Utensibility: Kitchen Basics

Following B+P's lead, I thought I'd open with a rundown of my favorite tools.

• 
  First and foremost is my Mundial 8" chef's knife (~$40) from Columbus Cutlery. I use some other knives occasionally (carbon steel paring and boning and an OK cleaver), but I use this for almost everything.
• 
  The surface I make a mess on daily: my round bamboo butcher block from Costco (~$14, such a deal!), solid on one side, jus collector groove on the other. This goes for $60 elsewhere, and it's easy to spend >$100 for something similar. I wish I'd bought three of them.
• For pots and pans, I have a rag tag collection that works fine for me:
  • Hand-me-downs from Mom, my Revereware copper bottom 2 and 3 qt. saucepans and 5 qt. pot (labelled as 2 qt., strange) from the late 60's. They're light and cheap, but they conduct heat quickly and evenly, and they clean up great. Tip from America's Test Kitchen for cleaning stained copper: apply a coat of ketchup, let sit, and wipe.
  • Anolon 8 qt. stock pot and 12" fry pan (bonus with the stock pot)-- I beat the hell out of them and they like it.
  • 10" stainless steel pan and cast iron skillets, heavy but cheap from Macy's.
  • T-Fal "Sapphire" 8" non-stick pan, part of a set and the only survivor after 11 years. I have no idea why its non-stick coating is intact-- I'm cruel to it.
• Translucent high temperature spatulas by Culinary Technologies from The Gourmet Depot. I prefer the translucent material to the fancy colors Le Creuset uses.

Next up... power tools!