OK - whats in a pan?? well, first of all the weight - you need a heavy gauge anything for it to be realistic. A really great pan is heavy, it has weight in your hand, that weight, or substance is usually stainless steel or cast iron. I hate nonstick pans, my feeling is if you cook properly and season a cast iron pan well you'll be fine without the nonstick surface. So, what does a basic kitchen need?? I love cast iron, well seasoned it is a wonderful heavy cooking surface for just about anything. I keep several skillets in my kitchen. I dedicate one to seafood, one to omlettes and one to regular dishes. I have small, medium and large cast iron pans. I have cast iron that was my great grandmothers, and so well seasoned you never need to oil it. I have brand new cast iron from some cook shop in berkeley ca that my husband carried for miles to get to the car, he complained, but it was worth it - heavy and wonderful in every size my cast iron skillets are the pans i reach for most!

Pots & pans

• 2 10 inch skillets (you'll use this pan most frequently so you should invest in two - a stainless steel skillet with sloping sides and a cast iron with steeper ones
• a 4 quart soup pot, including a lid. Make sure to get a heavy bottom (copper encased is great) to allow for high heat and prevent scorching
  
• 1 8 quart pot with a lid for boiling pasta, this is essential!! Pasta needs room to cook plus you can always use it as a stock pot
• two 2 1/2 quart pans for sauces, vegetables, mashed potatoes, rice etc
• 9x13 inch baking dish - for yorkshire pudding, lasagna, ziti etc (pyrex is best)
• 8x8 inch pyrex dish (for brownies, etc)
• 11x17 inch baking pan
• a pie plate
• a bundt pan ( for fancy deserts that can make you look like an incredible cook, with so little effort)

Kitchen Tools

• Colander
• Rack or pan for cooling
• cutting board (butcher block if possible)
• cups to measure
• grater
• spoons to measure
• mixing spoons, metal and wood
• rubber spatula
• kitchen shears
• whisk
• wooden spoons
• tongs
• peeler
• meat pounder
• stainless steel mixing bowls in many sizes

A ridiculously basic pantry

• anchovies
• artichoke hearts
• baking powder
• baking soda
• balsamic vinegar ( aged)
• barbecue sauce
• bread crumbs (italian seasoned)
• brown rice
• beef stock
• chicken stock
• canned crushed or petite diced tomatoes
• couscous
• dried mushrooms
• hot sauce
• extra virgin olive oil
• dried pasta of many sizes and shapes
• roasted red bell peppers
• prepared salsa
• soy sauce
• sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
• terriyaki sauce
• oyster sauce
• tuna fish
• sesame oil
• cannola oil
• cooking spray
• white wine vinegar
• white rice
• wild rice

Basic Knives

• You need a 8 - 10 inch chefs knife, if you can only get one knife get this one -
• 4 or 6 inch paring knife (great for small jobs)
• 9 or 11 inch serrated knife (perfect for bread slicing and soft tomatoes)
• 6 inch boning knife with a tapered end to facilitate cutting and trimming fish, meat and chicken parts
  

YOUR HANDS!!

the best tool of all, keep em clean and keep em active - reach for that salt and that pepper, season, season and season and mix and mix and mix and ALWAYS taste!!

SPICES - not here, too many ideas to list, but next time....