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Featured Replies

Not your chefs knife, not your le creuset dutch oven or whatever - what are the random items in your kitchen that you are weirdly attached to?

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I have no recollection of acquiring either of these items and they may have come with me from my parents house when I rented my first college apartment. No markings at all on that bowl, it’s just a nice sturdy mixing bowl with a dent on the bottom and I use it several times a day. And the baking sheet, you can pry that nordicware from my cold dead hands. 

This bad boy slices tomatoes and onions for burgers and sandwiches that are perfect.

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23 hours ago, Celery Man said:

Not your chefs knife, not your le creuset dutch oven or whatever - what are the random items in your kitchen that you are weirdly attached to?

IMG_6752.thumb.jpeg.34d8c3f2890059c99634594c167afcfb.jpeg

 

 

I have no recollection of acquiring either of these items and they may have come with me from my parents house when I rented my first college apartment. No markings at all on that bowl, it’s just a nice sturdy mixing bowl with a dent on the bottom and I use it several times a day. And the baking sheet, you can pry that nordicware from my cold dead hands. 

 

I find nothing weird about this. Hell, ATK had a whole piece up on sheet pans and how you should have just about every size, they aren't wrong.

 

 

Hmmm, being on travel, I can't come up with anything right now. I'll look when I get back.

I have a random cheap serrated paring knife like this, and I probably use it more than my good Mercer chef's knife:

serrated paring knife, 3.25" spear point red - Whisk

  • Popular Post

The one thing I wanted when my Opa passed about 20 years ago.  Brass bottle opener.  No idea on age, but I'm guessing it's from the 50's.  I have a Schlitz one I keep at the ranch too.  Something incredibly gratifying about the weight of it in your hand when you crack open a longneck.  

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I have a Calphalon deep 13" skillet that I use for.....a lot of stuff.

 

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Works a lot like a wok for simple stir fry.  I use it for braising (short ribs, lamb shanks, etc.).  Arroz con pollo.  Small batches of chili.  Lentil stew.  Carne guisada.  Etc etc.  Really, anything your mom might have done in her deep electric skillet, I use this for.  It is easily my most used pan.  I use several others, but this one gets the most frequent use, it's so damned versatile.

Vintage Le Menu microwave dinner plates. These are from early microwave dinners and almost indestructable. Mom gave me a dozen or so years ago. Work perfectly for anything i don't need a "real" plate for. Breakfast pastry etc. Can still microwave them today

39 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

I have a Calphalon deep 13" skillet that I use for.....a lot of stuff.

 

15921863-0ebb-4998-9313-8a015bf33329.b7e

Works a lot like a wok for simple stir fry.  I use it for braising (short ribs, lamb shanks, etc.).  Arroz con pollo.  Small batches of chili.  Lentil stew.  Carne guisada.  Etc etc.  Really, anything your mom might have done in her deep electric skillet, I use this for.  It is easily my most used pan.  I use several others, but this one gets the most frequent use, it's so damned versatile.

Same but mine is 12" - just checked. 

1 minute ago, ztejas said:

Same but mine is 12" - just checked. 

Bummer.  The extra inch really makes a difference.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On 10/26/2025 at 10:45 AM, jimmyjazz said:

I have a random cheap serrated paring knife like this, and I probably use it more than my good Mercer chef's knife:

serrated paring knife, 3.25" spear point red - Whisk

I got rid of all my expensive knives years ago and just have all Victorinox.  They are honestly just as sharp and hold an edge better than most expensive knives. At $50 a pop, I don't give a shit about putting them in the dishwasher.  They are easily the best bang for your buck.

I probably got one like this along with a Chinese wok set 25 years ago, but I love using it.

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15 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Bummer.  The extra inch really makes a difference.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the-office-michael-scott.gif

Oh I know. I used my cock to measure and just eyeballed that it was about an inch less.

This basting spoon is my ride or die. I bought it in ‘92 when I moved into my first apartment. I most likely bought it at HEB for probably $1.

I really like that it’s wide and shallow. I can’t find this form factor anywhere except in metal spoons. Every spoon I find is deeper and just doesn’t have the mojo.

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24 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

I really like that it’s wide and shallow. 

Ah, wide and shallow, like my first wife.

I have a lot of gadgets that I love. A long spatula.  My garlic press.  Some microwave safe ramekins. My one egg fry pan... 

Honestly though, beyond appliances, the honest answer has got to be my paper towel dispenser.   I use those bitches for everything. 

2 minutes ago, Redneck Mutha said:

Obama come on what gif | Tony ReinkeEp

Empty nesting, dude.  I cook for just 2 now.  Even a "small batch" of something (I used it to make picadillo and a lentil stew in the past week) lasts us 3-4 meals.  Fuck making a big pot of chili unless I'm cooking it for company.

I have my grandma's chinois.  I first remember seeing it when I was 5 or 6.  We had picked a mess of wild blackberries, and she used it and an old pillowcase to strain the juice for jelly.  She used it, my mom used it, now I use it.  One day it will pass to one of my kids, I hope, and they'll use it.

5 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

This basting spoon is my ride or die. I bought it in ‘92 when I moved into my first apartment. I most likely bought it at HEB for probably $1.

I really like that it’s wide and shallow. I can’t find this form factor anywhere except in metal spoons. Every spoon I find is deeper and just doesn’t have the mojo.

3d4d84278880286017de6b0cc4c95f1d.jpg
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Was it a snowman spoon?  Because I see a snowman with a top hat on.  

This is our knife drawer. Anyone can use any of the colored knives they want. The ceramics are trash and the kids can use those. All the victorinox are sturdy enough to be used by them too. But that little Misen is mine. It was sitting in this house in a box, gifted by Misen to the last guy that owned this house. I love it and I don’t want it abused by other people. 

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3 hours ago, Redneck Mutha said:

Obama come on what gif | Tony Reinke

He means like less than 5 pounds of meat.

I've got 2 that I've had for decades.  Feel like that qualifies as ride-or-die.  

The Slap Chop is awesome.  Makes quick work of jalapenos, onions, garlic, ginger.

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Bought this bowl when I moved out of the dorms in like 93?  Maybe $5 at WalMart and I would bet I eat out of it every other day.  Spoon for size context - it's probably about as big as a large pho bowl.

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9 hours ago, Da Fino said:

This is our knife drawer. Anyone can use any of the colored knives they want. The ceramics are trash and the kids can use those. All the victorinox are sturdy enough to be used by them too. But that little Misen is mine. It was sitting in this house in a box, gifted by Misen to the last guy that owned this house. I love it and I don’t want it abused by other people. 

IMG_6166.jpeg

IMG_6167.jpeg

No pictures, but we have an antique hutch that probably qualifies as my ride-or-die.  It houses dad's knives in a cork rack, a knife roll, cast iron pans, and carbon steel pans.  House knives , indestructible stainless that everyone knows not to put in the dishwasher, and a solitary, lonely, nonstick pan that rarely gets used are in the main cookware drawer.

 

The older boy got a 10" Lodge cast iron pan when he moved into his first apartment a few months ago and has gone through the trial and error of seasoning and learning to control temperature, as well as cleaning and care.  He loves it and uses it several times per day.  I need to get him a good Victorinox knife and a wooden cutting board at some point.  But we're starting with 1 cast iron pan.

Edited by dcbc

15 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

I got rid of all my expensive knives years ago and just have all Victorinox.  They are honestly just as sharp and hold an edge better than most expensive knives. At $50 a pop, I don't give a shit about putting them in the dishwasher.  They are easily the best bang for your buck.

I'm the same with my Dexter knives.  Bulletproof, hold an edge, and low cost.  

10 hours ago, Da Fino said:

This is our knife drawer. Anyone can use any of the colored knives they want. The ceramics are trash and the kids can use those. All the victorinox are sturdy enough to be used by them too. But that little Misen is mine. It was sitting in this house in a box, gifted by Misen to the last guy that owned this house. I love it and I don’t want it abused by other people. 

IMG_6166.jpeg

IMG_6167.jpeg

Seems like you’re just asking for someone else to use your special knife. Why not store it separately from all the public use knives?

17 minutes ago, WhatTheBuck said:

Seems like you’re just asking for someone else to use your special knife. Why not store it separately from all the public use knives?

Scene control. 

10 hours ago, Mittens said:

Bought this bowl when I moved out of the dorms in like 93?  Maybe $5 at WalMart and I would bet I eat out of it every other day.  Spoon for size context - it's probably about as big as a large pho bowl.

IMG_1043.jpg.e3bd04772b10a8ff1504ae344c3d983a.jpg

Have you ever washed it? 

Every time!  It's a 32 yr old plastic bowl - it's gonna be stained.

You know what I need?  I need a damn good veggie peeler.  I could start a new thread, but that seems excessive.  Any recs?

4 hours ago, WhatTheBuck said:

Seems like you’re just asking for someone else to use your special knife. Why not store it separately from all the public use knives?

I carry mine around up my sleeve.

9 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

You know what I need?  I need a damn good veggie peeler.  I could start a new thread, but that seems excessive.  Any recs?

Oxo.  It's a game-changer.

 

OXOBlackSwivelPeelerSHF16?$web_pdp_main_

 

Their oyster knife is the best as well.  Have my old wood handled traditional one.  It's....fine.  GOLL showed up with a fancy oyster knife from Maine.  It was....fine.  But the Oxo ones?  Perfect.  The point is exactly what you need, sturdy blade, great grip.

Edited by Brisketexan

58 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Oxo.  It's a game-changer.

 

OXOBlackSwivelPeelerSHF16?$web_pdp_main_

 

Their oyster knife is the best as well.  Have my old wood handled traditional one.  It's....fine.  GOLL showed up with a fancy oyster knife from Maine.  It was....fine.  But the Oxo ones?  Perfect.  The point is exactly what you need, sturdy blade, great grip.

I have that one and it works great.  Even has the potato eye digger outer on the end.

1 minute ago, Jerry Callo said:

That looks perfect for someone with tiny little hands.

Could be a problem for me.  (Color not correct.)

Chimpanzee hand grasps a tree in the forest - Jane Goodall's Good for All  News

2 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

And gringer. 

I read this in Dr Steve Brule voice

Edited by bluto

11 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

I got some of these years back from reading one of those "kitchen items recommended by chefs" articles that float around. They were rusted after like 1-2 washes. Expensive things should be hand washed, not inexpensive ones.

Trader Joe's has a version of this. And ginger. 

They have basil too at HEB. Biggest time saver ever in the kitchen.

I'm also a recent converter to this ridiculous item... chicken shredder. I buy so many rotisserie chickens and then shred and use them in everything.... chicken chili, tortilla soup, gumbo ya ya, various chicken/pasta dishes, etc.

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I use those Dorot cubes all the time.  Garlic, ginger, cilantro, basil, turmeric.  The only one I shy away from is onion because it's just too pricey for the quantity you get.  They're all basically 1:1 by volume, so a garlic cube is a garlic clove, etc.

The paddle attachment on a KitchenAid mixer does a bangup job shredding chicken, too.

Fgreeble Pouring Shield for KitchenAid Stand Mixer, with Stainless Steel  Paddle Attachment for Kitchenaid Mixer FXKTHP-9043 - The Home Depot

7 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

You know what I need?  I need a damn good veggie peeler.  I could start a new thread, but that seems excessive.  Any recs?

My serrated peeler is a game changer.  It works well on soft stuff like tomatoes and peaches.

35 minutes ago, WBT said:

My serrated peeler is a game changer.  It works well on soft stuff like tomatoes and peaches.

I hate them for harder root vegetables.  Even for squash I don't like them. Haven't tried tomatoes, what are you peeling tomatoes for?

13 hours ago, burntorangebongos said:

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This works great as a poop knife also.

11 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Oxo.  It's a game-changer.

 

OXOBlackSwivelPeelerSHF16?$web_pdp_main_

 

Their oyster knife is the best as well.  Have my old wood handled traditional one.  It's....fine.  GOLL showed up with a fancy oyster knife from Maine.  It was....fine.  But the Oxo ones?  Perfect.  The point is exactly what you need, sturdy blade, great grip.

Pffft NOOB!

This is the one you want!  Makes peeling stuff almost fun.   Yes, I will fight you, and with peelers it's liable to be an epic battle.

 

image.jpeg.d1621c9028de2802edf6af7c4587ec60.jpeg

 

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Kuhn-Rikon-Swiss-Peeler-4-Inch/dp/B0089KFZ6W/ref=ast_sto_dp_puis?th=1

 

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