"Silvar Beitel" > wrote in message
...
> 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
>
I have the standard old fashioned sprayer.

> 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

I have never ever burned my forearms on the oven. I have regular mitts that
I use like gloves.

>
> 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

No cast iron pans so no need for that. I did have one once and I never got
it to work right.
>
> Plastic squeeze bottle for cooking oil. Source: Dollar stores,
> WalMart, etc.
>
> http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/...C/IMG_0662.jpg

No need for that either.
>
> 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

I have a timer but never use it for cooking. I just use the one on the
stove.
>
> 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

Yikes! Tried that and hated it. All it did was bring me fruit flies. Now
I just put a biobag in a small plastic trash can and run it out to the
recycle bin as needed.
>
> 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

Had one of those once. Not sure what happened to it. Don't have it now.
Can't remember where I bought it but I think on Cape Cod.
>
> 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

Since I don't own a digital camera, that would be of no use to me. My
recipes are usually just scribbled quickly on a piece of paper. Unless they
are more complicated and then I print them off or bring in the book or
magazine.
>
> Salt *and* pepper grinder. One-handed operation! Source: Le Gourmet
> Chef
>
> http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/...C/IMG_0667.jpg

I have a pepper grinder. I use Real Salt. Somebody bought me a salt
grinder but I found I never used it.
>
> Giant spatula. Good for pancakes, quesadillas, anything large.
> Source: ARS
>
> http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/...C/IMG_0668.jpg

I have one of those.
>
>
> So there ya go.

Two things I use at least once a week (usually more) are the Rachel Ray
pasta pot and a large Circulon sauté pan with lid, although I rarely use the
lid. My old popcorn pan gets a lot of use as well. I also like the cheap
plastic pizza cutter from the Dollar Store. It's one of those half moon
shaped things. Works better than any other cutter I've used. It was
getting old and I couldn't find another in the stores. Found and bought one
on Ebay.