On Apr 1, 3:29*pm, Silvar Beitel > wrote:
> You may have all of these. *You may not. *But here's a selection of
> random kitchen items that I have and particularly appreciate:
>
> Faucet sprayer. *Pull up for regular stream, pull down for spray,
> rotates to spray wherever you want. *Fancier faucets have the function
> built in (but don't seem to be pointable without using a hand), so I
> like this version a lot. *Source: local hardware store.
>
> Spray:http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/...C/IMG_0658.jpg
> Stream:http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/...C/IMG_0659.jpg
>
> Elbow length oven mitts. *Dunno 'bought you, but I have scars on my
> forearms from reaching into hot ovens with mitts that are too damn
> short and hitting the door edge or upper racks with bare skin.
> Source: Arizona Restaurant Supply, Tucson (but probably available in
> many other places).
>
> http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/...C/IMG_0660.jpg
>
> Cast-iron pan handle mitt. *Handier than a full length mitt for
> stovetop work. *Source: ARS
>
> http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/...C/IMG_0661.jpg
>
> Plastic squeeze bottle for cooking oil. *Source: Dollar stores,
> WalMart, etc.
>
> http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/...C/IMG_0662.jpg
>
> Simple timers. *Despite their ugly green color, I love these. *Minutes/
> seconds. *Whack the transparent half-globe to start and stop - good
> for when your hands are wet or greasy. *Returns to original value when
> restarted - handy for timing multiple runs of things. * Source: *A
> dollar store in Nashua, NH. *Never seen 'em since.
>
> http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/...C/IMG_0653.jpg
>
> Stainless steel compost bucket and liners. *In my house, all vegetable
> waste goes in here and eventually gets dumped into the big compost
> bins in the back yard. *Liners are made of cornstarch and are
> themselves bio-degradable. *Source: *I forget. *If you're really
> interested, buzz me and I'll look it up.
>
> http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/...C/IMG_0664.jpg
>
> Big strainer for bagels, dumplings, whatever. *Cleans up more easily
> than the wire jobs. *Source: ARS.
>
> http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/...C/IMG_0665.jpg
>
> Digital picture frame for showing recipes. *Hangs on a cabinet door,
> taking up no counter space. *Photograph recipes from cookbooks,
> magazines, wherever, put 'em up here. *Incidently, handy for, um,
> digital photos of family, cats, etc. when not cooking :-) *Source: any
> electronics store.
>
> http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/...C/IMG_0666.jpg
>
> Salt *and* pepper grinder. *One-handed operation! *Source: Le Gourmet
> Chef
>
> http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/...C/IMG_0667.jpg
>
> Giant spatula. *Good for pancakes, quesadillas, anything large.
> Source: ARS
>
> http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/...C/IMG_0668.jpg
>
> So there ya go.
>
> --
> Silvar Beitel

I don't even have a chef's knife. I gave it to my mother. I get by
though. Wooden spoon and a plastic spatula. A couple of serrated
knives. It's hard to carve a roast that is true. I do have a couple
of mouse traps so that I can have a rodent dinner once in a while. No
seriously. I can make a lot of stuff with what I've got. Not at a
professional rate of speed, but the job gets done. I've got like a
wire whisk AND NO copper bowl for egg white beating. My most
important utensil I think is a cast iron around 12" diameter fry pan.
Outstanding. Great for browning.