Food, Sustainable Living

An Intentional Kitchen

by Jazz

We all know that things aren’t made like they used to be; that is definitely true for kitchen tools and appliances. I’ve had one too many as-seen-on-tv (yes I am guilty of buying too many items from that section in Bed, Bath & Beyond) break or lose one single piece that can’t be replaced – it’s instantly trash, what a waste of a great idea, and even more so, what a waste of resources mined from the planet we stand on. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had enough! I’m trying to be so intentional with the items I bring into my space, I only buy multi use tools and I research the items and wait on them at least a week (or longer), before deciding to purchase. Here are a few items that are made to last, that help me to love cooking more and more every day.

Dutch Oven

While I’m still salty towards my sister and cousin for ruining it for me (thanks to their obsession with the Sundance Film Festival Director Stephanie Soechtig’s ‘The Devil We Know’), I’m glad I’m aware of the dangers of non-stick surfaces like Teflon. We are increasingly more aware about the dangers of Teflon and similar non-stick coated pans to our health and our planet. Once disposing of the very last non-stick pan once they started scraping and flaking, I searched for a more green alternative. Enter: Lodge Enameled Dutch Oven. A good dutch oven is hands-down, one of the most versatile items in your kitchen. They can be used in both the oven and on the stovetop—ideal for one-pot meals; gently simmering soups, stews, and sauces; quickly boiling water for pasta; getting a great fry on your tofu; and of-course baking fresh bread. Hell, I made a stir-fry in mine last night!

Griddle

I have a Lodge Cast Iron Pro-Grid Reversible Griddle – I can’t remember the last time I cooked with an actual pan. I use the flat top side every day, and when feeling fancy, I flip it over to the grill side for some charring action. It’s the single most used thing in the kitchen, from toasting a slice of bread for my avocado toast, to sauteeing veggies for taco tuesdays, to grilling corn and asparagus for Saturday even BBQs, to perfectly cooked Sunday morning pancakes.

An Amazing Chefs Knife & Knife Sharpener

A great knife should be able to give you paper thin slices of tomato without having the push or squeeze the tomato – I cringe when I pick up a dull knife and squish the tomato just to get a chunky slice with all the seeds spewed all over the cutting board.