I am moving, and in doing so need to construct a temporary kitchen at the new house, while maintaining one at the old house, so I started thinking – what does one really need for a functional kitchen?

Cooking tools I couldn’t live without – really, the ones I need to cook:

• Cast iron skillet – only one is necessary but I prefer several – its cheap, its amazing, season right and its yours for a lifetime, and onto subsequent generations – its virtually non stick – I love it  (ps if you cook fish, you need at least two skillets – dedicate one to the fish and the other for everything else)
• Wooden spoons, metal spatulas, a rolling pin ( wooden)
• Measuring cups – those new ones, where you can peer down from the top for an accurate liquid measure and not bother with the meniscus are nice – dry measuring cups too, and measuring spoons
• An actual chefs knife, that’s sharp that you (not a cooking store, or your spouse or anyone else) but you yourself can actually sharpen when necessary
• A high quality wire whisk or two
• Ceramic mixing bowls in 3 sizes, small, medium and really big
• Pots and pans with heavy bottoms, preferably copper core with stainless on the out and inside in 3 sizes
• Stock pot for cooking pasta, and of course, stock
• Medium put (3-4 quart) for polenta, rice etc
• Small pot for sauces, like hollandaise, white and the like
• A decent peppermill
• A butcher block cutting board
• A grater – for cheese etc
• A colander or strainer, and a steamer for veggies
• A vegetable peeler
• A roaster, for poultry

I think with the above I could tackle most meals –

Beyond these things, so many others are useful and fun to have:

Extras I really like

• A standing mixer, makes it so easy to make pasta, bread, baked goods
• A wok, for stir frying, with a flame tamer ring
• A small food processor, for pesto, hummus etc
• A high temp resistant spatula
• A copper bowl, for egg whites, for volume, for beauty and for fun
• Ceramic casserole dishes, pretty enough to serve from and strong enough for fridge, oven etc

Things I just don’t get:

• A frittata pan
• A paella pan
• The magic bullet ( I bought that thing – suckered in by infomercials)
• That strangly shaped pan you sit a chicken on top of, why?

I'm certain I missed a bunch, but this is just a core dump...Anyway, I’d like to find time to focus on basic pantry items, ya know – olive oil, fleur de sel, unsalted butter (please, a little?) etc.