Tool Geek

“I just made bacon and eggs and it was so much fun!” I smiled. It was 7:00, and my friend and I had each been home for about an hour when she called. What was so fun about making eggs? Good tools.

Too many people think that cooking is a chore. And it can be, for many reasons, but one reason is that there is so much bad cooking equipment out there. She had been using beat up, lightweight pans for so long that cooking was a chore. We had spent the afternoon at our local kitchenware store for their January sale, and now, with her new purchase of a high quality set of pans, even the simple act of frying an egg was reason to celebrate.

I have to admit, I’m a bit of a kitchen tool geek. I like the good stuff, no late night TV huckster all- in- one tools for me. I started collecting my knives when I was a teenager - I have 15 now, and there are only a few that I don’t use regularly (ok, I’ll admit, that flexible fish knife is a bit goofy!) Hand tools? I’m a sucker for ‘em. I just counted, and even I’m surprised to admit that I have 23 spoons, spatulas, scrapers, tongs, and whisks - so many that they don’t fit in those polite little containers that you buy at the kitchen store. No, I had to get a huge flower pot to hold all of them!

I’ve replaced my own ‘starter’ pots and pans, and now I have a couple of heavyweight 6 qt pots, an 10 qt stockpot, a 2 qt saucepan, a huge cast iron frying pan, and today’s addition of two heavyweight frying pans and a great big roasting pan and rack. I can finally get rid of that formerly non-stick frying pan. (Ever notice that they’re only nonstick for about 6 months?) I’m eyeing a few more saucepans…and…well, I’m sure I’ll figure out a few more things I must have by the time the next sale comes around in September!