You don't need the hat, but it's a nice touch, no?

ooking at a cookware catalog might give you the impression that in order to make a meal, you need every gadget available. Not so.
Good food begins always with good ingredients. No fancy food processor will make up for wilted vegetables or stale spices. Beyond that, all you need are a few basics, plus whatever add-ons fit your cooking style.

Good knives are a fine place to begin. Buying a set of high-quality knives is, admittedly, expensive. BUT. The best ones last forever, hold a sharp edge, and can be washed in a dishwasher. Remember, too, that sharp edges are less likely to result in cuts; less pressure used to slice anything makes knife slips against food rare.
Consider buying knives one at a time ("open stock" in cookware lingo), rather than a boxed set. That way, you can concentrate on the pieces you need. An eight-inch chef's knife, a paring knife, a serrated knife for bread, and a thin slicing knife may be all you need. If you develop a need for a special knife later, like a boning knife or a Chinese cleaver, you can then add it.

Pots and pans come next. The best ones have copper disks embedded in the bottom, to distribute heat evenly. Heavy metal is a clue to quality, but don't get a pan so heavy you can't lift it.
Generally, most people need one soup pot, one saucepan and a fry pan. Again, your family's eating patterns will dictate if you need anything above these. For instance, if you eat crepes four times a week, a special pan would make sense. Once a year? No, then don't spring for one.

Baking dishes also follow the "as-needed" dictum. A long pan for lasagne and casseroles, a covered glass dish for moist baking, cookie sheets to catch drips and bake things that don't need restraining and any small pans that fit things you make often will be enough. As with knives, buy the best you can afford. If you know someone who has a tool or pan you think you'd like, borrow it. You might find out that it's just what you need or you may save yourself some money.

Everyone needs wooden spoons, a spatula, and measuring cups. If you do a lot of baking, spring for separate cups for dry and wet ingredients. I made cookies, breads, and cakes all through my childhood using the "wrong" measuring cup, though, and they were great.
One expensive set of stainless-steel measuring spoons or cups will cost less, in the long run, than three plastic sets. On the other hand, you'll be tempted to say "No" when the kids ask to use them for sand play. The same goes for all the little tools which clutter kitchen drawers. If you're not using them regularly, toss them or hand them off for toys.

Electric appliances fall squarely under the "only as needed" heading. My sister wakes up each morning to fresh coffee. For her, a timer-driven coffeemaker is a must. I make mine on the stovetop, pouring it through a funnel filter. The difference? I drink coffee about once a month. We both use our food processors every week, but we could live without them.
Before you buy, take honest inventory of how you cook. A seldom-used appliance becomes either clutter or next year's garage sale item. There are usually less-expensive hand tools like graters instead of food processors. For occasional use they may make more sense.

A thoughtful cook who loves the people eating the meal and who pays attention to the freshness of the food will always be the most important kitchen feature. She is irreplaceable.

---

Contributing Editor Stefani Leto writes and parents in the Bay Area. Mother of an almost-five year old and an infant, she says nothing challenges her mind like parenting. Her work also appears at http://www.windowbox.com [1] and http://www.folksonline.com/folks/ts/1998/pph.html [2].