My Top 10 Kitchen Must Haves!!!!!!

1. Microplane. I use this all the time to zest lemons, mince ginger, grate cheese. Endless uses.
2. Food Processor. Sauces. Soups. Doughs. Ravioli fillings. This is a must for any serious home cook.  I have a Kitchen Aid and I wouldn't trade it for the world.
3. Chinese Cleaver. I'm not the one to have a set of 12 fancy German knives that cost a fortune so I can show them off in a block on the counter. I own 3 knives: a cleaver, a boning knife, and a paring knife. My all purpose knife is a Dexter Chinese cleaver. Not all cleavers are the same. I prefer Dexter. Great blade, balance, and durability. Smash garlic, chop, and scoop all with the same knife!
4. Spice Grinder. I'm all about big, bold flavors. Ever since I read Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook, I've been a big fan of spice rubs and seasonings. I like to toast my spices and grind them myself b/c the flavor is ten times better and saves a lot of $$$. I recently made a Citrus Salt w/ Szechuan Peppercorns. It was incredible, but more on that in a later post!
5. Le Creuset. This is a 8 quart coated cast iron pot. This is perfect for braising, soups, stews, stocks, whatever. I know they're a little pricing, but definitely well worth it. In the winter, I like to do a lot of braising with inexpensive cuts of meat and this is the pot to do it in. The nuts!!!!!!!!!!!!
6. Blender. In the summer, it's not always about the food, but about the drinks! You know what I mean!! That's why you must have a good, powerful blender to mix up smoothies, margaritas, any everything else with a splash of rum! Oh yea, it works great for sauces too....
7. Grill Pan. I'm always making steaks, chicken, fish, and pork with this pan. A heavy anoldized aluminum pan conducts heat great, oven safe, and is easy to clean. If you plan on doing any pan roasting, this is the pan to have.
8. Wine Key. I cook with wine a lot. Not to mention I love to drink it...So a basic wine key is a must. Not to mention, if you know what you're doing, it's a great way to impress the ladies ;-)
9. Salad Spinner. Want to eat healthy by eating more salads? Nothing can run a salad like having a pool of water at the bottom of the plate to ruin the taste. By removing all the water from your greens, your dressings will taste better on the salad. A bunch of other uses too....
10. Spatula. Okay, maybe you don't need to pay $30, but don't buy a wimpy spatula that can barely hold the weight of the piece of meat you're trying to turn. You'll be thanking me later when you try to turn a piece a fish and it falls and crumbles in to a mess of canned tuna in your pan. Fail!
11. Wisk. I know I said ten, but this is just as important. Get a good sturdy wisk that has multiple wires that incorporates a lot of air into whatever your mixing. Bechamel sauces, whipping cream, batters, pan sauces, etc....a must have....