My dear cousin Brooke asked me a very thoughtful question in an overlooked blog comment (is there a way to get notified when you get a comment on blogger?). She asked what 10 or so kitchen gadgets I considered a “must.” Brooke is smart and funny and wonderful and good at EVERYTHING and always has been. So it’s really a treat that she would ask me about a subject I enjoy so much. Here’s what I came up with in no particular order.

Of course you need a lot of the basic utensils, spatulas, whisks, etc. But my current top “must” is
1) A good box grater. Something sturdy with four sides and different sized holes for different cheeses or even to zest or grate spices if needed. I have a flimsy a-frame one that collapses on me. I enjoy grating cheese fresh from blocks and save a few bucks not buying the pre-shredded.

2) At least one good chef knife. I have a massive block of knives and use the same two or three over and over. I chop garlic, onions, or herbs almost every night.

3) A blender. A multi-purpose dream. Smoothies, frozen drinks and the norm but also good for smoothing soups or combining things when your lazy.

4) A food processor is something I lived too long without. Started with a little 1-cupper. Bad news. Get the big one. But no need to spend more than $30 or so. Really better than the blender for hot things like soups. I used this week to chop nuts, make breadcrumbs and pulverize cheerios. Again, the lazy chopper’s friend.

5) A good cutting board can’t be overlooked. And like knives can be very personal. I like about 1 in thick, heavy wood. Mines about a foot square. Some people like massive ones. Some like plastic. Others like those color coded ones for veg, meat, and other. It is important not to cross contaminate. But wood helps with that and is easy to clean. There are a million types.

6) Also, don’t underestimate nesting bowls. Not everyone has them and I can’t live without them. Easy to store. Mine came in about 8 sizes. Great for pre-measuring out ingredients, mix in, heat food in the microwave or cover and store in the fridge. They’re everywhere and cheap.

7) A big deep pasta pot with a built in strainer and steam basket was a wonderful Christmas gift. I use it all the time. Soup, pasta, steam veggies.

8) A toaster oven. I mocked Mike saying “really? The oven broils. Can’t we just get a plain toaster?” he won. I use it daily.

9) Lame, but research. Cook books aren’t always the answer to a happy cook or happy kitchen. I find endless inspiration for magazines that cover seasonal or regional foods and web sites like Chow.com.

10) And also intangible, Imagination. It also helps me look at items I have--say, a tea cup—and come up with ways to use it in different ways. Use it to serve a dessert, a dip, put toothpicks in it, attach a fun label and use it as a place card.

You should probably tell me what YOU can’t live without in the kitchen. It’s very personal, no?