Measuring Equipment
To get the best from any recipe, it’s essential to follow the recommended measurements accurately. This is particularly important for baking and dessert recipes. Measuring scales, spoons and jugs will help ensure perfect results.
Set of Scales – Digital scales will give the most accurate results. Choose those that can be switched between metric and imperial measurements and that can be reset so that any bowl or container can be used on them.
Measuring Jug – Essential for measuring liquids – although you can also weigh liquids and convert from grams to millilitres on decent digital scales. Choose a jug with clearly marked increments that will measure both metric and imperial quantities. A heavy-duty glass one is ideal as it will take very hot liquids and shouldn’t discolour over time.
Measuring Spoons – Very important if you need to follow a recipe closely and will help ensure good results. Don’t rely on dinner service teaspoons and serving spoons as they are not an accurate measure.
Knives
There are many different knives on offer, but it’s probably best to start off with just a couple and then increase the collection as you become more confident. Avoid cheap knives at all costs and don’t even think of buying sets with serrated blades – although a good bread knife would be the exception to this rule. It’s possible to find knives made from high quality stainless steel with comfortable, tough plastic handles that are both economic and long lasting (A simple knife sharpener will help keep them in tip-top condition.)
To start your knife collection, choose the following
19cms Cook’s Knife
10cm Vegetable/Paring Knife
Serrated Bread knife
A knife sharpener
Bakeware
Tins – At least two ovenproof tins are needed in most kitchens although you may wish to add a couple of cake tins and perhaps a Yorkshire pudding tin. Choose only top quality tins that won’t warp in the heat of the oven – those with hardened non-stick surfaces are the most useful and will last for years.
Large roasting tin – A large roasting tin will cope with most joints of meat and poultry – and is also useful for poaching fish and baking vegetables.
Large baking tray – A baking tray is a must-have for batches of biscuits, oven-roasting chips and for cooking fish.
Cookware
Saucepans
It’s well worth investing in a set of good quality pans – they could last for years and cooking will be made easier with better results. It’s essential to choose pans with heavy, smooth bases and tight-fitting lids as food will cook more evenly and quickly. Heavy bottomed, hard anodised pans with stainless steel handles are ideal because they are durable, can go in the oven and are not too heavy to handle. Care will need to be taken to ensure that the non-stick coating doesn’t get damaged over time. Start off with a minimum of the following four pans and add to your collection over time:
Medium Frying Pan – For sautéing, stir-fries, omelettes and pancakes.
Large Casserole – For soups, stews, casseroles and cooking pasta.
Medium Pan – For cooking vegetables and rice.
Small Pan – For heating milk, boiling eggs and making sauces.
Utensils
You’ll find a huge variety of kitchen utensils on offer, but just a few can be used for most jobs. If you have non-stick pans, look out for cooking utensils made with heat resistant materials that won’t scratch.
Wooden Spoons – A minimum of two. Keep scrupulously clean and discard when they become cracked or discoloured.
Spatula – Flexible plastic versions allow you to scrape the bottom and sides of your pans and mixing bowls. Stepped spatulas will help you transfer foods between dishes and are useful for flipping omelettes and turning bacon or steaks.
Ladle – Perfect for serving soups and stews.
Balloon Whisk – Use for whisking small quantities of eggs or cream and for creating smooth, lump-free sauces.
Potato Masher – Choose one with a rounded plastic end to protect your pans.
Kitchen Scissors – Large, sharp and sturdy are best for anything from cutting greaseproof paper to trimming fish and snipping herbs. Some handles separate for ease of cleaning.
Tongs – Great for turning foods in the frying pan or roasting tin and for transferring food safely to plates.
Tin Opener – Choose one with a comfortable turning mechanism and easy to grip handles.
Vegetable Peeler – A comfortable grip ‘Y’ shaped peeler will help you peel vegetables quickly and evenly.
Grater – The most versatile are four sided with different grades from coarse to very fine. Perfect for grating lemons, chocolate, cheese and nutmeg.
Colander – Use for washing and draining vegetables and salad.
Sieve – Fine mesh sieves are great for sifting lumps out of dry ingredients (such as flour and cocoa) and for passing soups and sauces for a smooth finish.
Mixing Bowls – A selection of different sized bowls is great for the preparation of foods, mixing and storing. Heavy-duty glass bowls are also microwavable and ovenproof and those that stack take up less space in the cupboard.
Chopping Boards – White polyethylene boards are probably the best as they are relatively lightweight and have hygienic surfaces that are easy to clean. Buy at least two and keep one for raw meats/fish and the other for cooked or low risk foods. These boards are also available in several colours for the preparation of different types of foods to help prevent the risk of bacterial cross contamination – e.g. red for meat, blue for fish and green for vegetables.
Electrical Equipment
Although you can cook perfectly well without any electrical gadgets in your kitchen, the following appliances are extremely useful and will take a lot of the hard work out of many kitchen tasks:
Hand Blender – sometimes also called stick blenders. They are ideal for pureeing sauces and for making soups, smoothies and milkshakes. A whisk attachment is very useful for whisking egg whites and cream (alternatively you may need to buy a separate electric whisk). Some have extra attachments for chopping very finely and for preparing baby foods or pureeing small quantities. You should buy the best you can afford as the cheaper versions often have less power and will wear out more quickly.
Food Processor – Good for pastry, cakes, batters and dough as well as preparing vegetables. A decent food processor will make slicing and grating effortless. Again, price tends to be an indicator of quality