Cookin'

My first post is gonna be something I'm really truly excited about and in fact, may still have an afterglow. A little, used, kitchen-supply store called Cookin'!  I've heard good things from my roommate (and person #1 I know in SF), and looked it up online.  Oh my sweet baby Jesus was Yelp forthcoming with information (insert nervous laughter here)....I don't even know what to say, you basically have to go read the reviews yourself.  All I can say for sure is that after reading them I wanted to go even more!!  Commentary ranges from how helpful the staff is to how the owner might potentially suck out your soul and crush it with her black heart!  Maybe this is the Tacoma talking in me, but that just sounds like a good time.  HOWEVER! I was disappointed, because apparently the owner is in France, and in her place was a very helpful, nice man named Rico.  We talked periodically over the hour, hour and a half that I spent trying to explore every nook and cranny of the shop, during which I mentioned the reviews online and assured him that he was not mentioned.  Apparently the reputation of the owner and the shop is well known, even by the staff.  I grabbed a business card on my way out, I totally know her name, I just can't remember it right now, so until I get my shit together we'll just say she's like Voldemort, and you can't say her name out loud. 

The shop is tiny. And it is cramped. And it is dusty. And everything is piled in stacks that seem to recommend not touching anything (you break you for sure buy in this place), but it is truly amazing! Anything you need they have five of (at least).  I have a ton of stuff in storage in Washington that I need to go back for soon, but lately I've been developing an interest in baking, which I've never really done before.  So I figure, buying a few baking supplies is completely legit and necessary in order for me to scrape by in the kitchen....right?  So i got a pastry scraper, and a french rolling pin, and a ricer (not really a baking item, but I've been wanting one, and I wanna perfect my gnocchi, and I hear they help), oh, and a dough blender, which is completely unnecessary, but it was $5 and looks vintage. So I feel like I made out like a bandit, and couldn't be happier, and yes I'm still glowing from the joy of being completely immersed in cooking supplies.

The Deets
Cookin'
339 Divisadero St.
(b/w Oak & Paige)
SF, CA 94117
Tues-Sat 12pm-6:30pm
Sunday 1pm-5pm

*Two things of interest, despite being right down the road from me apparently this is considered part of Lower Haight, hopefully that helps you find it. Also, apparently Tuesday is a good day to go because it's "pricing day" and new stuff gets put out.