Thursday 6 April 2017

My Kitchen Top Ten

Recently a number of bloggers have listed the 'The Top Ten Things In My Kitchen' so I thought I would have a go at this challenge too. My rule was 'this has to be an item which is valued at least 3 times a week if not on a daily basis'. The cooker, fridge and freezer do not count.
In no particular order then, here's my list
  1. The electric kettle - not just for the never ending cups of tea, but also for boiling water for gravy granules and instant custard, and for pans of pasta and veg, where it's more efficient to boil the water in the kettle than in the pan [Sainsburys]
  2. My 3pint stainless steel pan - this size is the one we seem to use most out of our set [T304 ProCook Stainless Steel Pan Set]
  3. The 15cm Sabatier knife which we've had forever, Bob keeps it wonderfully sharp. It is brilliant for preparing meat and veg.
  4. My 1pint Pyrex jug - it goes in the oven and microwave, and the markings are clear. The handle is easy to hold - and it will nest with my smaller and larger jugs.
  5. My Good Grips potato peeler. I like my GG peelers more than any others I have ever owned - I have one at Cornerstones too.
  6. My 30cm Jamie Oliver Tefal Frying Pan - large, efficient nonstick with deep rounded sides. Excellent for preparing Saturday Morning's "Full English" - and ideal for pancakes, stirfries, shakshuka, risotto...
  7. My small 15x25cm IKEA chopping board. Big enough for almost all my preparation tasks, it dishwashes beautifully, and can double up as a small serving board for cheese, paté, crackers etc.
  8. The Fiskars Kitchen scissors - I've had these since 1977 - great for opening packets, trimming bacon, cutting wedges of pizza, snipping herbs [when collecting from the garden, or chopping them in a mug before adding to a recipe]
  9. The Braun Minipimer Blender - soups, sauces, smoothies, salsas, pancakes, pestos, purees - and so often these recipes are using up leftovers. 
  10. Bob - my kitchen would be incomplete without him...his amazing cooking skills, his ability to suggest that final seasoning or ingredient which makes a dish even better, his willingness to help preparing and clearing up, his humour, his love and his enthusiasm, his encouragement when I have [frequent] disasters, and his genuine appreciation for my efforts.
What would be on your Kitchen Top Ten List?

16 comments:

  1. Mine's a similar list: (in no particular order) electric kettle, stainless steel tongs - multitude of uses, handy small veg knife, kuhn rikon peeler, weighing scales, cheese grater, Pyrex jug, small Lakeland wonder whisk, Lakeland ring puller - for awkward cans, etc, small chopping board.

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  2. Yes, scales are very useful. I don't possess a ring puller.

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  3. This is an interesting question. Clearly the tea kettle is at the top of the list! My husband wouldn't be on the list however, he isn't helpful, he mostly just likes to stand where I am trying to stand so we have this little kitchen dance we do -- he thinks it is funny -- it isn't.

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  4. Very similar list, except Bob would be replaced by toaster, and the Sabatier is 200mm, my chopping board is a sample of Bosch worktop, beech, must have had it about 30 years.

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    1. The beech board sounds lovely, not so sure about replacing Bob with a toaster though...

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  5. Well, I can tell you that none of mine would be human- unless it's baking and then a Jo might sneak on to the list. My pyrex jug is the same size as this one, but I think I'd like a bigger one as bigger get the boys.

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    1. I have a 2litre Pyrex jug, but it's so heavy even when empty that it doesn't get much use.

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  6. Does Lakeland stock a 'Bob' do you think?

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    1. He is a one-off design, priceless and irreplaceable!

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  8. My list is similar. My favorite potato peeler was obtained from an estate sale of a neighbor. I assume she used it all her life, and I have used it for 20 years now. The blades are worn thin and it is very sharp from long use. I think it will outlast me, but perhaps not another generation. I love my garlic press, in spite of one commenter way back in the archives comparing it to a banana slicer! The garlic doesn't need peeled, just put a clove in and press out the goodness, and throw away the remainder. Another favorite is my round cast iron skillet that is 14 inches across. Useful for cooking for groups or families. I have never had an immersion blender. My teakettle is the kind that goes on the cooker. Please tell me, what is the advantage to the electric kettle? Is it much faster? the guys tell me "it draws a lot of electricity".

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  9. I think Electric kettles are more efficient than stove top models because you are heating the water directly. Plus I can use it when I am preparing a meal without using one of the rings on my hob.

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  10. I like this! I'll have to have a think and give this a go!!x

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  11. By the way, are the Fiskars scissors orange?x

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  12. Yes the fiskars scissors are orange. You can read the story of how this came to be their signature colour here https://www.fiskarsgroup.com/about-us/our-heritage

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