Find cool stuff, save money, subvert corporatocracy: Thrift kitchen tools
There's always good stuff to find, if you know where to look
Editor’s note: If you’re here and reading this, let me first say from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I’ve long been kicking around an idea for some time to make a space to write about food and the like, so I’m pleased to introduce Braised & Confused, which will ostensibly be about food and cooking. But those who know me know it’s inevitable we’ll wade into various other realms, arguably including this debut weekend piece.
The intent, for now, is at least two pieces of writing a week to appear in this space, one coming each weekend and one midweek. A piece about Super Bowl promotional work and a food package I received will run in the next week or so. A firmer publishing schedule, among other features, is also in the works. But for now, please enjoy this debut, subscribe and share. Thank you — Andrew Graham.
To start, a list.
Knives; chef, serrated, paring (and something to sharpen them)
A pot (ideally multiple, various sizes)
A skillet (same deal as above)
Sheet pan(s), various sizes
Tongs
Spatulas (one heatproof rubber, one for flipping stuff)
Cutting board(s)
Colander/mesh strainer
Mixing bowl(s)
Can opener
Ladle or large spoon
Kitchen towels
That is what I’d buy to start outfitting a kitchen, appliances and serveware notwithstanding. And I’m probably forgetting a number of things. If you were to buy all these items retail, it would likely cost you several hundred dollars at the low end and as much as a down-payment in the Hamptons if you go to, say, Williams-Sonoma. (Shopping there is a very quick tell that the impulse controls in your brain have been replaced by cotton candy or you’re just wealthy to the point you should consider paying down my student loans. Holler!)
Thrifting or buying second hand presents an obvious solution, breaking down the financial barrier to get some nicer stuff. And at a time where the cost of living has quickly outpaced the growth of wages and buying power of most of us, and the itchy blanket of corporate authoritarianism continues to get pulled over us, there’s a cogent case to be made that reusing stuff, buying it second hand and generally extracting ourselves from the human and environmental horrors of our overconsumption is a net societal good. While it’s not that denying Calphalon $200 dollars is going to change the world on its own, every small step, every conscious choice to put our individual and collective well being over “GDP go up” is part of a bigger mosaic of change.
So where to begin?
I have thrifted the following kitchen items:
Two stainless steel saucepans, one copper clad
A stainless steel skillet
A small pan, also copper clad
A large food mill
A potato ricer
A set of Japanese steel knives
A knife block
Wire cooling rack
A coffee/spice grinder
A springform pan
A rolling pin
A crock that looks like a Campbell’s tomato soup can
And it bears mentioning that the non-copper saucepan and the stainless skillet are both All-Clad, which is a pretty well-regarded brand for its quality. The coffee grinder is a Braun. These are quality items that work, and work well. All but the coffee grinder are non-electric and most aren’t mechanical in any way. They’ve been worn and used, but are all in solid condition. The knives needed sharpening. Not everything quality in this world is new, or without effort.
And all told, I probably didn’t pay more than $10 for any single item listed above. It did require some patience and persistence, though, along with leaving the beaten track.
Currently, I live full-time in Detroit, and am from East Lansing, Michigan. For most of my day-to-day life, the thrift stores within a reasonable distance of me are also within a reasonable distance of thousands of other people also hoping to save a dollar on a lot of the consumer goods. You can certainly strike gold thrifting in major metro areas or population centers, but going slightly further afield can lead to more reliable results.
My most consistent source of good finds is going thrifting when I travel to Alpena, Michigan, where my mom is from and my family still has the house on Lake Huron.
And I have a (moderately grim) theory as to why this has been a honey hole, relating to the elderly skew of the population of Alpena County resulting in surplus of supply (you can probably do the math). Currently, nearly 18% of people in Alpena County are between the ages of 60 and 69; 41% of the county's population is 55 and up. (This is according to Census data I had accessed before a bunch of chuds started dismantling the government we pay for, but I digress.)
Rather than bog down in questioning the morality of saving money by using a pot or pan that perhaps belonged to a dead person because they had more buying power in their life, it seems most sensible to focus on the fact that these are tools, and tools meant to be used. And good ones, if cared for and used properly, can last a life time or longer. Heirloom quality means something. Plus, it’s not difficult to imagine the deceased would be pleased to know something of theirs found a new home, anyways.
In the handful of years I’ve been doing this, I’d say probably about a quarter of the kitchen stuff I use on a regular basis has been thrifted. And a good portion of my non-thrifted gear I buy direct from a local restaurant supply store rather than via heinously-marked-up retail — something I’ll surely write about, and you should look into where you live, too.
It’s not a one-size-fits-all, and those looking to buy something like a Cuisinart food processor or a KitchenAid stand mixer or any really sought-after items will need to look under every rock and follow every lead, and likely compromise on their final result, if they’re buying secondhand. That’s the nature of the beast.
But take a stop at a second hand or thrift store the next time you’re somewhere less traveled, or head there when you might need to add to your arsenal. You’ll never know what you can find, but chances are, your persistence will be rewarded.
This month’s recipe (will come next weekend)
I have bigger plans for a recipe library, but it seems sensible to also share them via this medium. But they also take a fair bit of time to develop and get ready to publish, so my inclination is to slow-roll them, at least for now. The first will be Detroit-style pizza, but rather than share a half-baked (forgive my puns) recipe, I want to take a final week to ensure it’s ship shape before I share it.
And in general, I’ll share the recipes in this format once a month, for similar reasons.
What I’ve been listening to in the kitchen
Cooking in silence is sicko behavior. True Hannibal Lecter shit, although even he might’ve turned on some opera. Either talk with someone or turn on some tunes/a podcast.
Mock at your pleasure, but I’ve unironically gotten into Pete & Bas — real names Peter Bowditch and Basil Bellgrave — who are best described as a British geezer drill rap duo. It’s a true cultural collision that tickles my brain, especially this merengue-esque beat.
May we all aspire to be like these chaps, right down to the No. 42 James Worthy Carolina jersey.
Something good I ate this week (that I didn’t cook)
I love a diner, and my first test for any is the club sandwich. I was down in Bedford Township, Michigan, near the Ohio border, to cover some high school wrestling recently and stopped by the Red Star Diner.
Eminently solid turkey club, and the fries were delightfully crisp. The steady flow of older folks on this weekday afternoon was a good sign, too.
Something light, to finish
Enjoy this pic of my housemate’s dog, Otto, and his pal, Daisy, who we were dog sitting this weekend. They’re good pups.
Keep watching this space for more. And until then, be good to yourself and those around you.
I AM paying off your students loans and hence NOT shopping at WS.
I trust a man who’s taste leads him to post on club Sando’s 🫡