Good Company

In the film Julie and Julia, both heroines reach for pieces of cooking equipment again and again. Like them, everyone who cooks has a favorite piece of cooking equipment that is a joy to use and is indispensable for making nearly every meal. It is their go-to item: their gem of a Henckle knife, the timeless KitchenAid mixer, a Le Creuset dutch oven. They are the pieces you really can't do without, that stand the test of time and never find themselves in the back of the cabinet with madeleine pans, the chocolate fountain and the Magic Bullet.

For me, the answer is simple: a black speckled covered oval roasting pan.

Yes, this is one of those sold in every grocery and big box store across the land. It is generic and nondescript. Mine is too small for a turkey or a large ham but great for a chicken, various cuts of beef, vegetables or what have you. Granite Wear has been making these black porcelain-on-steel roasters, specked with white flecks, since 1871.

What makes it special? It was a bridal shower gift from my mother. Not to Cindy, but to me. I'm not proud of it, but I remember feeling left out of the pre-wedding festivities and said something off-handedly to my mother about it. The next time I saw her she handed me a wrapped box and explained it was my bridal shower present. I opened the box and inside was the roaster. She had one in her kitchen, as did both my grandmothers and most of America. Now I had one, connecting me to my past and future.

Over time, many things have come and gone in our various kitchens. Twenty-five years later the roaster remains, housing my memories where they take up little or no space and speak to me in tastes and smells.