All over the world, TV chefs are rising to fame and encouraging the population to get more creative in the kitchen. As we learn just how bad junk food is for us and grow wise to the often poor quality of mass-produced ready meals, many of us are becoming more creative in our own kitchens, and make more of an effort to cook healthy, interesting and tasty dishes.
As we become more creative, we develop our skills and as our culinary skills broaden, we need the right equipment for the job at hand. Without the proper equipment, cooking can be a hellish task, which is exactly what we are striving to get away from, so it makes perfect sense to stock up your kitchen with the appropriate tools. There are a few essential utensils that no kitchen should be without and this post lists 5 of what we consider to be the most important.
It is often worth digging a little deeper and forking out (excuse the pun) for good quality equipment, as scrimping and saving will often prove to be false economy. As with many things, with kitchenware you really do get what you pay for. So, here are our top 5 utensils that no kitchen should be without:
Quality Knives
Good quality knives are an absolute must in any kitchen. Having to struggle with flimsy, blunt knives makes preparing your dishes an absolute chore, when it really needn’t be. Invest in some quality knives and sharpen them regularly. Also, don’t just use one knife for everything – make sure you have a variety of shapes and sizes. For example, a chef’s knife is a great all-rounder, but it’s definitely handy to have a paring knife, bread knife and fish knife too.
Electric Mixer
Anyone who dabbles with a bit of baking needs to get hold of an electric mixer. Sure, you can keep it old school and use a wooden spoon and good ol’ fashioned elbow grease, but an electric mixer makes cake mixtures so much easier to make. Look out for brands like the Kitchenaid Mixer, which will deliver excellent results every time. Plus, mixers look pretty stylish nowadays, so they can add a bit of style to your kitchen.
Peeler
It’s amazing how many people just learn to live without a peeler, but I see it as an essential item of kitchenware. Some chefs may disagree, but to the amateur cook, a peeler is so much easier (and safer) than using a knife. A no-brainer in my eyes.
Measuring Jugs / Scales
If you’re only just starting out in the kitchen, you really need to try sticking to recipes as much as possible. Measuring how much of each ingredient you use is key, and if you fail to do this, your dish could go disastrously wrong. When you grow more confidence, you can start to use your instinct and play around a bit with recipes, but until then, keep it simple!
Decent Salt and Pepper Mills
Seasoning can often make the difference between a good or bad dish, so making sure that you have quality salt and pepper mills is very important. Choose something solid and robust, rather than fiddling around with cheap, tacky mills. Cheap salt and pepper mills also have a tendency to break easily, so be warned!
This post was written by Jane Farley – a food fanatic and cooking enthusiast from the UK.