Kitchenware

I didn't really appreciate the kitchen in my Georgia apartment, mostly because I spent very little time cooking. But I hated the floral wallpaper and how the kitchen was isolated from the rest of the apartment. Now I actually miss that kitchen and would love to have the drawers and dishwasher back.

Yes, I have a kitchen that has only one drawer, even that one underneath the oven and holds pots and pans. Even though my kitchen now is tiny, I have discovered a new love for my gas oven and stovetop, and I'm not sure I would trade those in for a dishwasher and drawers.

Since I didn't grow up with gas appliances, they have always made me nervous. I worried that there would be a gas leak or the flame on the stove will lead to a kitchen fire. But since I've already dealt with both of these without gas appliances, I probably shouldn't be particularly worried. (My parents repainted their kitchen after I caused a grease fire, and I called 911 at 2 a.m. when my carbon monoxide detector went off, only to be told by the firemen to change the batteries.)

Now that gas is my only option besides the microwave, I've discovered how well it works. The oven cooks evenly, and better yet, I have yet to burn anything horribly, although that may be due to the timer on the oven that doesn't let me forget what's in there. But I also love the instant control you have over the flame on a gas stove. With my electric stove, I had a habit of cooking everything on high, which cooked things fast but again led to some disasters.

Now that I've adjusted to my new kitchen and accumulated various pots, pans, utensils and appliances, I was starting to feel like I had everything I needed to cook with. But my latest Every Day Food was filled with grilling recipes, and I was tempted.

Now I don't want a grill, I don't even know if I could have one in this apartment. And I know I wouldn't want to bother with going outside to cook half my dinner. But I've been thinking the combination of my gas stove and a grill pan would broaden my cooking options.

Any thoughts or recommendations for a good but affordable one?