The following list is made up of kitchen essentials. If you’re serious about a career in culinary arts, spend the extra money on tools of the highest quality so you can use them for years.

• The Knife – If you haven’t already invested in a chef’s knife for yourself, now’s the time. While the best knives run over $100 apiece, this is not an item to scrimp on. Five years from now, when you’re still slicing and dicing with ease, you’ll be glad you spent the extra $60.
• Cookware – If you still have some cash left after the knife purchase, invest in some pots and pans. Don’t have enough for that Le Creuset set you’ve been drooling over? Check out last month’s posting on cast iron cookware, a economical and practical alternative.
• Wooden Spoon – You’ll be stirring many a soup, chowder, batter and dough over the next thirty years. Find yourself a wooden spoon that feels good when it’s in your hand. If you’re partial to beautiful tools, look for a hand-crafted spoon which could become a family heirloom if you care for it correctly.
• Cutting Boards – Still got some cash to burn? You won’t regret investing in a good cutting board. Measure your counter space before you go shopping to ensure that you pick a board that fits. A good wooden cutting board will be a functional and attractive addition to your kitchen for years to come.

• They last and last. Probably your grandmother used cast-iron (in fact, there may be a few pieces in your attic, which with a little work could quickly become useful once again).
• Cast iron is relatively inexpensive. Even if you buy a new piece (which may not be necessary, given the amount of used cast iron available online or at thrift stores), it won’t put you out nearly as whichever high-priced fancy piece is in fashion this month.
• It can move from stovetop to oven and back again, in a single bound. No need to worry about melting anything. Just be sure to have a good oven mitt (preferably leather) to effectively grab your hot (and heavy) skillet.
• Cast iron conducts and holds heat with ease. Stews, soups, or stocks cooked in a covered cast iron Dutch oven will stay warm for hours, allowing flavors to meld and ingredients to finish cooking.
• Season your pan well (easy instructions can be found online) and you shouldn’t need to use much oil for cooking in it.

Throw down a few bucks for a cast iron skillet, learn how to properly season it, and you, too, may quickly become a convert. Turns out your grandmother was right about a few things after all!