Eyeage

Here's another bit of advice: leave "the wife" home when shopping for the kitchen, especially if you do the cooking. Lol... as if that was going to work in this particular instance

Bought Wusthof Classic Knives. They felt the best in my hand, and I was able to get the 20% discount since I had them order it (the register restricts the coupon, but not if they order it). Couldn't get the wife to go for the microplane, had a hard time getting her to go for a scale (but I prevailed). We bought some non-stick, some stainless, a steamer thing, and a cast iron pot. I bought two cast iron skillets off craigslist for $10. Need some rejuvenation, but I'll make 'em work. Got a bunch of utensils. Spatulas, wooden spoons, etc. New cutting board, good storage containers, grater, measuring cups/spoons, tongs etc. (most of this stuff was oxo). Bought a Bosch universal plus off craigslist, came with blender attachment and stainless bowl. Ordered the food processor attachment from amazon. Got new dinnerware seating for 8. Got nice set of cookie sheets/cake pans (those real heavy ones made in Pennsylvania) Got set of pyrex and stainless mixing bowls Overall we saved just over $300 ($750 if you include what I saved on the bosch) on our purchase (total was about $1000), and I think most everything we got will last a long time, a lifetime for some. Still have some things we need, but overall I think we're pretty good for now. We also got curtains and curtain rods for 3 windows (I know its' not cooking, just showing where the money went). Thanks for everyone's suggestions. We appreciate your insight.

Also, I'm neurotic about cleaning the surface of our cooktop. It looks brand new. I wipe it after every cooking session and clean it with the cleaner once a week. So scratching would bug me, OCD perhaps, but it would.

Because cast iron has exposed carbide crystals, which is almost as hard as diamond. dcarch Yeah, I have a wife to worry about (she's definitely not the cook, but she cleans and does laundry, I am happy with this trade, until she tries putting my good stuff in the dishwasher). The enamel coating is smooth. But it's been suggested in multiple places that grabbing a drill with some 90 grit sand paper will get those edges off the bottom. I like the idea of seasoning. I may go to the salvation army/good will today and see if I can find a good old cast iron.

I can only find this , and it's enameled inside and out like the lodge. Looks like I need some sand paper

For those saying "nooooooooo STOP" etc. I have a glass cooktop. So I either have to get enameled or sand the bottom down. I'm not going to risk scratching the stove. Thanks for the Le Creuset nod, as I was looking at lodge and no-names mostly.

Honestly, this is what I did. I used the "Cooks illustrated kitchen essentials list". On this list, it lists two pans that are "essential". They're in the 13 piece calphalon tri-ply stainless set. The ones they recommend are all-clad, but my research shows the tri-ply is along the same quality line. That said, I bought the 13 piece set and got a large non-stick "every day" pan (which will serve as the 12" non-stick with a lid on the list) for less than those two pans cost (Paid $320, and really they were free). So I got 9 extra pieces for less than the three would've cost separately. Seems to make logical and financial sense to me. I'm quite sure I'll use them all at one time or another. I do have a question though. Looking at cast iron skillets, I only find the enameled ones that are completely enameled. Seems to me I'd rather have one that wasn't enameled on the inside of the skillet. Does anyone know if/where I can find one made that way? Or is it all or nothing. I guess I could always file/sand the bottom of a non-enameled one down if it comes to that. I'd think the enamel on the inside defeats some of the purpose/function of the cast iron. Obviously, I could be wrong.

Today I got a great deal. On craigslist I found a bosch universal plus with the stainless bowl (and plastic) and the blender attachment for $350! I can't begin to say how thrilled I am with this find. It's brand new (wedding gift perhaps?). I'll be happy to not have to primarily hand knead anymore. Heading to the dentist then to pick up my new mixer. I think I'll buy the processor attachment for it and call it a day.

I have a purpose-built meat grind, pretty good one (as I process my bounty), and how I'd love to have a stand up mixer for making pizza dough. Alas, can't do without the grinder, and can't justify $300 for stand up mixer (or $700 for the one I'd actually buy). handheld does the job, albeit not real well, but it suffices. Now, if you have the DLX, I'm interested in trading!

My boning knife is old (at least the one I use for deer), but it's old like 50 years old, and it's a great knife. Old riveted wooden handle and all. I went and held a few knives today, have to say the Wusthof classic felt the best in my hands of the bunch. I liked the way the calphalon katana felt also. There was a limited selection, but I felt the zwillings I held were too large for my hand. A "host" sent me a great article for kitchen basics. Was from CI from a few years ago "Essential kitchen" etc etc. 39 items that are a must have. While I have several, it was a great resource.

Actually cast iron has been suggested several times. It's on my list

I have nice processing knives too, rather, they're sharp. They aren't pretty. Definitely not something I would use in my kitchen for several reasons. Wanted to address that question before it was posed.

We have a food saver. I hunt, and do most of the processing myself.

I make soups, chili, etc. I make stir-fry. I make eggs. I make sauces. I make pizza (I am very particular about pizza). I make chicken, pork, beef, fish, etc in a number of ways, and I'm always looking for new recipes to try. I bake a lot (and our bake ware is adequate). I have 3 different sizes of burners on my stove. small, medium, large, and Large/small combo. What I use now, skillets, stockpot, sauce pans. I have about 15 different pieces cookware for the stove, and use all of them at one time or another. Depending on what I'm making and the size of what I'm making (I cook for 1-8 people depending on the day). That said, I'd love to have cookware I can take from the stove and plop in the oven. This is something that is a must from my new items (at least one or two of them). I'd like an attractive set of pans too, we have a really nice kitchen, with wal-mart tools (half my handles wobble, etc). I hate cooking when guests are over because of this.

I'm trying to get to the bottom of what I "need". I have a large kitchen, things won't get cluttered. I cook primarily for two, but we have friends over for dinner. Again, I've made due with what I have for years, and rarely is there a complaint about my food. I'm just trying to see what people think the most important items to upgrade are. That seems to have been lost in the ramble. At this point I'm about to let the wife go crazy with the terrible window treatments BBB has and wave goodbye to the idea of upgrading the kitchen. Seems like my question has gone awry.