Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

See, this is practical knowledge. And it just so happens someone brought cupcakes into the office today - practical and applicable. I should really practice this method a few times. You know, for science.

Kerosena might be on to something there...

I'm a burner. Like a lot of you I'm frequently grabbing hot things. The callouses take some of the edge off, but it turns out I haven't developed asbestos in place of skin yet.

Latest was Thanksgiving, rotating a pan. I pressed my second knuckle into the inside wall of the stove that had been merrily plugging away at 350 for an hour or two.

Yep, that one's gonna leave a mark.

Again, falling under the "I won't refuse it, but I won't seek it out either" file: raspberries and any fruit with fur on it (I'm looking at you, peaches. Why can't you be more like your cousin, the nectarine?").

OK, you guys have made me feel better about myself. I don't have the Kitchen Aid stuff - just too much cash and not enough counter space. The book is so completely worth owning, I really can't tell you.

And chiff0nade - I'm with you: I had a stick blender but never used the bloody thing except to make the occasional milkshake, so I gave mine away.

Oh boy.
My senior year of college I was on the tail end of three consecutive days without sleep (exams, final projects, my senior art show opening). I was being powered solely by caffeine, nicotine, and the occasional Zagnut that crossed my path. As I finished hanging the last painting for my show, my friends thought it would be a great idea to take me out for a late lunch to celebrate before I passed out from exhaustion on my couch. At that point I was agreeable to anything, so sure! Let's grab some tacos or something.

Long story kinda-short: a waiter rounds the corner with some smoking, steaming,sizzling fajitas. In my barely lucid state, I thought he was on fire - and exclaimed so, quite loudly ("OH S**T, THAT GUY'S ON FIRE!"), while jumping up to help the poor guy (who was so totally not on fire). My friends didn't grab me in time. I made it to the guy in a split second, ready to force him to "stop, drop, and roll," save the day and be a hero. That's when I realized that for someone on fire, he smells delicious!

That's when reality set in, I looked down at his platter and stopped with an "Oh. You're not on fire, are you?" and calmly returned to my seat where my friends (one absolutely livid, the other laughing so hard he was crying). Only then did I realize the entire restaurant, as well as some waiters and kitchen staff, had stopped and were staring our table.

I think I scared that poor kid to death.
They tell me we tipped very well that day.

The health benefits of crisp skin are really for everyone else at the table. As long as I get my fair share, the chances of me braining someone with a gravy boat are greatly reduced.

I cook for my family (tally one vote for the guys). My mom assists (and by "assists" I mean wander around the kitchen attempting to trip me) and my sister/nephew/brother in law are banished to the living room where, with any luck, I can send Mom to entertain them. They get called into service when it's time to get things out of the kitchen and on to the table.

I gotta find a way to con them into doing dishes someday...

A decanter for reds is an excellent gift, but can be pricey.
Good glasses are a plus (Seriously. They make a difference, but again pricey).
And there's a great book that came out last year called "What to Drink with What You Eat" by Dornenburg and Page that I can recommend.

You know, I've played with that very feature but never actually committed to the purchase. I'm glad someone did. It's exactly as I would have expected.

it's boring, but I love that first slice of breast meat, with the big chunk of crispy skin still attached. That one never makes it to the table.

Like JEP, I live alone so most talking is done to myself.
Since this is a family blog, I can't really list the most frequently said things in the kitchen.

I tend to talk to the food/tools/etc. and give them directions, like "you stay over here" and "you'll go over here" and "you hang out and be pretty." Other than that, it's usually me singing along to whatever tunes I have cranking out (another benefit to living alone - no one can tell you not to scream along with the Ramones at 1am in your jammies when you decide you need to make a stir fry).

With people in my kitchen, it's much more civilized:
"Grab that, wouldja?"
"Your glass is a little empty, why don't you crack open that bottle of..."
"Here. Try this."
"Yes, I was talking to the chicken."

'Gratz guys!

@JeffsInTheKitchen
Your santoku should be fine - that blade's stronger than you think. Only thing that might annoy you would be the length of the blade if you have a big bird. You may wind up making a few awkward cuts just due to the width of the blade and it's lack of maneuverability, but it's not a big deal.