I'm remodeling my kitchen and I thought it would be a good excuse to clean out some of the stuff I don't use and get some more useful things. I've got different blender type things(mom gave them to me) that I never use. They are a pain to clean and I just don't care for electric gizmos. I'd love to hear what tools are the most useful in ya'lls kitchen...especially non-electric tools. I am definately going to get some more large stock pots. Can't have enough of those especially when you make cheese. My wonderful homemade cheese press is another can't do without item. I found some full size bread pans at big lots that have been a blessing. The one electric gizmo that I really use and enjoy is an electric butter churn. Oh and of course I have a large collection of cast iron cookware that they will have to pry out of my fingers when I die! Tell me what your favorites are and if possible where you got them.

-- Amanda in MO (aseley@townsqr.com), February 05, 2001

Answers

One of our favorites is our cast iron griddle. It makes the best pancakes on a Saturday morning! We have gotten rid of everything that has aluminum, and replaced the items with stainless steel, cast iron, or pyrex glass. Recent studies seem to show a link between aluminum and Alzheimers disease.

-- Liz Rhein (merhein@shentel.net), February 05, 2001.

Just got a bread machine and I love it! Make bread every other day. Along with it I got a slicing guide - just a plastic thing with slots in it. Really helps to make nice thin sandwich-thickness slices of the homemade bread.

-- Christina (introibo2000@yahoo.com), February 05, 2001.

We never use our bread machine. I like the feel of the bread dough in my hands. Almost all our pots and pans are stainless steel except for a saucepan and the stock pots. I really like those apple-corer- peelers that you turn with a crank. We also have a hot air popcorn machine that gets used at least once a week, often more.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), February 05, 2001.

I find my hand mixer indispensible. It have four beaters that turn as you turn the handle. I love to challenge my hand mixer to the electric for beating egg white to peaks. I win everytime. I love my large bowl that is used for everything. It is heavy enough but not to heavy. you know what i mean?

My cast iron pots and pans. A collection of old utinsels, from my grandpa. a tenderizer from my mother. It has a bunch of little razor like blades and it tenderizes the meat perfectly. I love my kitchen items. I couldn't go without my popcorn popper, a old scale, coffee grinder and old perculator. Thanks for this, i need to go hug my kitchen. :)

-- Shau Marie (shau@centurytel.net), February 05, 2001.

Oh,I forgot the garlic press! What would I do without it? I just hate mincing garlic with a knife.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), February 05, 2001.

Poultry Shears, I bought a real nice pair on eBay cut right thru bones with no problem. Cast Iron Cookware is the only way to go in my oppion. Would love to have a Vita-Mix but a little pricey for my budget right now.

-- Mark in NC Fla (deadgoatman@webtv.net), February 05, 2001.

Hey Mandy! The MOST important tool in MY kitchen is my FORK!!!!! Castiron cookware ain't too bad either. Gotta have that quart materjuice can to drink iced tea out of too. LOL. Matt.24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), February 05, 2001.

Items that I would not want to be without are a Tricolator Flametamer, Ekco Flint kitchen utensils, my Fireking batter bowls, my Pyrex set of nested bowls, the little Fireking custard cups (I missed them so much -- we were down to only 2 after years of breakage -- that I bought a bunch off eBay too). My handpowered nut grinder. And a hammer. I do lots of work with a hammer. Good sharp Chicago knives.

-- Julie Froelich (firefly1@nnex.net), February 06, 2001.

Our stainless steel pans, they are wonderful. Cast iron cookware. Vegetable knife. Wooden spoons and other utensils. THis is almost as bad as trying to pick out your favorite book. I like my kitchen gadgets. What I need is a good strainer.

-- Cindy (SE In) (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), February 06, 2001.

You all know me, I can not cook, so mine would have to be the can opener!

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@hotmail.com), February 06, 2001.

I love all my "stuff" but I think my favorite would be my cast iron frying pans!!

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), February 06, 2001.

Hubby bought me my snap-on tool bright pink handled scissor! I love it. Kinda like a swiss army kitchen utensil. Very sharp with 2 can openers, one side is a serrated knife and the other is a plain knife. The tip of one is a screw driver. It even has a little half circle cut out of it to cut up fresh chicken. I would never have splurged and bought it, but my hubby gave it to me for Mother's day one year.....couldn't say no;`)!!! and I also like the dough scraper doo dad that Grandpa gave me years ago. It has an oak handle and a wide flat blade attached. great for cutting cinn rolls or for cleaning up bread dough on the cabinet. My favorite skillet is about 75 years old and is about 18 inches around and cast iron. How could I have ever lived without it!

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), February 06, 2001.

Hee-hee!! We asked this question at a Home Extension meeting one time. Bear in mind that all the ladies in my club are in their late 60's and up. They all answered electricity and running water! Yup, I sure would hate to be without 'em - at least some variety of them.

Since my kitchen already came equipped with both of those, I guess I'd have to say my favorite things are my stoneware shoulder bowls and my big iron dutch oven. Oh, and my marble rolling pin - it does all the heavy work!! (Watch out Hubby!) I couldn't get along without my Amish paring knives either. Canning season, I sure get a lot of use out of my Victorio strainer and Apple peeler/slicer/corer. Wish I could find Mom's old drip coffeepot....

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), February 06, 2001.

My marble rolling pin, dough scraper and cleaver are upset i forgot them. :)

-- Shau Marie (shau@centurytel.net), February 06, 2001.

TOOLS! DID SOMEONE SAY TOOLS? Well since I'm a guy you know that I just have to like tools.

At the top of my list would be a 10 inch chef's knife, and an oil stone close at hand for sharpening it. Under the knife would be my 14" X 20" plastic cutting board. While there is much controversy over wood vs. plastic, I prefer the plastic because of the tiny crosshatch design in the surface. I believe that the crosshatch holds flour and prevents doughs from sticking. It doesn't stain like wood either.

In addition to the chef's knife, I like a dough scraper. Mine is much like the one Graham Kerr uses. I did add a twist by sharpening the edge of it so that I can cut with it as well. Also in the cutting department is a ulu. Think of it as a dough scraper, but with a curved blade that is razor sharp. Cutting is done by rocking it over the material. It was a gift, and I'm still learning to use it.

I have a different style grater than most that I really like. It has one size of hole, is on a handle, and the grating surface is larger than on the box style graters. I have an oldie, a "Veg-O-Matic" that is great for rapid uniform slicing. I like it so well that I bought a spare at a garage sale for $.50. While it doesn't get a lot of use, I really like my crank powered apple peeler, corer, slicer. Works great for readying apple slices to dehydrate.

For powered tools, I have a high power 5 quart KitchenAid mixer. It gets heaviest use for bread doughs.

Cooking is accomplished in a cast iron skillet, a 4 quart pressure cooker, and a heavy 10 quart enameled stock pot that is very energy efficient. Those are the basics.

I about forgot to mention that I couldn't get along without a pepper grinder. In addition, while I don't often use recipes, I do like the undercounter pull down cookbook shelf I installed.

Now that I have the cooking taken care of--any of you up to washing dishes? lol. I've got a dishwasher but seldom use it, opting for handwashing instead.

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), February 06, 2001.

I just love to cook. But very few tools are worth their cost in both time and clutter. I am also a big fan of cast iron. Why? Because they don't burn up like other pans. At least I haven't burnt one up yet and that says ALOT for cast iron! I think a really good sharp set of knives is the most important tool in my kitchen. Always buy the kind that can be sharpened. I also like big one gallon glass jars. I get them from an Italien store. They used to hold pepporochinis. I store everything in these jars. Oh almost forgot - the lazy susan. Indespensible! I have 5 or 6 of them in my cupboards - makes finding the right spices so easy. They are also great for vitamins and canned goods. You can get these at garage sales. Oh dear! I'd better sign off. I think I smell something burning!

-- Tiffani Cappello (cappello@alltel.net), February 06, 2001.

I would have to say my cast iron cookware, griddle, dutch oven and chicken fryer. I also couldn't live without good sharp knives. During canning season I concur with Polly, Victorio strainer and apple peeler/ corer and of course my" free" pressure canner, I did have to replace the gauge but it's built like a tank. I had to chuckle about the home extension meeting answer, they all thought of electricity and running water and yet there are so many now who are trying to get back those earlier days, especially with the prices of utilities at this point and time and I'm afaid it's only going to get worse. We have cut back as far on our electricity uses( well, okay we still do the computer thing, but have cut way back on this as well) as we can. I even use our lanterns in the evening when sitting and relaxing before bed. Blessings, Kelle

-- Kelle in MT. (kvent1729@aol.com), February 06, 2001.

I LOVE my cast iron. I also have a LARGE earthenware mixingbowl that sees almost daily use, and I have to have my rubbermaid spatula and my dough scraper. It slices your dough, cleans the counter afterward, and is GREAT for scraping bits of baked chicken and pork chop off the baking sheet!!!!

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), February 06, 2001.

Well, I have quite a list but then I cook alot. Sharp paring knife, I like Wusthof brand, they are pretty pricey but worth every penny as you will never buy another paring knife. I have given one to each of my children when they started keeping house. Stainless steel "everyday pan", it is the size of a 12" skillet with out the long handle and a nice domed lid, I use it everyday! Wooden spoons with thick not pencil thin handles so you don't get a cramp in your hand trying to hang on to them. A really large stone ware bowl for bread mixing. A garlic press that really works. Old, probably 50 yrs.plus, Paul Revere ware, it's much heavier than the newer stuff, a large cast iron skillet, a cast iron dutch oven and assorted stock pots, all stainless steel. My pizza stone. A Squeezo [ it's like a Vittorio Strainer only it was here first.] I have a really good food processor but I would love to trade it for a Mandolin and I may break down and buy one anyway. The one thing I would hate to give up is my electric grain mill, gosh is it a work saver! All those years of hand grinding...This thing makes short order of wheat and I'm on my way to bread baking in record time! Should the lights go out I still have my Country living grinder but I wouldn't use it unless I had to. Artie Ann

-- Artie Ann Karns (rokarns@arkansas.net), February 06, 2001.

Can't do a thing without my grandmother's cast iron dutch oven. Then there's my assortment of iron skillets and my wooden spoons. Don't ever tell me there's nothing in the house to eat - I'll have you sitting down to a banquet complete with desert inside 45 minutes. I agree, electronic gizmos are cute but usually not all that functional. I guess the best things in my kitchen are the little things: The four inch iron skillet for melting butter and toasting seeds; the small, narrow spatulas for getting into the corners of jars and pans; a tiny little whisk for salad dressing; a one cup saucepan.

-- Maggie's Farm (elemon@peacehealth.org), February 06, 2001.

A husband that cooks..........

-- Mona in OK (jascamp@ipa.net), February 06, 2001.

Mona, Where can I buy one?

-- Nancy (graf_nan@hotmail.com), February 06, 2001.

Mona I have one but I'd like a different model. This one only knows how to fix hamburger helper! Could I order one that likes to do dishes and rub my feet(hey if you're gonna dream..dream big:o).

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), February 06, 2001.

My kitchenaid mixer

-- Dave Hawkins (nelson3@bright.net), February 08, 2001.

I forgot to add my 3, yes 3 dishwashers!!!! I've had one for almost 11 years, one for almost 13 years and one for 14 1/2 years. They are of the non-electric sort! I just have to love them and feed them 3 squares a day....snicker, snicker, snicker!

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), February 09, 2001.