As I read about the downsized cookware concept, it set me to pondering. If I had to pick one number and that number capped each of these categories: my number of pots and pans, number of metal tools, number of knives, number of baking items, number of pieces of ceramic cookware, number of wooden tools…and within those numbers I would feel comfortable continuing to cook as I do, largely unchanged, what would that number be and what items would go in each category? I am sure I’ll rethink this, but I am shooting for four. I am also assuming that things like cutting boards and knife sharpening don’t count.
Pots and pans…24 cm sauté, 2 liter sauce, 6 liter casserole, and 2 liter cocotte
Metal tools…tongs, whisk, ladle, colander
Knives…10" chef, bread, parer, and steel
Baking…loaf pan, two jellyroll pans, and Savarin
Ceramic…terrine, large gratin, soufflé dish, and mixing bowl
Wooden tools…spatula, spoon, slotted spoon, rolling pin
Obviously some of these would take on multiple uses, like roasting on a jelly roll pan, but I do not think my overall cooking would need to change much, if at all.
If I add a category for small appliances and assume coffee making does not count since life is impossible without it, I am going with toaster, IB, waffle iron, and FP.
Yours (if you want to play)? Where did I miss the mark?
Great List!!
I’d like to add “Stand Mixer”, “Slow Cooker” and “Rice Cooker”.
My “stand mixer” gets a workout from cakes to making pasta (roller and cutter attachment) and everything in between.
If I have errands to run or other projects going on, I enjoy putting dinner in the “slow cooker” and letting it take care of that meal.
I have one that is fairly large for making soups and a small Thanksgiving turkey. Although the skin does not get crispy, the turkey meat is not as dry (as when I tried cooking the bird in the oven).
And finally my “rice cooker”, as I’m not very good at making rice without the thing.
I can’t live with your “pot and pan” constraints. I need my cast iron Dutch oven, a small saucepan, a larger frying pan or brazier, and… And I need more variety in the baking category. At least two 8" and 9" cake pans, a Charlotte mold, a Bundt pan. A gradation of stainless steel working bowls.
I guess I’m not as minimalist as you.
Ah okay - but that does seem a little too small to me.
I’ll replace your 2l cocotte with a 28 cm saute pan. Perfect for when you need floor real estate, eg meatballs, mussels and so on.
In real life: I’d pick the 30cm low Le Creuset dutch oven. That would mean out of the 4 pans 2 are copper (sauce pan and 24 saute pan), and 2 are enameled cast iron Le Creusets…
For the rest I think I can live with your selection.
I assure you I am anything but minimalist! This was just a fantasy exercise. It would be more work, but I think I could handle the vast majority of my regular cooking with this. In my real world the selection of weapons is pretty extreme. I do not own a duck press, a sausage stuffer, or a tutove, but unless you go super esoteric that is about it.
