Food Blogger's Four Favorite Kitchen Wish List Items - Jean of Delightful Repast

I enjoy Jean's Delightful Repast blog tremendously and came to meet its creator/author Jean online. (I suspect that one of these days, we'll meet each other offline, too.) It occurred to me that a kitchen wish list post would be a great Fourth Anniversary/Kitchen Week contribution and Jean graciously agreed to write it for us. These are her four favorites... If you cook, maybe they'll become yours, too! 


*** 


I began following Gold Notes shortly after I started my food blog, Delightful Repast, in February 2010. Can't recall how I first came upon it, but I remember being instantly drawn in by Jamie's trademark "sensible style solutions." Though it was three years since my own kitchen remodel, I was (and still am) fascinated with the subject. When I received Jamie's invitation to do a guest post about my Four Kitchen Wishes, I had just that morning been thinking about how much I love my kitchen, how wonderfully well-equipped it is and how there are just four things I need!


Refrigerator


The one appliance I did not replace at the time of the remodel is now 28 years old; it could die any time. I'm doing the research now so when that sad day comes I won't be completely refrigerator-less for weeks while I come to a decision! My requirements are: 


* Energy-efficient 
* Quiet 
* White 
* Must fit in my refrigerator cabinet space, which is 33 inches wide and 72 inches high 
* Have always had top freezer, but will consider other styles.

KitchenAid Architect Series II Model KBFS22EWWH

[JG Note:  You should also look for energy efficiency and quiet operation, no matter what configuration you choose... And, like Jean, be sure to double check all of your dimensions, including depth, before you buy a new refrigerator.]


Heavy-Duty Stand Mixer 


I'm an avid baker and have always made everything, including all kinds of bread, by hand. Over the years, as I've gotten lazier, I have warmed up to the idea of getting a heavy-duty stand mixer. My requirements are: 


* Less than 16.5 inches high so it will fit under special molding that conceals under-cabinet lighting 
* White 
*Possibilities include KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart, Cuisinart 5.5-quart, Breville 5-quart 

KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixer

[JG Note:  As Jean shares here, be sure that what you choose will fit in the space you have planned!]


Dish Towels 


I use as few paper towels as possible for the sake of the environment, so I blow through a lot of dish towels! I'd like to get three dozen as soon as "my" color makes a comeback. My requirements are: 


* High quality cotton terry 
* Yellow and white (and it has to be a certain shade of yellow--butter yellow, golden, but yellow not gold) 

Yellow Ripple Terry Dishtowel from KitchenWorks

[JG Note:  The towels Jean is considering can be machine washed and dried.  Choose textiles for your kitchen that work with how you live, too!]

Outdoor Grill (for just outside the kitchen)


After all, summer's here! My requirements are: 


* Gas 
* With an enclosed cart, not just a front panel 
* Easy to roll 

Weber Spirit E-320 Classic

[JG Note:  Jean is looking for a grill that's easy to roll.  This is especially important if you're going to move it regularly,  as I would myself.  Sturdiness counts in this regard, too, as you don't want a wheel coming off while you're transporting it to your garage for safe keeping.]


***


As a freelance writer specializing in food, weddings, etiquette and entertaining, Jean has written for many magazines and newspapers as well as the Web. She started the popular blog DelightfulRepast.com in 2010 to share her favorite comfort foods. Though Jean is an omnivore, recipes developed in the Delightful Repast “test kitchen” include gluten-free, nondairy, vegan and vegetarian as well as dishes that reflect her heritage (English and Southern) and eclectic tastes. Needless to say, her kitchen is the heart of her home.