I am going to confirm what some of you have suspected for years: I think I might be just a little bit crazy. Here's proof. I am about to profess my undying love for a pot. No, not Prop 19 pot, dude. An actual pot.
Because my husband and I eloped (try it--it's cheaper!), we didn't have a registry. Thus, I have no fancy china, and you'll find nary a gravy boat here. (Though I will confess every Thanksgiving I contemplate buying one.) But, in my kitchen you'll find no shortage of gadgets. "Thingamabobs? I've got twenty." (Bonus points if you can name the movie!)
I've got gadgets for juicing, grating, zesting, crimping, slicing, kneading, whipping, tenderizing, basting, pasta-making, temperature-taking, dating, tempering, scooping and pureeing. Had one once for creme-bruleeing, but sent it back as I suspected no good could come of me having a blow torch--however small--in my kitchen. (And, in case my insurance agent is reading this, there's a fire extinguisher in there. A big one.)
But the star of my kitchen? A basic eight-quart stock pot.
This pot rarely sees the inside of a cabinet. Tonight it steamed the last of my CSA broccoli (the steamer insert is handy). It also has a larger pasta insert, which is why I bought this particular pot, but I don't use it often. It's actually easier to boil the pasta in this pot without the insert, and use a colander. But this pot is the perfect size for pasta, stews and soups, and it's deep enough not to be hazardous when using with an immersion blender (if you've ever splatted yourself with boiling liquid, you know what I'm talking about).
Now, of course, I do have a bigger one. Twelve quarts, I think. I even had to buy a special giant wooden spoon just to use with it. But I only bring that one out for stock-making, and one ill-fated attempt at canning. Another confession: I'm still afraid to actually try the jam I made.
So, I wonder... what's starring in your kitchen?