Many of us have started cooking more from scratch in the last year. With more time at home and a better work-life balance, it’s much easier to dedicate time in your schedule to cooking. Organic ingredients and high-quality kitchen equipment can drastically improve the quality of your meals. From utensils to cookware, you need a few essential items in your kitchen as an amateur cook.
Perhaps you’ve been watching MasterChef for pan inspiration and decided it’s time to invest in a good set of saucepans. A good quality pot and pan set can help you make more complex meals. You’re far more likely to burn the bottom of an inexpensive pan compared to a high-quality non-stick one. Say goodbye to scrubbing burnt oil off the bottom of your frying pan and hoping the smoke alarm doesn’t go off.
The nation has started cooking much more in the last year. Beginner cooks have mastered the art of spaghetti Bolognese, chilli con Carne and the iconic Sunday Roast. It’s time to reward yourself for all of your effort with a beautiful new kitchen set.
There are various types of hob and oven. An induction hob is fairly common in new buildings that don’t have access to gas. There are also ceramic, electric, halogen and sealed plate hobs available on the market. Identify which hob is installed in your property and educate yourself on the best way to care for it. For example, some are much easier to clean than others.
It would help if you also researched which pans can be used on your hob. For example, copper pans can’t be used on a number of hobs, making them impractical and a little annoying. It’s best to opt for functional cookware over fancy attractive things. Save the pretty things for the living room where you don’t have to cook with them!
There is a wide range of cookware available, and each item has a different purpose. Non-stick frying pans, also known as a skillet, are essential for frying vegetables, omelettes and steaks. In contrast, a casserole dish is needed to cook things slowly so you can get the wonderful juicy texture. Invest in a wok for Asian foods and, if you’re on a budget, you can use a wok as a frying pan too. You also need a saucepan set, roasting dish, sauté pan and stockpot.
A sauté pan and stockpot probably aren’t as essential as a roasting tin and wok. It all depends on what you like to eat and how you like to cook. Some people prefer chucking a few ingredients in a roasting dish and leaving it for an hour to cook. While others much prefer frying their ingredients and watching them cook. Decide on your style and invest in high-quality items to align.