My castle kitchen is my favorite place in the house. It’s a workplace, a sanctuary, a gallery, a museum, and a gathering site.  My favorite kitchen items, chosen carefully, inspire me in so many ways.  Some items exude quality, while others give me comfort and delight.  A handful of others have provenance either steeped in family history or collected as a nod to the bustling sculleries, butler’s pantries, and cooks kitchens of a bygone era. 

Here are a few of my favorite kitchen essentials:

All Clad Cookware 

When an item works for me, I keep it for years.  My All Clad collection has proven itself as the workhorse of the kitchen.  It’s relatively expensive so, 20 years ago,  I chose the stainless collection, and I still use it every day.  It still doesn’t have a scratch on it! Made with three layers of steel and aluminum, it heats food evenly and is built to last.

Wustof Knives  

 The star of the show is my 1981 Culinary Institute issued on our first day of classes.  I have worked with this knife every day for 40 years and it has never met the dishwasher.  The rest of my knife collection is from Wustof.  Having grown up in Germany, I appreciate German craftsmanship.  These knives hold an edge and feel balanced in my hand. 

German Salt Glazed Pottery  

German salt-glazed stoneware has been collected by my family for 50 years.  During my childhood in Germany, my mother procured different pieces and displayed them throughout our kitchen.  

Litchfield Distillery Cheese Board 

 This board is a gift from my friend Doug, Brand Ambassador for The Litchfield Distillery.  The board serves as an anchor for antipasti, cheese, and hors d’oeuvres of all types —cheese, olives, anchovies, nuts, dried fruit, blini and caviar, bruschetta, you name it.  When I welcome guests to the castle, this board is always in action!