Small kitchen basics
Where do you start planning your kitchen? Do you plan? Or have you grown organically (pun intended!)?
As I plan my move, I will need to get by on a tiny amount of kitchen items so that almost everything is packed. This means I am thinking of what I really use. A good way to know what you use is to keep up with your dishes and see what you use daily. Do you use the same pans and dishes? Could you use a smaller number of dishes as long as you keep up with your dishes? This amount of kitchen tools, gadgets and basics would be about the same if I were to move into a short stay hotel or a studio apartment.
I start with three pans from my set. I won't need the entire pan set since I use the 1 qt, 2 qt and smallest frying pan to do nearly all of my cooking.
I need at least one turner, and several two spatulas one wide one and a skinny one I can clean out jars with.. I can use the spatulas to turn food, to stir, to empty pots or jars or clean off a dish. I use measuring cups to measure and to dish up food. I will also keep one set of measuring spoons out.
I am keeping out 2 spaghetti bowls, 2 cereal bowls and 2 small plates, 4 tablespoons, 4 spoons, 2 forks and 2 knives along with a steak knife and my two chopping knives. I will pack my drawer dividers from Joseph Joseph in my last box to my new place. These are a necessity wherever I live. They can hold an amazing amount of silverware and knives in one drawer. If it doesn't fit, I do not need that many pieces of silverware.
I almost forgot coffee. I have several choices for coffee. I can boil water in my small sauce pan, which I usually do, and make my coffee a cup or two at a time with the Aeropress coffee and espresso maker. I have carried this with me traveling, and it
takes up a small amount of space in my itty bitty kitchen. The filters are in a small stack inside one of my drawers along with my meat thermometer, can opener and a couple of jar fillers from my canning supplies. I have a four cup coffee pot and a twelve cup coffee pot. I will keep one of the small lightweight canisters filled with my coffee blend and carry that in the milk crate sized box of kitchen goods. I blend my coffee beans. I like my coffee partway between Sumatra dark and a basic medium roast coffee.
I will empty my basic spices into smaller spice jars for ease of carrying. I already have the spice jars so I will just decant from the larger jars to the small jars. My necessary spices will be my curry mix, Arizona Dreaming mix and Italian spices from Penzey's spice company. Also whole cumin that I roast and grind fresh for a week or two supply at most. Dried onion, garlic, smoked paprika, oregano and basil. Anything else I will get by without until I get my full shelf of spices back up.
For clean up I have one steel ball, a magic eraser generic sponge, 3 microfiber cloths, bamboo reusable paper towels and a green pad to clean with. I use Dawn dish soap since nothing else seems to get the grease out as well.
For clean up I have one steel ball, a magic eraser generic sponge, 3 microfiber cloths, bamboo reusable paper towels and a green pad to clean with. I use Dawn dish soap since nothing else seems to get the grease out as well.