Outfitting the Green Kitchen

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Thin steel 4- and 8-quart pots with lids are used to boil water for blanching vegetables and cooking pasta, and for reheating sauces and soups. Cheap steel pots perform just as well as pricier makes, and these pots are exceedingly easy to find at resale shops for just a few dollars. Or purchase Revereware's 8-quart stainless-steel stockpot ($44.99) and 41/2-quart pot ($39.99; www.revereware.com).

Clay Bakeware

Clay bakeware, which cooks slowly and evenly, yielding great results, suits everything from soup to dessert. Lidded baking pots are soaked in water before use, allowing for low-fat cooking that yields moist delicious results. Clay pie plates and baking pans allow crusts to crisp and brown perfectly. Romertopf sells clay pots in a variety of shapes and sizes; try their 12-pound Clay Baker ($53.99; www.romertopfonline.com). Lehman's sells a terra cotta pie pan ($27.95; www.lehmans.com, 877-438-5346).

La Chamba black clay pottery from Colombia can be used on the stovetop, in the oven or in a microwave. The pottery is lead-free and has the added benefit of being very lightweight (square baking dish, $38; www.roadlesstraveledstore.com, 714-836-8727).

Knives

Fine knives are a chef's dearest possession and should be well cared for, since a dull blade is much more likely to slip and cut your hands. Stainless steel is cheap, but it's too hard to sharpen; carbon steel knives require frequent sharpening and maintenance. Pick forged, high-carbon steel knives for long-lasting blades you can sharpen yourself. Every kitchen needs these basics (all knives available at www.broadwaypanhandler.com):

* a paring knife (Messermeister 4-inch paring knife, $35.95)
* an offset serrated blade (Wüsthof classic offset bread knife, $74.95)
* a cook's knife (Messermeister 8-inch cook's knife, $79.95) or a santoku (Wüsthof classic 7-inch hollow-edge santoku knife, $94.95)
* kitchen shears; Cutco Super Shears come apart for cleaning and the company will repair or replace damaged shears and provides a free sharpening service ($86; phone orders only, 800-633-8323).

For sharpening knives, use a simple stone with honing oil, such as Hall's Arkansas stones (10 inches, $38.95; www.broadwaypanhandler.com). If you are unfamiliar with sharpening techniques, talk to your kitchenware store.