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Yay for Adulting! Podcast - Episode 4 - Kitchen Stuff, Pt 1
9 Plays28 days ago
Kitchen Stuff Part 1 is here and we’re talking all things kitchen setup with a Baby Boomer, Gen Xer, Millennial, and Gen Zer. We kick things off with the origin story: what was the first meal you learned to cook, and who taught you? Then we get into how each generation sets up their space before cooking, the tools they keep within arm’s reach, the systems that actually help (hello, kitchen zones), and the little habits that make cooking feel less stressful.
Progress over perfection, even when you can't find the spatula.
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Transcript
Creative Kitchen Hacks
00:00:06
Speaker
It is a kitchen tool, but I've used it randomly. It's an ice cream scoop, and I've used it for measuring out pancakes, muffins and cupcakes, cookie dough, and cleaning out a cantaloupe.
00:00:24
Speaker
It's a multi-purpose tool. Nice. I mean, if it's in the kitchen, it's a kitchen tool, but I think the... The oddest thing might be using saucepan as a lid.
00:00:38
Speaker
So if I'm frying eggs or if I'm making um either poached eggs or I'm using like an egg ring. Oh, that's an even better one. Okay, so I'll have two. Okay. Okay.
00:00:54
Speaker
It's using a saucepan as a lid if I need to keep the steam in and I don't have lids for all my saucepans or even all of my skillets, you can flip a saucepan upside down.
00:01:05
Speaker
And that will trap the heat in as well. And that will also steam whatever your skillet. And then again, if it's in the kitchen, it's a kitchen tool.
00:01:19
Speaker
a fool fo when i'm When I'm making egg McMuffins with English muffins or and I want like a nice round egg and I can't find and like a silicone egg ring, i will use a mason jar lid.
00:01:36
Speaker
The ring, but not like the ceiling lid. Mm-hmm. So you can use a mason jar ring, the metal ring without the lid inside, and that will work just fine as a, an egg ring.
00:01:51
Speaker
Hmm. Hmm. I have a cocktail shaker, so sometimes whenever I need to get some, strain things out, usually like if I need to get some egg whites, I'll take the top of the shaker off and strain, and like, you know, crack an egg and strain it through the top of the shaker tin.
00:02:07
Speaker
Mmm. Because it has a bunch of mini holes through there, so we'll just, the egg yolk will stay, but the whites will just filter through. That's pretty good. Yeah, yeah it is So I just, so I just get easy egg whites.
00:02:20
Speaker
Probably a spatula because it's something that I eat pretty much use for everything, like, you know, stirring. Because I understand it's supposed not supposed to be used for everything, but it's something that I use for, like, you know, stirring stuff, even though I can eat use one of those spoons.
00:02:35
Speaker
I always just find myself picking up one. Yeah. Hey,
00:02:42
Speaker
and welcome to another episode of Yay for
Introduction to 'Yay for Adulting'
00:02:45
Speaker
Adulting. I'm your host, Lisa, and today we are joined by four generations. We've got our Baby Boomer. Hi, I'm Mom.
00:02:53
Speaker
Our Gen Xer. Hi, I'm Montalee. Our Millennial. Hi, I'm Joseph. And our Gen Hello, I'm Justin.
00:03:06
Speaker
All right, welcome.
00:03:10
Speaker
So today we're talking about setting up the kitchen so cooking feels doable, not like a reality show challenge.
First Cooking Experiences
00:03:17
Speaker
ah question for everyone what was the first thing you learned to cook and who taught you so we're going to start with our baby boomer no the first thing i learned to cook was breakfast my mom taught me because she had to make breakfast for my dad every day so i was her little helper And so I learned how to make scrambled eggs, bacon and biscuits.
00:03:48
Speaker
Nice. Jen Axler. If it wasn't cheese toast in the microwave, because we were Latchkey kids. I think it was spaghetti.
00:04:03
Speaker
Because we had spaghetti a lot. So I think that was probably the first like meal that I learned that I learned to make. And then after not living in a house full of six people, I had to learn how to scale that down for just two people.
00:04:25
Speaker
So I'm going to say spaghetti because it's a good go-to meal and it's and it's easy and it's simple. And my mother taught me. The cheese toast, I think, was trial and error that we learned all by ourselves.
00:04:38
Speaker
didn't burn the house down, so that's good. Oh, then you're not trying hard enough. I think it would probably be tacos. I remember that was the thing that you had us making at different times throughout the years. And it's a simple thing. Just meat, heat it up for a bit, break it down, then season it, and then you're ready to go with some tortilla and cheese and lettuce and other things.
00:05:05
Speaker
Well, I've been learning to cook since I was seven years old, but I actually made my first... five star meal about a year ago. and it was, it was ham, asparagus, let's see, what else was it?
00:05:22
Speaker
Mac and cheese and bread. And I actually had assistance from my dad, actually. He was on he was on FaceTime, so it was still like by myself. I made it for ah me, my brothers. My mom was actually coming home from out of town that day, so She had a special meal away her. It was nice.
00:05:43
Speaker
Okay.
Outdated Kitchen Tools
00:05:48
Speaker
When you were growing up, what do people have in their kitchen that they maybe don't use now?
00:05:55
Speaker
Back in my day.
00:06:01
Speaker
okay I'm good now. um We used a hand can opener. You know, not an electric hand opener, but ah a hand one.
00:06:15
Speaker
And which made very jagged edges when you were done. Was it the twisty or hand cracked hand openers or like the just straight up like almost a pick like thing? The edges of stabbing and like jiggle around. Oh, that's a good point. We did have that that when you just jabbed it in and had to work your way around it. Oh, my gosh. So, yeah, when the twisty thing came along, that was an improvement.
00:06:43
Speaker
Oh. And another one was the hand egg beater. And now people have fancy electric ones now. They do. They do.
00:06:54
Speaker
So, too, Arjun X, what I have for you is, what is the most practical kitchen habit that you've learned the hard way? To not walk away from the stove when you're cooking. Rule number one You cannot assume no matter if you're using gas or electric um that you will have time to leave the kitchen and return without it being burned to the bottom.
00:07:19
Speaker
ah I have also Lynn. You will not hear the percolations no matter. You get five feet beyond the stove, it's over.
00:07:31
Speaker
it'll It'll burn itself to the pan out of spite. But I did, i mean, i don't have an electric can opener anymore. We still have the more modern can opener.
00:07:46
Speaker
that you know you you turn the little knob and and it turns it i also had for the longest time i had i remember this ah because for the longest time we had an even older version of that where you put it on the can and you had to physically, you had to physically push the sharp edge into the can and then attach it to the side and then turn the little crank.
00:08:16
Speaker
Oh, yeah. um and And then um ah my my r my father-in-law believed that we were wallowing and and near poverty and then bought us a hand crank one not realizing that we were using it because we like to use it so so I have those in my so they're in the you know they're they're all in the in the junk drawer Miss Groucho yeah millennial what was your go-to adulting meal in your first place
00:08:50
Speaker
So back at my apartment, I'd say is either, you know, learning how to properly make ramen, ramen, not just slapping it in like the microwave for five seconds or cooking ah hamburger patties properly.
00:09:05
Speaker
Like, sure, there's still frozen hockey discs, but they're not like just so I just slap in the microwave. So, yeah, hamburgers and ramen, more or less. no Okay. I like those.
00:09:21
Speaker
So, Denzi, what's the most practical kitchen habit that you learned the hard way? Um, you know, those pre-made like Kraft mac and cheese lunches that people use. oh Okay. Yes.
00:09:37
Speaker
Never forget to put water inside before you put it the microwave because. oh oh no. I, yeah, I had, I had our, I had our break room burning for a good two days. And to this day, no one knows it was me because we had students that day. So we, I, I just said it was probably was one of the students.
00:09:59
Speaker
Good save. Yeah. So, yeah. Good. Don't forget that.
Kitchen Organization Tips
00:10:06
Speaker
jesus I love it. Oh, that's great.
00:10:11
Speaker
that is That is a good tip. that ist going Always add liquids. yeah
00:10:19
Speaker
So next we're going to talk about kitchen setup. Specifically, how to set up your kitchen space while you cook to make it as easy as possible for you If you always always lose stuff mid-recipe, it's not necessarily you.
00:10:32
Speaker
It might be your system or your lack of a system. Here's the simplest way to think about it. Make it into zones. You can have your prep zone, which has a cutting board, a knife, a place for trash.
00:10:45
Speaker
Your cook zone, which you can go with stove, pan, spatula, maybe a microwave. Your clean zone, which has your sink, your soap, your towel, and then a storage zone, which is your pantry, your fridge, and containers.
00:11:00
Speaker
So my question for the panel, what's the one thing you always need with an arm's reach when you cook? I like to have a place to put my used utensils.
00:11:12
Speaker
um I have a nice little stand. I think I got it from you, Justin, a long time ago. It has a stand that you can put like a long spool, and it has two little dishes that sit at the bottom.
00:11:28
Speaker
So if I'm stirring something, I can just put it in one of the little ceramic dishes And the back of the stand will hold it. So otherwise I would have to put it on the counter or find a plate for napkin. So yeah, as a place for my used utensils.
00:11:48
Speaker
Yeah. Well, thing as my kitchen is only like two square feet. ah Everything is basically at hand. oo um i have to you know care I have two metal tins for my spatulas and my scrapers and and that. um My stove is right next to the sink, which is next to the fridge.
00:12:12
Speaker
I have zero prep space. So... Everything that I need is is is with within reach. um even i mean And I keep my ah my knives in the disc drainer because I use those the most. um And and i I enjoy cooking, so...
00:12:34
Speaker
um I don't really know where everything is. Unfortunately, my husband doesn't care for it too much because i i will often not use the same spoon twice.
00:12:45
Speaker
So when I'm done cooking, there's a million dishes in the sink, no matter what I've made. I don't wash the dishes, so I'm not seeing an issue. Oops.
00:12:59
Speaker
For me, a place where I can easily just glance at the recipe or my phone, which has the recipe on it usually, and just see, okay, I'm going about, I have to do this in this order I have to add this much of whatever to something. as i am a Because I always have to like take five seconds to look at the recipes and make sure, am I doing this right?
00:13:19
Speaker
Okay, cool. Even if I've done it like 50 times beforehand, i was like, is this the right order? you know those gloves? Yeah. Potholders?
00:13:30
Speaker
Oven mix. Yeah, the oven mix. Just in case, like, you know, something starts, like, you know, boiling and you need to move the pan right away. Yeah.
00:13:41
Speaker
I found a list of starter kitchen essentials on the internet. Don't ask me where. The list includes a knife, a cutting board, a skillet, a pot with a lid, a sheet pan, spatula, tongs, a can opener, measuring cups and spoons, and storage containers. All right, for the listeners building their first kitchen, or if you've moved and you're trying to rebuild your kitchen, here's our question for the panel.
Essential Kitchen Tools
00:14:12
Speaker
If you could recommend just three tools that cover most situations, what are your three? Well, I'm going big because I've had my fill of hand tools.
00:14:23
Speaker
So I'm going mixer, electric mixer, can opener, electric can opener, and microwave. but What are we, hobos that we can only keep three? Yeah.
00:14:37
Speaker
Yes, you are hobos. Then I need a pan because you can use a pan as a skillet. um I will take a pair of metal chopsticks because they are very versatile. You can use them to stir. You can use them to flip.
00:14:52
Speaker
um And then, oh maybe that's all I need. Well, the chopsticks, I guess that's two things. So here we go. Yeah. either Either two chopsticks or a pear and a nice pot because, you know, yeah you don't need you don't need a cutting board. You can find a flat rock.
00:15:12
Speaker
Yeah, like I'm thinking in my head, pot, knife, and maybe a measuring device, like our measuring cups. A set of measuring cups? Or is she going to make you like...
00:15:28
Speaker
Count off individually. You want a half one? but I'll get the one mug that just has every measurement on it. You have your quarts in one sort section, your cups on the other section, and even milliliters if we're going to get really fancy.
00:15:45
Speaker
You just need your liquid to be clean.
00:15:50
Speaker
For me, a cutting board, an air fryer. love i love those. What else? What else? And um one of those, um what do you call those kinds of knives? They're like they're like huge.
00:16:05
Speaker
Most people just simply call it a kitchen knife. the like the geneette You're talking about like the the general, whatever people think, nipe kitchen knife. I guess, though. it's It's a kitchen tool, so.
00:16:17
Speaker
Nice.
00:16:20
Speaker
And we're not done. The next episode is part two, continuing the conversation with the generations. More stories, more hot takes, and more, wait, y'all do it like that, moments.
00:16:32
Speaker
and Until then, take the small win, progress over perfection. See you in part two.