A Well-Equipped Kitchen

When it come to setting up a well-equipped kitchen, it is often a good idea to start from the very beginning. You may have more kitchen stuff than you use regularly with lots of tools that are no longer up to the task or have been forgotten. If you’re in your first apartment or recently married, you’re probably already at the very beginning and need to start from scratch… Either way, what follows is an overview of the necessities with some important notes on considerations you should make as you browse the housewares department. Let’s take a look at the essential building blocks of truly functional kitchen workspace.

Cutting boards

You’ll need at least two cutting boards, one for meat and one for veggies. There are myriad types on the market and you should take stock of your available storage and lifestyle before choosing. There are beautiful, functional (and very expensive) butcher-block-type cutting boards you can buy, but remember these must be meticulously cared for to avoid the cultivation of dangerous germs and NEVER soaked in water. Larger versions can take up lots of counter and storage space, so keep these things in mind before making a big investment. Plastic and silicone versions are perfectly functional for average jobs and can be easily cleaned in the dishwasher, but don’t provide the surface area of the larger wooden boards.

Cookware

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the choices out there when it comes to cookware. It’s also very easy to spend your kids’ college money on pots if you’re not careful! Besides what you like the look of and what feels good in your hand, there are a few things to think about before choosing cookware. For instance, what kind of heat source does your stove-top utilize? Gas stoves work well with all kinds of cookware, but electric stoves can take longer to adjust the amount of heat being used, so you want to avoid cookware that is overly heavy, as this will delay heat adjustments even further. Finally, if you have an induction cooktop, make sure you acquaint yourself with the manufacturer’s recommendations as some cookware will not allow the magnetic currents responsible for heat. If you’re reassessing your current tools, inspect your non-stick pieces for scratches and other damage to the non-stick surfaces. Cookware with this damage should be replaced.

10″ inch skillet
8″ inch skillet
1 qt saucepan
3 qt saucepan
6 qt stock or soup pot
Roasting Pan

Bakeware

Another category with lots of choices, today’s bakeware includes some pieces that would leave our grandmothers stumped. some of the newest stuff–like flexible silicone muffin and loaf pans–can take some getting used to and aren’t necessarily good replacements for tried and true earthware, pyrex or metal pieces.

Shallow baking Pan and or “cookie” sheets (they are good for more than cookies!)
9 x 13 inch casserole
9 x 9 inch casserole

Knives

Skip the $800 knife set and get quality versions of the following essential blades to get your kitchen running:

8″ chef’s knife
Paring Knife
Bread Knife
Steak Knives (4-8)

Sundry Tools

Measuring Cups (dry)
Measuring Cup (wet)
Measuring Spoons
Graduated Mixing Bowls (set 3-5)
Strainer or colander
Can Opener
Pepper Grinder (If you’re not already, get in the fresh-ground pepper habit!)

Utensils

Whisk
Tongs (1-2)
Silicon Spatulas (2-3)
Wooden Spoons (2-3)
Large Spoon
Large Slotted Spoon
Vegetable Peeler
Cheese Grater
Wine opener

Pot Racks – Just Hanging Out in Your Kitchen

How many of you out there are familiar with the different varieties of pot racks available to you? Are you up to date on the types, styles, finish/color, price, brand and size of these amazing kitchen space savers? I thought so.
 
Today I am going to give you the opportunity to learn all there is to know about Pot Racks. Keep a pen and paper handy. You might want to take notes. Seriously, by the time you read down to the bottom of this information, you will be an expert in Pot Rackology.
 
I will begin by saying that pot racks have been used as far back as the 1400’s. Back then pot racks were mainly used by lower income families because the kitchens in their homes were small with little to no extra space. These early versions of pot racks were hung on hooks from either the ceiling or one wall in the kitchen. There also were versions of pot rack that were tripods with hooks for pot and pans, which were placed in one corner of the kitchen floor.
 
Now to speed things up just a little, along came the 21st century.  Modern kitchens, modern kitchen appliances, modern kitchen pot racks. So, do you think pot racks have come along and progressed down through the centuries? Do you think pot racks have features and benefits that are far beyond the reach of 15th century man? My answer to these two questions are, “Yes, they have” and “Yes, they do.”
 
Let’s start from the top and then work our way down. The first feature of pot racks I will present to you will be Type of Pot Rack. There are 4 basic types of pot racks. These 4 types of pot racks are Hanging Pot Racks, Wall Mounted Pot Racks, Lighted Pot Racks and Standing Pot Racks. I will go over each of these types of pot racks for you.
 
Hanging Pot Racks are hung from your kitchen ceiling usually by chains bolted to the ceiling. Depending on the shape of your hanging pot rack, there are three to four chains to support your pot rack’s suspension.
 
One option usually only available for Hanging Pot Racks is lighting. You not only have the opportunity to hang your pot and pans on hanging pot racks, but you may also use your hanging pot rack for a kitchen lighting fixture.
 
Usually if the hanging pot rack is square or rectangular shaped, there is a need to have 4 chains to level the support of the hanging pot rack. If the pot rack is a triangle or round shape, there is need for only three chains for proper level support.  
 
Wall Mounted Pot Racks are just what the words say. These pot racks are mounted to the wall of your kitchen. So there is a need to have one side of a wall mounted pot rack flush so the pot rack can be mounted firmly against the wall. When mounting a wall mounted pot rack it is advised to mount it into the stud inside the wall for maximum weight support.
 
Some wall mounted pot rack swivel. All this means is that a hinge is built into the pot rack either on the right or left side. This will enable the wall pot rack to swing out away from the wall.
 
There are two more types of pot racks available for those of you with more room in your kitchen.
 
You could use a floor standing pot rack. These are usually tripods with shelves built into the center of the tripod for storing your pots and pans. This device takes up a little space on a corner of your kitchen floor.
 
The other floor standing pot rack is a kitchen island food preparation station. These kitchen islands are constructed of wood or metal frames with butcher block food prep countertops. The pot rack is build into the back side of the island. You have the option of placing a kitchen island pot rack either in the middle of your kitchen floor or up against one of your kitchen walls.  
 
Style is the next topic I will discuss. There are many styles to consider when searching for your perfect pot rack. The different styles are Traditional, Transitional, Contemporary, Early American, Rustic/Lodge, Old World, Country, Victorian, Southwestern and Whimsical. Out of all these styles available to you, you are sure to pick one out to match the theme of your kitchen.
 
Moving right along we have Finish/Color. Here too you have choices. You may choose from Beige, Black, Brass – Antique/Satin, Brass – Polished, Bronze, Bronze – Oil Rubbed, Browns, Chrome – Brushed, Chrome – Polished, Copper, Gold, Gray, Natural Iron, Nickel – Brushed, Pewter, Rattan/Wood, Reds, Rust, Silver, Stainless Steel, Tans and Verde. If you are unfamiliar with any of these, just go online and have a look.
 
Just in case you are wondering about price, you can pick one of these pot racks up in a price range starting at less that $100.00, but depending on what you are looking for, the price can be well over $700.00.
 
All of the pot racks that I am informing you on are brand names such as 2nd Avenue Lighting, AF Lighting, Artcraft, ARTEflorum, Capital Lighting Fixture Company, Concept Housewares, Craftmade, Cricket Forge, Dr. Livingstone I Presume, Enclume Design Products, Forecast, Golden Lighting, Grace Manufacturing, Hi-Lite, Hinkley, Hubbardton Forge, Hubbardton Forge, Kalco, Kenroy Home, Kinetic, Livex Lighting, Maxim Lighting International, Old Dutch International, Old World Designs, Quintana Roo, RAM Lighting, Rogar Potracks, Royce Lighting, Savoy House, Smoky Mountain Metal Arts, Stone County Ironworks, StylIcon, Triarch International, Troy, Varaluz, Vaxcel and World Imports.
 
I’ll bet you didn’t think that this many companies were manufacturing some sort of kitchen pot racks. I hate to be a name dropper, but you’ve heard the expression, “The quality goes in before the name goes on.” We are certainly talking quality here.
 
When it comes to shape, you will find that these pot racks come in Round, Rectangular/Square, Oval, Straight Bar, Half Round, Corner, Shelf, Stand and Unique.
 
The size of your kitchen pot rack will vary in depth and width. With the depth ranging from 10 inches to more than 20 inches, depending on what you are looking for. Your pot rack widths will start out at less than 25 inches and go to widths greater than 37 inches.

Kitchen pot racks are both a convenience and a space saver for your kitchen. You have a wide range of choices. You can go with basic construction or you can go with artful room decor. Whatever your choice may be, a kitchen pot rack is the right decision.

Kitchen Paper Towel Holders Make You More Efficient

After suffering through years of wet soggy paper towels, I have decided that it is time to end this matter once and for all! So I went to get myself a kitchen paper towel holder. After a trip to the local supermarket where the variety was limited, I decided to visit a housewares store nearby where I was greeted with a collection of wooden, stainless steel, chrome, and even plastic paper towel holders of various styles, colors and shapes.

With isles to choose from, appealing to every taste, anyone can easily spend hours looking. I decided on the normal, standard paper towel holder, a wooden one. If you have a large kitchen, with a spacious counter top, you will find it very handy.

But since my kitchen is small, closer to a kitchenette really, I could not find a good spot for my new purchase. Close to the sink is practical, but it keeps tipping off and falling and you end up with soggy paper towels again! My counter space is limited and I didn’t have a spot for it.

After this experience I decided to try the wooden wall-mounted version, in a nice shade of red to match my kitchen. Installing the holder was not as easy as I thought since I don’t have an electric screwdriver. I tried hammering away at the wall but it only resulted in a broken tile, and still no means of installing the holder. I finally decided to give in and borrow my neighbor’s electric screwdriver. So I installed the paper towel holder above the kitchen sink and it hasn’t let me down. It is very sturdy, does not take up any space, and in the same time makes the kitchen look neater than ever. Happy with my purchase, I decided to go back to the shop to buy one as a gift for my mother-in-law.

The salesman told me about different ways to install a paper towel holder other than with regular screws. You can find ones that install on the wall with glue, but the newer ones use magnets so they need neither glue nor screws. The new magnetic type seemed to be quite promising. Although I wondered if the magnets would hold up for a long period of time; because there would be no point of having to buy something only to replace it a few months later. The salesman assured me that they are very solid and durable.

However, I decided to buy my mother-in-law a wrought iron holder because she is very much into vintage and wrought iron decor. She was also very happy with a recent purchase of a wrought iron toilet paper holder that she had made so I felt like she would appreciate the gesture. Indeed, she did and commented that gifts that help her kitchen look nice and neat are always welcome.

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