Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks, and Good Food by Jeff Potter

and used in dishes.
    Lettuce and salad greens.  Check greens bought in bunches for insects. Wash leaves, wrap in a towel or paper towel, and then store in the fridge in a plastic bag.
    Onions.  Keep in a cool, dry space away from bright light. Onions do best in an area that allows for air circulation. Do not place onions near potatoes, because potatoes give off both moisture and ethylene, causing onions to spoil more quickly.
    Questions about other produce? See http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov and http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/Produce/ProduceFacts/ .
    ----
    Here’s what I consider the essential kitchen items. We’ll cover each in turn.
    Bare Minimum Equipment
    Knives
Cutting board
Pots and pans
Measuring cups and scales
Spoons & co.
Thermometer and timers
Bar towels
    Standard Kitchen Equipment
    ← All that, plus...
Storage containers
Strainers
Mixers & co.

Bare Minimum Equipment
    Here’s the equipment that you’ll need at a bare minimum.
    Knives
    Knife blades made of steel are manufactured in one of two ways: forging or stamping. Forged blades tend to be heavier and “drag” through cuts better due to the additional material present in the blade. Stamped blades are lighter and, because of the harder alloys used, hold an edge longer. Which type of knife is better is highly subjective and prone to starting flame wars (or is that flambé wars?), and with some specialty sashimi knives listing for upward of $1,000, there are plenty of options and rationales to go around.
    Some people like a lighter knife, while others prefer something with more heft. Personally, I’m perfectly happy with a stamped knife (currently, Dexter-Russell’s V-Lo series) for most day-to-day work, although I do have a nice forged knife that I use for slicing cooked meats.

    Chef’s knife. If I could take only one tool to a desert island, it would be my chef’s knife. What size and style of chef’s knife is best for you is a matter of preference. A typical chef’s knife is around 8” / 20 cm to 9” / 23 cm long and has a slightly curved blade, which allows for rocking the blade for chopping and pulling the blade through foods. If you have a large work surface, try a 10” / 25 cm or larger knife. Or, if you have smaller hands, you might want to look at a Santoku-style knife, a Japanese-inspired design that has an almost flat blade and a thinner cross-section. Keep in mind, though, that Santoku knives are best suited for straight up-and-down cutting motions, not rocking chopping motions or pulling through foods.

    Paring knife. A paring knife has a small (~4” / 10 cm) blade and is probably the most versatile knife in the kitchen. I’ve had some chefs confide to me that their favorite knives are the scalloped paring knives, since they are useful for cutting so many different types of items. They’re designed to be held up off the cutting board, knife in one hand, food item in the other, for tasks such as removing the core from an apple quarter or cutting out bad spots on a potato. I find that the almost pencil-like grip design of some commercial paring knives allows me to twirl and spin the knife in my fingers, so I can cut around something by rotating the knife instead of rotating the food item or twisting my arms. Personally, I prefer a scalloped blade — one that is serrated — because I find it cuts more easily.

    Bread knife. Look for an offset bread knife, which has the handle raised up higher than the blade, avoiding the awkward moment of knuckles-touching-breadboard at the end of a slice. While not an everyday knife, in addition to cutting bread and slicing bagels, bread knives are also handy for cutting items like oranges, grapefruits, melons, and tomatoes because of the serrated blade.

    Boning knife. If you plan to cook fish and meat, consider acquiring a boning knife, which is designed to sweep around bones. A boning knife has a thinner, more flexible blade than a chef’s knife, allowing you to avoid hitting bones,