The Urban Forager. Elisa Callow

      It is worth paying a bit more for good storage items, including glass and good-quality plastic containers, as well as resealable bags for the refrigerator and freezer. The investment will be made up in food that remains fresh. I don’t recommend using glass in the freezer, as liquid expands as it freezes and can cause glass to crack.

       HERBS TO GROW

      California has a year-round outdoor growing season. In colder climates, plant in a generous-size pot that can be moved indoors or outdoors, depending on the temperature.

      Basil (spring and summer)

      Tarragon (spring and summer)

      Chives (all year)

      Marjoram (all year)

      Parsley (all year)

      Rosemary (all year)

      Thyme and/or oregano (all year)

       A WORD ON FOOD SOURCES

      Recent news about the origins of food, how it is processed, and its safety should not be taken lightly. Paying less for poor ingredients is a false economy, as you can end up with food that does not taste good or store well because it is not fresh.

      Chicken and beef are often raised in cruel environments, and ranching has proved to be one of the most environmentally degrading processes affecting our water and land. In some cases, particularly with meat and eggs, you are eating food that has been raised with growth-producing hormones that may be linked to breast and other cancers.

      Imagine what it requires to raise a cow versus a row of lettuce!

      So consider eating more grains, fruits, and vegetables, and include meat as a condiment rather than the centerpiece of your meal. You will save money, possibly lose weight, and, if you eat products from smaller farms or ranches, you can be more secure about the health and quality of what you eat while supporting the local economy.

COOKING EQUIPMENT

      To cook well, you need to invest in equipment. Even our son has a decent set of knives and pots and pans, and has really enjoyed his adventures in cooking. This list is presented here in order of the most basic to more specialized to respond to your developing abilities and interests. If, for example, you find that you are more interested in baking, you can build on this and treat yourself to some of the many specialty pans. They are beautiful!

       THE BASICS FOR NEW COOKS

      Apron

      Basting brush, silicon

      Blender

      Can opener

      Ceramic baking dishes: rectangular and oval (all ovenproof, varied sizes)

      Colander

      Corkscrew

      Cutting board (I like a heavy wooden board for stability)

      Dish towels, tea towels

      Dutch oven; enameled cast-iron is the best, and worth it

      Flatware, service for 6 (forks, knives, soup spoons, coffee spoons)

      Frying pans: 8- and 11-inch nonstick

      Garlic press (and here is the commercial: Zyliss is the only way to go)

      Half-sheet pans, at least 2 (the most versatile piece of equipment I own)

      Hand mixer

      Instant-read thermometer

      Kitchen shears

      Knives: chef's 7- or 8-inch and paring

      Measuring cups: American dry-measure and glass liquid-measure

      Measuring spoons

      Mixing bowls: 1 medium glass and 3 nesting melamine

      Oven mitts, pot holders

      Parchment paper

      Salt cellar

      Saucepans with lids: 1- and 3-quart

      Sauté pan: 11-inch with lid

      Scale for weighing ingredients (especially for baking, where accuracy matters)

      Sharpening steel and stone for knives

      Spatulas: metal, rubber, silicon

      Spoons: large metal, slotted, wooden, silicon

      Tongs: traditional locking, nonstick-surface friendly

      Vegetable peeler (the serrated ones work best)

       NEXT LEVEL—FOR EXPERIENCED COOKS

      Cake pans: springform, Bundt

      Chef’s long tweezers (more precise than tongs)

      Food processor (I use this almost daily)

      Funnels

Graters: fine and coarse (microplane is far and away the best)

      Immersion blender, for making smooth sauces and soups

      Knives: boning, an extra paring knife, serrated bread knife

      Ladle

      Mortar and pestle, aka molcajete

      Pepper mill

      Pie pan

      Rolling pin, wooden-dowel style

      Sieves: medium and fine mesh

      Spice grinder

      Stockpot: 9-quart with lid

      Whisks: balloon and flat

      Wok

       SPECIALTY EQUIPMENT

      Banneton (a coiled wooden basket for proofing dough)

      Canning equipment: canning jars, jar “lifter,” slotted holder for inner lids, canning funnel, and the big splurge—a copper jam pan

      Comal, for roasting vegetables and chiles on the stove top

      Double boiler, or DIY with a heat-proof measuring cup fitted inside a saucepan

      Offset spatula, for spreading frosting and smoothing out batter

      Pastry blender, for cutting fat into flours

      Pastry cloth, for rolling out dough

      Stand mixer, if baking and pasta-making become a big part of your repertoire

      Tart pans with removable outer ring, 10- or 15-inch

      Tortilla press