What if someone told you to make something with all the utensils you own today? Would that seem reasonable? Simple, even?

Then you are not a cook who has merged kitchens with another cook.

Post-divorce, I spent a few months accumulating items lost in the 50/50 split. Rotary beaters. A ravioli press. The perfect pastry brush.

As I rebuilt my store of creative kitchen devices, I did not consider the possibility that another foodie might infiltrate my drawers with his utensils.

Then I remarried.

And now our blended family of flatware and gadgets is so blessedly full, our cabinets clatter and jam in a tangle of rubber and stainless and wood. It’s a mess. Frustrating. Time-consuming. Overwhelming.

But comfortable, too. In this jumble of duplicates and diversity, I know the right tool is here somewhere. If I seek with patience, I will find what I need …

… and together, we’ll make something delicious.