIC KNIFE SHARPENER

A BOOS BUTCHER BLOCK CUTTING BOARD

A MEAT THERMOMETER

For potholders, I use BLACK OVEN MITTS

A stack of HALF SHEET PANS. They're about 13" x 18" each with a one-inch rim. I use them for roasting vegetables, baking cookies and brownies, and lots of other tasks.