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Recent addition: All-Clad Copper-Core Saute Pan

A recent addition to my kitchen tool collection is my All-Clad Copper-Core 3qt saute pan.  Williams-Sonoma was having a really good sale (boy those newsletter emails can be dangerous) and we scored a good deal.  And I've been loving it - especially as how (almost all of) the rest of the pots and pans in the kitchen are all Calphalon anodized (non-stick.)  Those came along with Husband.  And while non-stick is great for lots of things, especially egg omelets, it's not so great for searing and making pan sauces (since there's nothing to deglaze if there's no sticking.) 
When I first opened the box I think I ooohed and aaahed for a good half hour.  It's so shiny and pretty.  (And cleans up nicely too, especially if I find the right balance b/w heat settings so as not to discolor with too-high heat.)  The lid that came with it is so smooth and shiny that it's like a mirror.  Seriously, no clue how they got it that shiny.
And how does it perform?  (A relevant question since performance is more significant than looks in my kitchen.)  It's delightful.  Heats fast.  Heats evenly (well, as evenly as my less-than-stellar range allows).  Cooks fast.  And I don't have to worry if a guest tries to be helpful and uses a metal utensil with it (which is a big no-no with the Calphalon!)  And did I mention that it cleans easily?  Supposedly it's dishwasher-safe, but I can't bring myself to put this baby in the dishwasher (okay, especially since right now we have an old dishwasher that barely cleans things.)
In summary... a great pan.  Definitely the most expensive pan I've ever purchased.  But I'm pretty positive that it'll be an integral part of my kitchen for many many years to come.  Will I go purchase an entire set of copper-core? No.  But that's because I subscribe to the Alton Brown theory of purchasing pans (and tools) to fit their function, not so they all match.  Would I recommend it to any other kitchen folk? Absolutely. 
(And a little note, TJ Maxx and Home Goods sometimes get some out-of-box Copper-core on their shelves.  I don't know if the warranty applies, and they're sometimes scratched, but the prices are significantly lower.)

Introducing my cookbook collection

This is my cookbook collection. I have some favorites and some barely-used. Though I also make extensive use of the Internet and will eventually catalogue the recipes in my years and years of Food & Wine magazine.

My favoritist is probably the Gourmet Cookbook (thick yellow on bottom shelf.) I wish it had pictures of the final product, but then they wouldn't have fit as many great (and surprisingly approachable) recipes.

My most used is the Better Homes & Garden's "New Dieter's Cookbook" (white binder on bottom shelf.) Not so much because we're dieting, but because it does have a) good number of recipes for the size, b) simple recipes, c) pictures, and d) a bunch of quick recipes.

Another favorite but less used (due to the fact that a certain adult in the family isn't very fond of vegetables) is the Williams-Sonoma Guide to Healthful Eating (green hardcover on bottom shelf.) It has AMAZING pictures. I like the organization of the book and the layout of the recipe (one per page.) And it also has some really delicious recipes. Finally, it also has some 'textbook' aspect where it reviews tips and strategies for improving your cooking to be more healthful, how to select fresh ingredients and cooking techniques. Actually, once I get a cataloged list of my cookbooks up, you'll note I have a lot of Williams-Sonoma books (pretty much the entire right side of the top shelf up there.) (I find them frequently on the bargain shelves at Barnes & Noble.)

Some additional highlights:

Alton Brown's "I'm Just Here for the Food" - enjoyable. Though since the show transcripts can be easily found on the Good Eats Fan Page, the recipes are up on Food Network, and many many show clips are on YouTube, the book is kindof redundant. But it's a good primer, especially for someone new to cooking.

Betty Crocker... yes, there are two of them there (middle of top shelf.) The one on the left is my husband's that his mom gave him. The one on the right is mine that my best friend gave me years ago. It's VERY interesting to see the differences between the two books (his is from 1970 (I think... title page is long gone) and mine is 1991.)

Legal Seafood's Cookbook - One of the few restaurants (East Coast) I'll order fish at. (I'm very very picky about fish.) The New England Clam Chowder is delicious. And quite the process. I made it for Super Bowl Sunday a few years back and have since determined that mail-ordering from the restaurant is easier (and perhaps even cheaper, depending on the price of fresh clams!)

Joy of Cooking - every kitchen needs one of those.

New Complete International Jewish Cookbook - it's like the Jewish Kitchen's version of "Joy of Cooking"

Welcome to my kitchen

The kitchen is my favorite room in the house. It's where I recharge - either alone, with family or family and friends. Any social gathering always ends up in the kitchen.
I'm a wanna-be foodie. Living in a more urban area than I have been the past three years makes that easier.
I am not a chef... more of a cook. I do usually follow a recipe and sometime adapt them for my own, but I'm not skilled yet at developing my own creations.
I'm fortunate to have a great kitchen space right now. I don't love the appliances but I have great tools to make up for it.
I'm a fan of Alton Brown and Good Eats. I read Shirley Corriher (Cookwise) and Harold McGee (On Food and Cooking) for fun.
I anticipate writing about kitchen tools, appliances, techniques, food science and even some recipes (and especially cookbooks.)

Pour yourself a drink, grab a snack, pull up a stool or chair and welcome!