Tools For the Job - Part 1

 If you do anything remotely kitchenish then you will undoubtedly have favourite tools for cooking with; I sure do. However, if you are looking to start then you will need some equipping. Not long after I started cooking, my wonderful parents bought me Jamie's Kitchen which became the start of a collection but also had a list of things at the beginning that a kitchen must have. Our kitchens have always been pretty well stocked with various pots, pans, bowls, trays, etc, but it turned out as I read that we were missing some essentials. The first object I already knew about: a chef's knife. So, I began my search. See also 'Curry: The British Staple...Really?'. In the past I had used ones that were a naff blade inserted into even naffer plastic which in time often detach themselves so I knew that a full tang knife was a must. 

That's a cool colander

 A food festival held not far from us was where I found the first knife I bought. It was everything I was looking for and a real bargain too. I couldn't wait to get home and put it to use. At this time, the only thing I knew about how to use a knife came from watching Jamie on videos, my Mum, (who admits she's terrified of knives in the kitchen hence our then lack of a decent one!) or from instinct. I didn't do bad with only cutting myself once I think but I would soon learn the importance of possessing knife skills. Anyhow, a few other things that were needed were, for one, a salad spinner. These things aren't just another kitchen gadget from what my family have come to call "betta-be-ware" magazines but are very useful.

Joe's studio picture taken as part of a secret, birthday
 present for my Mum

 At home I have a good few people to cook for so most of my equipment is for larger proportions such as my saucepans which I soon learned a bit about. The two main ones that we had were on the thin side on their bottoms so when it came to using them, you really had to keep an eye on things to stop anything sticking such as soup. The best saucepan that I now own is an aga saucepan given to me by our friendly neighbour, who I began a cooking journey (another post) with. At the time we had an aga, which is another story, and so our neighbour, who didn't have one and didn't use the saucepan anymore as it is quite a monster, gave it to me and I'm using it as I write. Also, not so long ago, my Mum got an IKEA, which I love for kitchen gadgets, set of saucepans from the 365+ range. They are awesome and really do the job. The oven trays I use, also very large, are from IKEA too along with my chopping boards, speed peelers (which are better then those metal ones personally), and the biggest mixing bowls you've ever seen so I highly recommend any of their stuff for your kitchen. 

 I would absolutely love to purchase a Kitchen Aid sometime but at the moment that is a bit out of my price range so I use my trusty Kenwood which my Mum used before me and has never shown any signs of breaking down. This leads me to my next point: the older stuff is the best. Back then, it was built to last and to do the job. Looking smart and trendy seems to be the priority with making stuff nowadays but I say don't be deceived. If you are on the hunt for kitchen equipment, keep an eye out for things that are going to withstand everyday use. If you live near a Lidl then they often have some really good stuff sometimes. My blender, scales and heavy-base pan were all Lidl and are brilliant. However, I would not recommend getting every gadget out there but instead research what your kitchen should have and look around to see what it doesn't have.

And that is a very cool shirt!

Stay tuned for part two,

Jacob