A Man's Whirled: Every Guy's Guide to Cooking with a Blender

About the Author Chris Peterson is a writer and single father who lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. When not writing, he indulges his passion for the Yankees, cooking, eating, gardening, the Blues, and pinball, though not necessarily in that order. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Chapter One: Rookie Playbook: The Kitchen Basics It all comes back to those days in Boy Scouts and that memorable motto: "Be prepared." You wouldn't try to restore a vintage Harley with a screwdriver and a saw and you can't expect to start cooking real meals when all you've got is a can opener and a pot you picked up at a yard sale. Truth is, even with the world's best blender, you're going to need a few other essentials to make memorable chow. But don't panic -- the right equipment and supplies don't need to break the bank and they'll make any cooking you do easier and more enjoyable. Start by compiling a small collection of essential bakeware and cookware. The simple man's kitchen is equipped with cast iron or nonstick aluminum cookware. Cast iron has great heating characteristics but cleanup can be a pain. Choose enameled cast iron if you opt for iron pots and pans, but for our purposes, high-quality aluminum nonstick cooking gear is best. Here's a list of the fundamental pieces, but you might find more complete sets on sale. Pick other individual pieces to suit your cooking style.