I have a lovely homestead kitchen. There is plenty of space, the counter top is stone, the sink looks over the busy dining area, and wide glass doors lead to a patio. Still, as with anyone who spends plenty of time in this room, I am always designing my “dream” kitchen in the back of my mind.
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After becoming a (mostly) stay-at-home mom and farm dweller, I have become especially invested in my homestead kitchen. I am using this post to organise the jumbled list that floats around in my head. It will also serve to provide ultimate homestead kitchen gift ideas for my husband (right, honey?).
First, though, I’m going to share just a few of the items in my kitchen that I already use and love. No homestead kitchen would be complete without a cast iron skillet. I made this relatively small investment five years ago and we have used it every day since.
I also more recently purchased this food processor. This is not the most expensive brand, but mine has held up well. Grated cheese for a roaster pan full of mac, a season’s peppers for relish, a smooth meat paste for kofta… If you process large amounts of food at once (and if you grow a garden you do), I can’t recommend a food processor enough.
I also particularly love having a mortar and pestle for fresh herbs, a marble rolling pin, and a large French press that I can rely on to serve friends.
My homestead kitchen wishlist
These are the items I often borrow or long for. In places where I have specified brands, it is because I have received personal recommendations for those products that have convinced me to include them. These are simply the items I would buy if I was to go on an unlimited kitchen shopping spree.
I have updated with a Homestead Kitchen Wish List: Part 2. I also review the items I have since obtained from this list.
A Bosch Mixer
So, I used to want a Kitchenaid. They’re so popular and cute with all the trendy little colours. But then my mom burned hers out (twice), and I began to hear of other home cooks who had taken them to task and been thoroughly disappointed. I have been convinced that Bosch mixers are where it’s at. They’re a little pricier, but I think it would be worth the peace of mind knowing that it can handle just about anything you might throw at it.
An All American Pressure Canner
Confessions of a homestead blogger: I have only been canning on my own for a couple years. However, as I begin to enjoy preserving more and more, I am convinced that the next step is to start pressure canning (on my own!). It is intimidating, which is exactly why I lust after an All American pressure canner. The clamping wing nuts seem much more secure, and the gasket-free metal-on-metal sealing system seems much more attractive than the alternatives.
The price of this piece of equipment seems pretty high, but I’m sure it would pay itself off with the variety of food I could begin to preserve.
Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
Speaking of home preserving, the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving is the ultimate resource. Of course the price is non-prohibitive, but for some reason I haven’t added it to my kitchen yet. I know, from browsing the book that is owned by friends, that it is full of basic information, but also imaginative recipes. I sometimes rely on recipes from the internet, which are not always safe. This cookbook will take me the right direction to having everything I need for complete canning in my homestead kitchen.
(Update: I now own one, along with an All American Pressure canner. It is still a top recommendation of mine, which you can see in my post Canning Tips For Beginners: What to Know to Get Started.)
A Maslin Pan
I have a stock pot, of course. I couldn’t do without it. But it turns out I’m greedy, and I also really want a maslin pan. One of these wide-mouth pans would turn jam making into a scorch-free breeze. It could also help with maple syrup reducing, or making large pots of stew. My main requirement would be a nice thick bottom to the pan. While they can be had for fairly cheap I would, of course, want the pricey one that comes with a lid.
Really Good Knives
Knives have been the bane of our kitchen existence, but we actually own a few decent ones now. We store them on a magnetic knife strip, which is a favourite feature of our kitchen. In fact, we frequently buy these strips off Amazon for wedding gifts as they’re unique and oh-so-practical. I would love to pay upwards of $100 for each of our knives, but for now I’ll settle for one really good chef’s knife.
A Vitamix Blender
I actually don’t have a full-size blender. This is because I have burned out several blenders since I first moved out. While I frequently use my bullet blender and especially my stick blender, there are tasks that require a real blender. I have used A Vitamix Blender at a friends house, and it is a beast.
I kinda doubt I will ever pony up the cash for one of these machines. Maybe I will eventually purchase a refurbished Ninja blender. It’s much more affordable and would probably still do everything I need, and more.
Stainless Steel Drinking Cups
My dream kitchen is plastic and teflon free. While that would be hard to achieve, stainless steel is an overlooked option for kitchenware. Of course glass is also readily available, but with a toddler in the house we need a non-breakable option. When I was growing up some friends had stainless steel drinking cups, which I always thought was a great idea. While I get most of my kitchenware secondhand, these cups may be worth the price as they would last forever.
Of course I already use and love stainless steel drinking straws. (Or use silicone straws for young children, as we do at our household.)
While this list is not exhaustive, these are the items that I would most like to add to my homestead kitchen. Remember to click on over to Homestead Kitchen Wish List: Part 2. I’ve posted a bunch of new ideas, and shared my experience with some of the items listed here.
What do you most dream about having that would help with your day-to-day cooking?
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If you have toddlers I highly recommend they do not use stainless steel straws. Look up small children and metal straws. Iris said to see that children have been seriously injured and/or died
thank you, Patti. I’ve added a note to include your concern. See the sentence about choosing silicone for young children.
Good cast iron pans, enamelware pot with lid, Squeezo food mill, rotary food mill, meat grinder(I have all these after a very long time. Living off grid for 20 years.
Great suggestions, thanks for adding them! I am super dependent on my cast iron pans, but I never use my food mill. Might have to start trying to integrate it more… Our heavy duty meat grinder gets good use a few times a year, but would really only be on my recommendation list for those who hunt or grow their own meat.
Currently on my wish list is a Mockmill grain mill and an immersion blender. One of those Maslin pans would be very handy for canning.
Five years ago I saved and bought a Vitamix. Not a week goes by that I don’t use it – green smoothies, nut butters, I have even used it to grind grain. Mother’s day is coming up – this is a great list to pass around (wink, wink).
Oh boy. Now I want one even more! Maybe you should write a post on innovative ways to use a Vitamix!
Mother’s Day… What a great idea for an application of this post ;). I’ve even considered doing a part 2 as I’ve thought of many more items to add since posting this.
I love your idea of having stainless steel glasses! Especially if you have kids around and are worried about drops. Thanks for sharing on the Waste Less Wednesday Blog Hop!
Thanks for the comment! I’ve actually ordered some now. I’m excited for them to get here!
Ok, some of this I have. Some of this I want. But, I NEED a maslin pan! Thanks for sharing!
I know! My jam burns in my stock pot, and that will just not do!
I see you have the All American in your own Amazon shop. Do you love it?
I am with you on all of these things!
Right? I’ve already ordered two of these items (the two cheapest, haha!) since posting this.