Do you 'love' your tools ....... ?

[Stinky The Clown]

Okay, get your minds out of the gutter ....... :spank:

Lugnut, in a thread about healthy cookware - and Le Cruset enameled cast iron, specifically - posted this:
"My set is fairly old and well used but none of the pieces are chipped. It would break my heart to have to pitch a piece."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x19175#19185

And that got me to thinking ..... I actually do 'love' my cookware and cooking tools. I use the word 'love' in this context as a verb. I enjoy polishing silverware ... and my copper pots .... and my stainless ...... I enjoy caring for the precious seasoning in my cast iron ...... wiping and picking the dried bits out of my pasta cutters .... sharpening my knives .....

As much as I love food and love to cook it and love to watch others enjoy it, so, too, do I love my tools.

Do you? If so, how does this manifest itself for you?

[The empressof all]

1. I love so many things about my equipment.

I don't share your enjoyment for the silver/copper polishing but I rarely use the silver and never use the few copper pots I do have.

I love my stainless cookware and use barkeepers to keep it bright and sparkly. I love my knives---even my very favorite cheap Santuko. I love my appliances. I have a trio fridge in stainless that I wipe every day. I would prefer a gas stove but I love my glass top with the bridge for the grill and roasting pans. I love the warming zone on the top and the proofing and warming controls on the oven.

I love my Nesco ovens. (I have the 6 quart and the huge one) It comes to the cabin with me in the summer and I can do anything in it. It was one of the best "toys" I've ever purchased. My kitchen is very hot in the summer, so I drag this puppy outside for any baking I need to do. I can't say enough good things about the Nesco. (Except it doesn't brown as well as a regular oven)

There's so many little things that I've acquired through the years: my cast iron rotary apple peeler/corer/slicer thingie, my kitchen aid, my rice cooker, the George Forman. The list seems endless.

[NMDemDist2]

2. My carbon knife never leaves my hand until it is cleaned and dried

I love that knife. My MIL won't touch it cuz she always cuts herself on it, cuz I de burr it and sharpen it and take the ceramic to it and it will split a hair.

I really really love that knife and I have you to thank for it.

A million years ago you did a thread on knives and mentioned the qualities of a good carbon steel knife, I knew I had inherited a couple that were languishing in the bottom drawer. So I got em out, put an edge on them and they are my favorite tools.

One is a standard 8" chef's knife, one is the same length filet knife and one is a 10" chef. they all have the full ?tang? (is that what it's called) with old mellow wooden handles that are smooth with age and dark from handling. that 8" blade is my best friend in the kitchen. I may not be calling them by the correct term though....

They were my grammy's and I treasure them. Thanks for giving me the impetus to get them out.

here's a pic of my beautiful dowager (edit to add, that is the lighting and not a mar in the blade)

[babylonsister]

3. Hey, AZDD6, your knives are beauteous, but can you

enlighten me on that cutting board? I don't think I've ever seen anything like it!
Oh, and nice counters. :D

[NMDemDist2]

4. sis....

:P on the counters :rofl:

I picked that up at a warehouse store a few years ago. it's just a huge slab of wood with a stainless band and handles. and totally reversable.

It totally rocks! but it is a tad heavy. I am so glad I can actually get it into the new sink, It would barely fit into the old stainless sinks on it's side, and forget about laying it down to scrub it off :rofl:

edit to add, that three inches it rises above the counter really help when I am doing lots of chopping. My back doesn't get nearly as tired. that slight height adjustment makes a big difference which was an unexpected side benefit.

[babylonsister]

5. Have you moved yet? I read you will be soon

in another forum.
I bought a slab of wood in Saipan of all places but got rid of it at a yard sale (I think:blush: ) because it was so heavy and cumbersome. I really like the idea of the band and handles.
Memo to moi: go look for that sucka!
I wish you much luck and happiness in your future endeavors, and have looked at your java website, but you received so many useful suggestions I butted out. Please post that site again around Sept/Oct when the holidays are nearing!

[NMDemDist2]

6. thanks sister

and no, we just did the final day today at the bricks and mortar store.

now we are on to "Design to Sell" mode

hubby is gonna paint his heart out, we are gonna take a trip to the (maybe) new town, I am gonna wade through internet marketing 101 and if all goes well.....

We'll move in August/September

and I'll definately post it again around the holidays. should have lots of choices in gifts by then too!

watch the DIY forum, I'll be doing a blow by blow probably in there.


and BTW, the counters are on the list! new laminate is in the plan.

[babylonsister]

7. LOL! Why oh why do we wait until we're moving to spruce

our homes up, when we could be enjoying the spruciness? (<- - -must be a Bushism:rofl: )

We 'finally' went out and bought the X-mas fridge today :eyes: I have no plans on moving anytime
soon, so will keep my own pearls of wisdom in mind.

Good luck with your exciting future! I WISH we were moving! :hi:

[NMDemDist2]

8. well just to hijack H2S's thread a tad more

we were kicking the idea around "in a year or two" and it dawned on us.. why not NOW?? the store is closed, the house here is still worth some $$$ (I'm pretty concerned about a housing bubble burst)

so ..... and aWay we go...........

[anitar1]

23. Best of Luck, and I know you will have it in your new location.

Exciting to be going to New Mexico. I have a friend who located to Silver City area a few years ago, and she loves it there.

[Warpy]

9. I also have one knife I'm in love with using

This one:

I've got two of their smaller knives, knives that kept their edge with only a quick scrape across the bottom of a piece of pottery once in a blue moon for many years.

I got the knife sharpener to re-edge the old MAC knives, decided to splurge on this one, and I'm glad I did.

I now have 3 of them, all sharp enough to shave with.

[politicat]

10. I have bowls I love... and some sentimental pieces.

They're just ceramic mixing bowls, but I really like the way they feel in my hands when I put bread dough in them to put in the oven to rise. They get warm and the bread rises so nicely; they're so much easier to clean than the big pro stainless ones... One's just plain white molded ceramic (it looks like it has grapes and leaves on the outside) and the other is cream with some pink floral decorations around the edges. Nothing major. Just comfortable.

I have a tiny little plane grater that I bought when I first lived alone, and even though it only does one size and it's not very big and it takes forever to do a big block of cheese, I'll never part with it because it represents independence and standing on my own. It was the first tool I ever bought for myself that I picked out; most of my other tools at the time were either inherited or what someone else (like my mother and grandmothers) thought I should have. I have a vegetable peeler that dates from the same time, and if it ever goes dull, I don't know what I'll do. I've trucked those two tools through two apartments in Arizona, and four or five moves in Colorado.

I go back and forth on my knives. I find myself reaching for the same (go ahead and cringe) serrated paring knife all the time, and for a slicing knife I got somewhere back in the mists of time. But so many knives, even when perfectly sharpened, leave my hands and wrists hurting that I don't like them. If the handle's not just right, something's gonna hurt. (One of the many reasons I hate Cutco.) The mezzeluna and the chopping board with the dip are part of my will never parts crew, too.

[Lugnut]

11. lol

Obviously the Le Creuset pieces are tools that I love. Nothing fries chicken like that big heavy skillet. I love the big kneadng board my sister gave me for Christmas many years ago. It fits perfectly on my counter top and has helped me make a lot of dough for pies, ravioli and pizza that my family enjoyed.

Now that you've prodded me into thinking about the things I love it has turned into analyzing why I love them, H2S. I love the things because I love to cook. I love to cook because my family enjoys the results. That makes us all pretty happy. ;)

[vademocrat]

12. I love my "gadgets" -

One of my family nicknames is "kitchen gadget queen"

I've got a george foreman grill, a ronco rotisserie, a breadmaker, a magic bullet, a foodsaver vacuum sealer, and use them all regularly.

I also have a cast iron skillet inherited from my grandmother (with a cross & the name Griswold, Erie, PA) stamped on the bottom that I love and several Le Creuset heavy pots that make cooking soup & chili during the winter a joy.
Here's my rotisserie in action -

[NMDemDist2]

13. OMG! I don't believe it

we have mirror image kitchens. You have grey counters and pink paint, I have grey paint and pink counters


:rofl: I swear we're long lost sisters :hug:

[vademocrat]

14. Your cabinets are a nicer color - I love the "honey gold" look -

See what you guys are doing? I've now got a photobucket account! I'll post some pics of the rest of my kitchen at some point - actually could use some suggestions on replacing a plastic shelving unit...

Based on how long we chatted yesterday, we're definitely family!! :rofl: (I stole your smiley...)

back at ya :hug:

[babylonsister]

16. What, pray tell, is a magic bullet? I can't

figure it out as it doesn't really sound too kitcheny to me. :shrug:

[vademocrat]

17. It's basically a small blender/food chopper -

Originally sold through infomercials & now available in stores - I've had mine about 2 yrs. I love it because it's so small it can live on the counter but it's very very versatile. Plus, the containers have screw on lids so I can mix something up and store it in the same container.

[babylonsister]

20. Sounds great; I like the idea of the storage in the same

container, too. Guess I need to pay more attention to infomercials!

[vademocrat]

21. The easy storage definitely makes it for me -

but it also has two different blades - one for nuts, spices, coffee beans & that's nice too. I'm a techie so if there's a gadget I'm curious about it - if it actually works, I love it!

[chefgirl]

15. Just my knife, H2S

There's really nothing else in the kitchen that I have any great attachment to, but I AM rather anal retentive about my knife/knives.

Three Henckels that I've had since I began cooking seriously, and I intend to keep them in tip top shape because I HATE the newer handles on the Henckels. They don't fit my hand the same way and it drives me crazy.

I have considered buying another brand a few times, but just can't bring myself to do it. An odd little obsession, I know, but... :shrug:

-chef-

[Stinky The Clown]

18. Not an oddity at all ........

And I know what you mean about some newer knives. I still have an ancient Henkels 12" french knife with a wooden handle and a carbon steel blade. No 'designer cook du jour" woudl give that old thing house space, but to me it is prized. Probably nothing more personal than one's knives. Fortunately for us, they often outlive their owner.

[NMDemDist2]

19. it's thanks to you that my dowdy beauty of a carbon knife is now my

prized tool :yourock:

[anitar1]

22. Yes , I love my kitchen tools, I love them so much that I cannot

imagine getting rid of any of them. I have way too many , but that is ok too. I am so apprectiave of all that I have, but the kitchen is the MOST important to me.I am looking at moving in the next 6 months and cannot contemplate getting rid of any kitchen items.