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1. A colander and bowl set so you can save the pasta water that'll make the sauce silky smooth — starchy pasta water is a powerful emulsifier, which means that sauces won't separate and get all clumpy!
2. A non-stick wok if your stir fry just isn't up to par.
3. A set of four preserving jars, because you'll want to keep your staples as fresh as possible.
4. A salad spinner to dry off you greens once you've washed them so that your homemade vinaigrette actually sticks. Once they're all dry, you can pour the dressing into the opening to evenly mix it throughout.
5. A produce-saving container so you can keep your lettuce, berries, and chopped veggies as fresh as the day you bought them, even if you don't get around to cooking this week.
6. A melamine garbage bowl,because some scraps are more useful in a stock pot than in a landfill...or just because moving back and forth between your workstation and the trash can is annoying and a total waste of time.
7. A Y-shaped peeler that literally every professional cook swears by. Is this a conspiracy?! I want answers!!!
8. A citrus juice press to make sure you're actually using the juice of one lemon when a recipe calls for it.
9. A utility cart so you have plenty of space to spread out and do your prep work.
10. A mandolin slicer if you want your veggies to cook evenly. You'd be hardpressed to find a restaurant that doesn't have one in their kitchen.
11. A bamboo salt cellar so that you can quickly grab a pinch (or a teaspoon) whenever the recipe calls for it.
12. A pair of tongs you can use for everything from flipping delicate pieces of fish to serving up salad.
13. A cast iron dutch oven you'll use a whole lot more than an ungainly slow cooker. You can cook pasta, bake bread, braise meats, and serve all of it right out of the pot because, c'mon, look at how pretty she is!!!
14. And a 3-pack of cast iron skillets, because you can never have too much cast iron. I'm serious. Now you can be the stellar cook you are in the kitchen while you're in the wilderness camping.
15. A folding cutting board so you don't lose a single piece of your diced onions.
16. And a 2-pack of bamboo cutting boards that are essential for bigger jobs. The lip prevents juices and oils from escaping onto your countertops which is a plus in my book.
17. An 18-pack of dish cloths, because keeping a clean kitchen is essential to creating a functional one.
18. A set of five food containers so cooking for one doesn't feel so pointless. You're going to cook a lot more once you realize that you can make the leftovers last for days. Practice makes perfect, after all!
19. A 5-pack of nesting bowls with airtight lids, because trying to mix chopped veggies with oils and spices right on the pan just to avoid washing another dish isn't working. Trust me.
20. A potato ricer with two interchangeable disks so you can make the perfect mashed potatoes... And hey, the holidays are right around the corner!
21. A set of four mesh strainers, because your trusty colander just can't handle the majority of straining tasks. You need something that allows you to drain your grains of excess water, to separate the juice from fruit, or (if you're feeling fancy) to make loose-leaf tea.
22. An immersion blender so you don't burn yourself every time you want to turn a stew into a creamy soup. You can also use it to make sauces, dressings, and lattes.
23. A patty maker if you want evenly shaped (which means evenly cooked) burgers that hold together.
24. A knife set and cutlery block with a built-in knife sharpener so all of your prepwork goes smoothly and produces perfect work.
25. A handheld grater, because there is truly nothing as magical as citrus zest. It can brighten up fried fish, give pasta a hint of sweetness, or balance out heavy sauces.
26. A food processor so you can pulse up some pesto in no time at all.
27. A 5-in-1 pasta maker, because a homemade sauce deserves homemade pasta.
28. A silicone spatula that is essential if you love scrambled eggs.
29. A cooking thermometer to keep you from overcooking the turkey for the fifth Thanksgiving in a row.
30. An 8-inch granite mortar, because trying to chop nuts is a dangerous waste of time.
31. And a steamer basket that'll prove to you that those tough veggies like beets, broccoli, and squash deserve a spot on your plate.
Finally, you've got everything you need to impress the pros.
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