These are the kitchen tools, pantry staples, and equipment I actually use in my cottage food service kitchen in Alaska. Everything here has earned its spot — either it makes my work easier, my food better, or both. My kitchen is my happy place.
Kitchen Tools
Lodge Cast Iron Skillet
An absolute workhorse — I use this for everything from searing salmon to cornbread. Pre-seasoned, practically indestructible (almost), and it just gets better with every use. So versatile. I love cooking in cast iron with the even, long-lasting heat and ability to pop it in the oven. The right recipes are meant for this pan and look so good sitting on a cast iron stage.
Instant Pot Pro 10 in 1 Pressure Cooker
Roasts, soups, stocks, chicken, beans — this cuts my prep time in half. The 8-quart is worth the extra counter space if you are cooking for a crowd or batch cooking ahead. I often say that Instant Pot should pay me. I have had several of them, gifted them, and just could not live without them. One of my favorite things to cook in the Instant Pot is hard-boiled eggs. Believe it or not, I love to do pasta in it too. I’ve made banana bread in it too! If I’m being honest I have owned other brands of multi-function pressure cookers and a few different iterations of the Instant Pot brand. This one I really like because it has handles and the lid slides right into the rim. Past “hang it on the button” was frustrating for me. I also love this one because I’m a closet nerd and love that there’s an app for that. At the time I purchased this one, that was one of the selling points. I’ll tell you the lid hanger and handles are THE best. Bonus? My little rolling cart fits it perfectly. Disclaimer: This one is the “newest” one I’ve purchased in 2024.
KitchenAid Mixer
Oh my goodness! Whoda thunk that this would be one of my favorite tools? Well, it is. And now I have two of them. They are just beasts. I’ve got some great attachments that I use…especially the shredder attachment. This mixer is heavy but used often for whipping cream, a “loaf” (6lbs) of bread, and making Christmas or hunting cookies. No problem for this mixer. And then the “baby” KitchenAid is a cherished old girl that came to me recently. It is truly a classic from way back in the day. While I haven’t used it as much as the 7-quart, the spunk of the motor is deceiving. I am not a dedicated baker, but this machine is one I don’t want to live without.
Pantry Staples
Coming soon — my go-to spices, oils, and Alaska pantry finds.
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