The Cooking for Two Shop

Here are my recommendations for essential products for the beginner or experienced cook needing guidance. 

Jump To:

• Top Recommendations
• Thermometers
• Knives
• Kitchen Electronics
• Pots and Pans
• Baking Needs
• Grilling Accessories
• Kitchen Accessories
• Some Cookbooks I Own

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Top Recommendations

This category is reserved for the products that make me smile when I use them. They will help you be a better cook, also.

Thermometers

Accurate thermometers are a must for precise cooking. As they say, knowledge is power. A good thermometer will take you from an okay to an excellent cook.

I love my Thermapen, but it is expensive. A cheaper thermometer will be slower but will still be fine. A good thermometer (like the Thermapen) will outlast a cheaper thermometer many times over and save you lots of money and heartache with improperly prepared meat.

To grill well, you need to know the surface temperature of the grill. Please don't spend much on this since they discolor and don't last long.

An oven thermometer should occasionally be used to check the accuracy of your cooking. The oven is one of the most common inaccuracies people have with cooking.

Knives

Good knives are a must. Dull, cheap knives are much more likely to injure and frustrate your cooking experience. There are many excellent brands. I own and use these recommendations daily.

Kitchen Electronics

These are always great kitchen toys and great gifts. These are my choices in my kitchen, but there are many excellent choices—check out mine as a starting point.

Pots and Pans

The copper bottom stuff you grew up with will NOT do—there are many better choices.

Modern cookware will conduct heat much better. I use mostly All-Clad, but Calphalon and many others make excellent products.

Now, go to the William-Sonoma website and sign up for the mailing list. The daily emails are good, but they have an unbelievable deal about once per month.

Lastly, you must have some cast iron. It is cheap and lasts for generations. I like Lodge if your mother won't give you hers.

Baking Needs

Even if you don't bake, you need a few tools to use the oven for cooking other things. Check out these suggestions.

Grilling Accessories

A few recommended grilling accessories. There are a ton of great toys to be had out there. These are useful.

Kitchen Accessories

A few recommended cooking accessories. There are a ton of great toys to be had out there. I use these almost daily.

Some Cookbooks I Own

There are so many cookbooks; here are my top picks.

Last Updated August 5, 2023