Here we go

For about 5 years now, I've been lucky enough to be on the receiving end of hundreds of kitchen items. How? My husband has worked for two particular retail companies where he makes decisions about what products to sell in their stores. Often times, the manufacturer will send him products to try and, since he's not much of a chef (he's working on it!), he gives them to me to try and I, in turn, tell him what I think. So, why not write about my experiences? Maybe it'll help someone who is considering one of these items for purchase.

In this blog I plan to review cookbooks, kitchen staples, gadgety stuff, and even food itself. And I'll be honest about what I really think. Even though my husband works for a company that sells this stuff (and you'll probably be able to figure out which one), I will try to remain unbiased. They have their own professional testers, but it couldn't hurt to hear it from someone with a home kitchen. Isn't that the vast majority of people anyway?

I think I'll start with listing the staples that I use in my kitchen. My kitchen is probably outfitted differently than yours, but remember: I've had the fortune of trying lots of different things and picking my favorite. Here they are:

Pots and Pans: a mixture of All-Clad d5 and Copper Core, a couple of Le Creuset dutch ovens in various sizes, and one Staub dutch oven, my newest love.

Knives: mostly Shun, but the knife I use the most is a 7.5" Santoku style Kikuichi knife.

Tools: I have two drawers and two crocks full of tools, but the ones I use the most are kitchen tongs for grabbing and silicone spatulas for stirring and scraping.

Small Appliances: Breville Countertop Convection Oven (in other words, a toaster oven), Breville Espresso Maker, Technivorm Moccamaster Coffee Maker, Breville Blender (this may change... I've been through 5 blenders so far and I think I've found #6), Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer, Magimix Cuisine Systeme 5200 (food processor).

And that's where we'll begin.