 Basic necessities
In addition to the usual basic measuring cups and spoons, good pots and pans and assorted cutting boards, here's my 'essentials' list:
A set of whisks!
I use them constantly, and have 4 sizes, from small to super wide and large ... found I need 2 4" whisks, since I usually need them at the same time for different recipes I have going concurrently during meal preparation.
A lot of deep bowls in different sizes.
Seems like we always need more bowls than we have, both for prep and serving. I started with one set of nested glass bowls and a set of stainless nested bowls, and have added 3 sets of crockery nested bowls over the years and a host of pretty bowls in a bunch of odd sizes for serving.
Good knives and a steel.
Gotta keep the knives sharp, or cooking is more of a chore than a joy, at least for me. I hate to struggle.
A decent peeler.
Henckels makes a good one and we use it almost every day.
A good, sharp zester.
Henckels makes a great one ... although if you don't make a lot of desserts or use fruit peels often, you won't use this much. I use mine constantly, and it's my favorite tool.
A pastry blender and a pastry sock.
For pie crusts, cookies, biscuits, etc. A stretchy cotton sock specifically for a rolling pin is essential (in my opinion) .... keep it floured up and in a zippered plastic bag to use when you need it.
Collanders in several sizes.
I prefer stainless steel mesh. From the small handled ones for straining tea and herbs, a medium sized 2 cup one for draining small batches of veggies or sifting flour, to the large 3 quart size for draining pasta.
A KitchenAid stand mixer.
My best friend in the kitchen. I've had mine almost 30 years, and it's still going strong, day in and day out. There are a lot of accessories for it, such as a grinder and a fruit/vegetable strainer that separates seeds and skin from the fruit or veggie puree if you make jam or sauces. There is a pasta maker, too, but I don't have that.
Heavy guage cookie sheets and baking pans.
Nuff said.
Heavy bottomed stockpots.
I have 2: an 8 qt. size and a 20 quart size. We make a lot of soups in the large one, and cook pasta in the small one. Ones with heavy bottoms (cast aluminum disc, or other layered bottom) keeps things from scorching.
Cast iron skillets.
How can you make fried chicken without a big chicken fryer? Or cornbread without a 10" skillet? Or chicken fried steak without a 12" skillet? Or anything you want browned well and cooked slowly.
Linen dishtowels.
I don't like linty terrycloth ones, but have dozens of linen ones. They double as emergency hotpads and potholders when folded up, and also great for drying crystal, too. Nice for lining drink trays .. they soak up spills and keep glasses from sliding.
Spatulas and ladles.
Seems these are always in the dishwasher! Can't have enough of them. Several sizes of each.
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Nicki 
Last edited by poetic license : 08-29-2006 at 04:55 PM.
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