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Right Tools, Right Results

Eating is a central part of every day life. To meet that basic need, a well-equipped kitchen should be an essential part of every home. Even if your hectic modern life means you only cook occasionally, getting stuck without the right material can make that weekend dinner a lot more complicated than it should be.

But what does a well-equipped kitchen mean? Is every gadget on store shelves worth buying? Certainly not.

The list of the tools you'll need to cover pretty much all the bases is relatively short:

• Cutting: A basic chef's knife (7-9 inches), one or two paring knives and a large cutting board (plastic or wood both do fine).
• Measuring: Two measuring cups, including a microwave-safe measure for wet ingredients like milk, and a set of measuring spoons.
• Stirring, mixing: A wooden spoon, a couple of different-size spatulas, silicon scrapers, a whisk (for whipping cream and such), an electric hand mixer and a set of mixing bowls.
• Cooking: A large frying pan, a large boiling pot (over 5 litres) and at least two smaller ones, as well as a medium-sized baking dish.
• Serving: A large serving spoon, a slotted spoon and a ladle.
• Miscellaneous: A cheese grater, a vegetable peeler, a can opener, a colander and a strainer.

What's next?

Once you have these basic tools, you'll be ready to work your way through most recipes. As you go along and try new ones, and learn more about what you like to cook, the need for more specialized tools - an ice-cream maker, maybe? - will become apparent. And if you need it, you'll surely find it: kitchenware stores abound with new gadgets and implements.