The Humble Gourmand

So, here you are, a food lover but a kitchen novice. Or perhaps you’ve been at it for a while, doing your best to learn to cook from cookbooks, the Food Network, and good old trial and error. (The latter is the best way, so don’t expect to find a lot of “15-minute meals, perfect every time!” shortcuts here.)

You shouldn’t be intimidated if you lack a space-age (or spacious) kitchen. Same goes for thousands of dollars to buy top-notch equipment and ingredients. Do it in stages, buying a couple things at a time, and keep your ears open for marriages, moves, and other significant life events among your relatives and friends. I got myself set up pretty easily after pilfering my parents’ overstocked cabinets and receiving a generous donation of six used but perfectly respectable pots and pans from a dear friend who was both marrying and moving.

Here are some key pieces of equipment for any starter kitchen:

• 1 large pot
• 1 small pot
• 1 large frying pan
• Wooden spoon
• Slotted plastic spoon
• Tongs (long)
• Large whisk
• Spatula
• Basic set of measuring cups and spoons
• 1 liquid measure cup
• A mixing bowl or two
• Knives
• Peeler
• Colander
• Grater (one of those multi-sided ones, with teeny holes for zesting lemons and big holes for cheeses)

Add to this stock of supplies with more specialty tools as you need — and can afford — them. An electric hand mixer, a food processor…

Now, for the well-stocked pantry. Here are some staples to have on hand at all times (you’ll need these for many, many dishes):

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Canola or vegetable oil
• Unsalted butter (in sticks)
• Fresh garlic
• Shallots
• Onions
• Lemons
• Eggs
• White wine vinegar
• Red wine vinegar
• Balsamic vinegar
• Soy sauce
• Dijon mustard
• Canned diced tomatoes
• White or brown long-grain rice
• Kosher or sea salt
• Black pepper grinder (there are spice jar-sized ones available in most grocery stores these days)
• Chicken, beef, and vegetable stock
• Various dried spices and seasonings
• All-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Baking soda and baking powder
• Vanilla extract

Never underestimate the power of good salt and pepper. It makes a world of difference in the flavors of the food you cook.

On to the actual cooking part. A few seemingly obvious points:

• Only make recipes that look and sound good. You know, things you want to eat! If it’s full of kale, radishes, or kiwi fruit and you detest kale, radishes, or kiwi fruit, don’t make it.

• Spend a little time with a recipe before you start cooking. Make a list of what you need from the store, including any tools or pans you might not have yet, and assemble everything — ingredients, pots, pans, and utensils — before you turn a single burner on. That way, you won’t find yourself halfway into a dish with two pots on the stove when you realize you desperately need a cheese grater.

• Especially when trying a new recipe, it is extraordinarily helpful to prepare and measure out the ingredients into small bowls or ramekins before starting, a la the cooking shows you see on television. Again, this will prevent you from getting stressed when you need to mince garlic or wash and chop vegetables into the thick of things.

• Stick to simple recipes with three or four ingredients until you feel confident tackling more complicated dishes. There is no shame in a roast chicken with butter, rosemary, salt, and pepper — in fact, it’s a rather glorious thing. Simple meals are often the most satisfying.

• The most important thing to remember when starting out is to banish all thoughts of inadequacy. Chalk your mistakes up to the learning process.

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