Blaming the tools

Kitchen equipment - the bit you never read in a cookbook right?

So I don't need to worry about typos in this post. 

I am assuming you have a fridge/freezer.  If you only have a fridge then some of my ideas will not really work for you.  I freeze quite a bit because it is tricky cooking things like chilli or Bolognese sauce for one.

I am also assuming you have a stove. 

A shed load (literally) of single portion ‘clip it’ plastic storage boxes.

A sharp chef’s knife.  I use Wusthof knives.  They are not dishwasher safe so I lovingly clean them in hot soapy water each night.  You may regard this as an annoying waste of time and want to stab me with one of my own knives for mentioning it in which case make sure you get a knife that will stand up to dishwasher abuse.  It MUST be sharp though and not serrated.  I sharpen my knives every time I use them.  Preparing food with a dull blade is utterly miserable.  Perhaps that is why so many people hate cooking?  Too much time spent gnawing away with a knife that wouldn’t cut through shower gel.

Hence you will need a knife sharpener

A vegetable peeler

2 chopping boards 

A cheese grater

A large non-stick sauté pan with lid (go for the best quality you can afford on this one)

A small non-stick frying pan (I have a cheap one from a supermarket that is just dandy)

A non-stick milk pan (you may see a theme emerging.  Whilst I do not mind washing my knives by hand I do not feel quite the same about pans)

A large heavy roasting tin (preferably with a rack and dishwasher safe)

A large non stick baking sheet (again dishwasher safe and the type with little sides)

A large pot for cooking pasta

A couple of lidded saucepans

A couple of small lasagna style dishes

A cast-iron lidded casserole (you might need to put this on a birthday wish list - bit of a spenny treat)

A large pyrex salad bowl (we will use this for all sorts of things)

A small mixing bowl (the kind your granny used to cook Christmas puddings in)

A large pestle and mortar

A hand held blender (called the wand of death in my family)

Kitchen tongs

A garlic press (although I tend to use my pestle and mortar as I have yet to find a garlic press that works well enough to warrant the cleaning)

A food processor would be nice but is not essential.

Scales if you want some (I use them to weigh pasta so that I don’t cook too much and therefore eat too much) but we are not going to be fussy about quantities.  Up to you.