Grow Your Own Magazine

Things I use daily _
Wooden chopping board and couple plastic ones too (mainly for meat and runny things - wooden for solid, non-meat things)
Wooden spoons (have about 10)
Flexible plastic spoon for scraping bowls, pots etc
Whisk with wire around a loop - scrapes up all the yummy stuff in the roasting tray and is better at preventing cornflour based sauces going lumpy
Balloon whisk for cream etc
Good set of knives
Microwave
Kettle
Lots of plastic bowls with lids - for prepping stuff before I start cooking, and storing stuff once I have cooked!
Peeler - I use a Y shaped one, and OH uses a different Y shaped one, each refusing to use the other
Colander
Kitchen scissors - used for everything from cutting string and greasproof paper, to snipping herbs, popping bottletops (special ends) and whatever OH thinks to use it for (he broke the last one PRUNING A TREE!! Luckily he only rarely finds my good sewing scissors)
Corkscrew - proper waiter's mate though - the angel wings don't like plastic corks...

Things I use loads so would not like to be without:
Large pot for stocks, double batches of dinners (spag bol etc - do a double batch on sunday's for Monday and freezer)
Juicer - I have a hand one that fits over it's own jug which is really clever
Kenwood stabby blender set - never use the whisk but use the stab bit and the chopping bowl lots
Kenwood chef - love baking when I have time
DH's coffee machine (ok HIS baby, but he was lost without it when old one broke)
Weighing scales - old one from a gran-aunt, but it works fine
Casserole dishes and other ovenware dishes

Things we only rarely use but are still useful:
Baking beans - I am convinced I had a set of these that I was using but can't find for the last while - currently using greaseproof paper and my collection of copper 1, 2 & 5c coins which works well too
Deep fat frier - we occasionally want proper chips, and there is room for it, so why not keep it.


Fads -
Toasted sandwich maker
Mini pie dishes
nightlight food warmers (never have food sitting long enough to go cold anymore)
Fondue set (have never used in 4 years sitting in the press)
Bun trays and muffin cases - still haven't figured out how to make buns....

I've got to say that those Aussie runner bean slicers are my must have. Made by Krisk they take the strings from the outside- much better than those little square ones of old.

The other thing I love is my diamond coated steel, Expensive, but much better than the old sort that wore out.... A joy to use razor sharp knives.

Most gadgets and mixers seem to take longer to wash than to do the job by hand. But we have taken to one of those steam juice extractors... its easier and safer than jelly bags.

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Advertising is the rattling of a stick in a swill bucket. George Orwell
Paul

Can't believe all you 'real foodies' out there don't drink real coffee () - just had a fab cappucino to make myself feel better cos it's cold and grey!

Gotta have an espresso machine - a gaggia classic which I 'pimped up' by upgrading the steam wand!

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

I drink real coffe but in the plunger pot (so there is a second and third cup!!). Cos I occasionally admit to being a girl and can't work out certain gadgets (and of course, OH throws away instructions!!). But he has a small gaggia too, which is used every weekend morning for a nice coffee (alternates between cappuchino or espresso) while reading the papers.

I have a plunger pot and grounds at work too, for when I want coffee instead of tea. It impresses the hell out of any visitors for meetings!!

We actually have a jar of instant in the cupboard at the minute at home - cos we have builders in!!

Filter coffee every morning in our house too - coffee machine from the States which makes 8 mugfuls and you push the mug against a button to dispense the coffee - brill, no heavy hot jug to pour from which is a must for me who cant always lift heavy stuff.

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

Essentials

(Expensive) Stainless steel copperbottomed saucepans.
Old fashioned scales (Imperial weights)
Wooden spoons
Rubber scraper things
Moulinex food processor
Electric whisk
Freezer
Little kitchen knife I've had for 30 years.
Cleaver (same as knife)
(Very important) Tala measure - my ex-husband put the one I'd had since we were married in the dishwasher and it took all the paint off. It took me ages to find another one (pre-internet)
Very large ceramic bowl (I dropped mine last week, I'd had it for a very long time and am extremely p'd off)

Wish-list

Range cooker - I've got a Stanley in the garage waiting to be installed.

Useful but not essential

Microwave
Breadmaker (the element's not working properly in mine so I only use it for kneading/mixing)
Sandwich toaster
Kenwood chef (it's really good for heavy duty cooking but I do't get mine out very often - had it for 40 years!!)

Gadgets in cupboards

Mandolin (dangerous)
Cherry stoner
Asparagus cooker

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"I prefer rogues to imbeciles as they sometimes take a rest" (Alexander Dumas)

I really should stop reading this thread! Thanks to eBay, I'm about to become the proud owner of a Tala Measure

Claire

Seahorse
I hate to say it but you can buy exactly the same Tala measure new from a good kitchen shop.

And not a gadget but I have my much loved collection of cornish blue ware dotted round the kitchen. I can only afford the occasional new piece, some of the antique pieces go for £100's of pounds now, so when I'm rich....

Sue

My must have kitchen gadget is MrsD

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Some things in their natural state have the most VIVID colors
Dobby

But cheaper on eBay, plus no trailing round town with bored small children

Claire

Or trying to find a "good" kitchen shop when you live in the sticks as I do.

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"I prefer rogues to imbeciles as they sometimes take a rest" (Alexander Dumas)