A few weeks into the initial lock-down, a group of young co-workers asked me to join a texting recipe exchange group. All in their early-mid thirties. Two have toddlers. Not one of them cook at all. TJ and WholeFood shoppers--FreshDirect for bulk staples. Milk, eggs, etc. Bagged salad kits, TJ frozen food meals. Small kitchens and tiny fridge/freezers.
About that same time, Zwilling on-line had a pandemic 4 quart Staub dutch oven for 99$ free shipping. I suggested a decent chef knife and a good cutting board--minimum 15inch wide--best 18".
They all purchased the Staub and still thank me. Oxo cutting board over wood since I knew they would not know how to care for a Boos.
Sticker shock when I suggested the Victorinox. (under 50 bucks). The Mercer culinary is 18$. I have two similar 8inch at the beach home purchased 20 years ago from a downtown restaurant supply that we used to teach our young nieces and nephews knife skills during week long family reunions.
Mine have similar heafty handles and nubby plastic that seems comfortable for many different hand sizes.
(DH hides his good knife and I hide my egg pan from house guests).
Not everyone needs or has a kitchen tool/pot/pan obsession. Or knows how to take care of them or cares. One of my co-workers loves her chef knife she uses but it is a steak knife with the serrated tip so it does the job for her fine, 😂. (she did not know it is a steak knife)
Most of these co-workers are back to pre-pandemic habits but they learned so much at that time. Some are still baking bread but every couple of months. Not twice a week. One husband advanced to Forkish pinch-and-fold and purchased a book or two. Now pizza is his obsession.
*I sent out many packages of yeast for a few months.--Costco container in the freezer. Most purchased flour for the first time but did not know why or that yeast was hard to find at the time. Or that yeast was needed for bread.
