How to equip your first kitchen

How to equip your first kitchen

Last week you met Caroline, the innkeeper at a beautiful little bed and breakfast called Stonehurst Place in the heart of Midtown Atlanta.

I have had the great pleasure of sitting at Caroline's breakfast table on numerous occasions and chatting with her about seemingly insignificant things... the weather, the allure of running a B&B, relationships and other such topics such as my newfound love of the kitchen. For as long as I can remember, what I have enjoyed most is talking to people who are much more experienced than me in areas of personal interest and getting their advice to change my life for the better.

On a recent visit, one of the topics that Caroline and I could have talked about forever was how to properly set up a new kitchen. I expressed to her my frustration that my kitchen is so small, that space is so important, and that I usually only cook for one person. Complement that with the fact that I travel a lot and it's a fun challenge to know what to buy to meet basic needs when you decide to stay home and cook instead of going out to dinner, something I love and do so often.

Based on this very conversation, Caroline has taken matters into her own hands (since I'm not the first person she's heard all this from) and written a tricks of the trade article that offers advice on the best approach to get started. I've had the privilege of hearing most of this firsthand, so Caroline and I thought it would only make sense to share her humble wisdom with you. She initially focuses on prep supplies, but knows there's so much more than just these simple appetizers. Over the next few weeks she will provide more insight into various categories including (Cooking Items, Baking Items, Serving Items, Storage Items and Small Appliances). Don't worry, I'll help you stay on top of things by providing you with updates on these new releases and summarizing the advice I've followed to get my own kitchen working at home. So let's get started...

Preparation tools are the items you need for peeling, chopping, straining, stirring, etc. As she says, you'll find a personal preference for many of these items and you'll try several before you find "your favorite." But I agree and have taken her advice as she strongly recommends a good, sturdy set of stainless steel measuring cups and spoons; they will last forever. Wooden or bamboo chopping blocks (which are all the rage) are now considered safe because you wipe them clean after each use. A wooden rolling pin is also a must (you can find smaller rolling pins at Whole Foods for those of you who live in apartments or have limited drawer space). I will share some delicious homemade pizza recipes in upcoming blogs to put this tool to good use.

I never appreciated Caroline's advice on a good set of knives until I had the luxury of using my neighbor's Shun & Zwilling Henckels knives, both brands that were once unfamiliar to me. (Note that this borrowing tactic was no easy feat, as he protects these tiny tools better than most protect their firstborn child, and God forbid I get one of his knives anywhere near the dishwasher...more on him in another blog). I don't think you need to spend a fortune to get started as I have yet to take the plunge, but if you have the opportunity to borrow someone else's knives to get a feel for what works for you or can take a cooking class/knife class that will certainly help you get comfortable with a major purchase at some point.

Take Caroline's advice and start with a small paring knife, a "chef's knife" for chopping, a serrated knife for cutting bread, a boning or trimming knife for removing fat from meat, a good pair of kitchen scissors, and a sharpening rod. Personally, I can say that I plan to start with at least one pairing knife and one chef's knife. These things take time, so don't feel pressured to buy them all at once, and as we progress with cooking we can add more "specialty" knives over time.

The last piece of advice from Caroline that I love, and which I only received when it was too late, was to save space in your kitchen by skipping things like a garlic press and pizza cutter. There are ways to do things often more efficiently with the tools you already have on hand, like using your chef's knife to loosen the garlic or cut your pizza.

To view Caroline's entire article, click here or shop her recommendations here.

Renee Woodruff blogs about travel, food, and living life to the fullest at Shape.com. Follow her on Twitter. Tune in for her next TASTE blog to meet a man who will make you clean your plate!