Kitchen toolbox

Pots and pans and microplanes, oh my!

Welcome back to Party of One! Today I’m talking equipment — but not the boring kind. Whether you’re moving out on your own for the first time or just want to cook more in 2022, there are a million resources on the internet to help you find the best basic wares for your kitchen. (Here’s a good list from The Kitchn.) In this week’s PoO (lol), I’m sharing all the FUN gadgets I use on a daily basis that are well worth the investment.

What got me thinking about my kitchen tools was butter. I’ve decided that 2022 is the Year of Butter. We’ll cook with it, we’ll top things with it, we’ll even eat it by itself (especially if it’s Kerrygold). I’m going back and forth between buying a butter bell or butter dish. Do I really need another thing on my countertop?

Here I am talking through the issue on @claudeata_ over the weekend.

Perhaps by February I’ll have an update for you on my butter situation. As for now, the contraption above will do. What I have an update on now is what you signed up for: kitchen tools. Check ’em out below.

Microplane

My Microplane is hands down my best purchase. Gone are the days of mincing four cloves of garlic or a knob of ginger down to a paste. All I have to do is peel it and then take it to the ’plane. That being said, the acid in garlic can wear down the sharpness of a Microplane’s teeth, so if you eat a lot of garlic, consider getting a garlic-only one. I use mine almost every day — you can shave chocolate and cheese with it and also zest citrus fruits!

Splatter screen

You might think you don’t need one of these guys, but then the bottom half of your favorite white t-shirt will accumulate a collection of tiny oil stains. Get yourself a splatter screen before it’s too late!

Wooden spoons

I know I’m late to the party on this one, but hear me out. Metal utensils (like tongs and silverware) ruin the non-stickiness of pots and pans, so growing up we always used plastic spatulas and tongs at home. Then I saw my boyfriend’s family using wooden spoons and my life changed! Something about pushing onions around a hot pan with a piece of a tree is just comforting. Idk. I just prefer a wooden spoon and think you will too.

Cast iron skillet cleaning kit

A few years ago my dad bought me a cast iron skillet on one of his antiquing trips. I barely used it — it’s intimidating! Not only does it weigh about ten pounds, but it’s very particular about what and how you cook in it. Since moving into my apartment, I’ve only used it a few times, but it’s definitely in need of a good and proper scrub. So my mom got me a cleaning kit for Christmas. I haven’t used it yet, but I know it’ll become a fave.

Swing top bottles

Swing top bottles are perfect for salad dressings and simple syrups! Instead of storing them in an old jar, opt for a cuter looking bottle. (This year is also the Year of Romanticizing Your Life, and that idea extends to the happenings of the kitchen.)

Cold brew bottle

This is another thing I’ve only been using for a few weeks (another Christmas gift), but I’m never buying bottled cold brew again. A cold brew bottle allows you to 1) feel like your own barista and 2) is much more cost effective than buying one (sometimes two) $7 bottle of La Colombe every week. I have this one.

Salt cellar

Like my butter “dish,” my salt cellar is a salt “cellar.” It’s a cute-looking jar with a wood top that was once a candle. I think I’ll buy this one in the future. Updates to come, of course.

Kitchen scale

I cannot recommend kitchen scales enough!!! Especially if you bake a lot! With a kitchen scale, you don’t have to use measuring cups or spoons which makes cleaning up a breeze. When I was living at home last year and baking at least twice a week, I’d go on and on about how easy baking would be if we only had a kitchen scale. My sister was kind enough to get me one for my birthday last summer, and I was right! Baking is so quick and easy!

If you only buy two things from this list, buy a Microplane and a kitchen scale. And if you have a favorite kitchen gadget, feel free to share in the comments!

Keeping things short this week as I adjust back to real life after the holidays. I’m so close to hitting 100 subscribers on this little newsletter, so it would mean the world to me if you shared it with a friend or two! Thank you and see ya next week!