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 Perhaps it could be that after years of trial and
error, she found the few basic pieces that suited all of her needs.
All those other items just became part of the collection that
cluttered her shelves and occupied the drawers. The fun part of that
was they were also the items that she had no problem allowing us as
children to play with outside as we baked up our world famous “mud
pies.”
But, if grandma could give you some sound advice, it might be to
choose carefully, don’t buy cheap, buy good quality, but buy fewer
pieces. In the long run they will last longer, serve you better, and
keep your shelves clear for more important things.
But if grandma isn’t around to share that sage advice, then perhaps
the second best person would be world renowned chef Gordon Ramsey.
Ramsey notes, “You don’t need to break the bank to make great food.”
In the video to follow, he offers an outline of what he calls the
“core essentials” of cooking tools.
Gordon
Ramsay's Kitchen Kit | What you need to be a better chef
In grandma’s day, or maybe more accurate in great-grandma’s day,
there were few things required in order to cook a meal. One needed
the right pot, a stove, and the proper ingredients. Of course, great
grandma also fried almost everything and the primary vegetable on
the menu was a potato.
Great grandma also probably spent her career at home, tending house,
raising children, and cooking good food. Times have changed and so
have we. Today the trend is toward eating healthier, expanding our
vegetable intake to include less starchy items, and cooking with
less or no fats.
In addition, we’re busy people. Most adults have home, family and a
job away from home; so time to cook becomes a precious commodity
that we want to utilize in the best most efficient way possible.
The working mom is not a new concept. During war efforts many a
woman had to leave the home and go to the factory or other workplace
while her man was away at war. Some did so because the nation needed
workers and the supply of available males had been greatly depleted.
The women went to work as part of their ‘patriotic duty.’ Others did
it because they needed the financial security in order to keep those
home fires burning while the men were at war.
Regardless of their reason, they found that it was quite a balancing
act and the marketing geniuses in the world saw that as a great
opportunity. New products were invented that touted convenience and
speed in the home and the kitchen. Some were not very affordable for
the average household, but like women working away from home, the
war efforts may have started the trend that today is commonplace.
It may be hard to believe but the microwave oven has been around
since 1947. The first oven sold to consumers was the Radarange. At
that time, the oven was definitely a rich man’s luxury selling at
about $5,000. In the late 1960’s more affordable models came on the
market and by the 70’s many households had a microwave.
Since that time, it appears that little has changed in the
functionality of the microwave oven. They have become lighter
weight, a few more whistles and bells and much more affordable.
The familiar sing-songy sounds of power surges as the oven cycles
through its heating process are all too familiar and perhaps on
their way out.
New this year, a number of electronic appliance companies are
marketing the new ‘inverter’ microwave oven. The concept is that it
delivers steady power starting with the highest wattage level, then
powers down to lower levels during the cooking process. So you may
hear high volume sounds, then mid-range, then lower level sounds
during the cooking process.
While many of us enjoy popping our corn in the microwave or baking a
potato, there are many cooking techniques that the microwave just
doesn’t deliver good results on. Problems with the conventional
microwave include hot and cold spots when food is done, and they do
a terrible job, most of the time, in thawing frozen foods,
particularly meat.
The new inverter ovens tout a couple of great changes that will
permit the user to produce a better food product in a reduced amount
of time.
On giant attraction of the inverter is that it promises to thaw meat
evenly with no partially cooked edges with frozen center.
Secondly, food comes out looking tasty. No more gray meat with the
grilling and browning features (in various models).
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There are a number of these new wave appliances on
the market. The two videos provided are just a preview of how they
work and what they are capable of.
Panasonic’s
Cyclonic Wave Microwave with Inverter Technology
LG NeoChef
premium microwave oven : USP Video / Full
The big setback, the cost. Don’t look to buy the new inverter
microwave at the big box stores for under a hundred bucks for
probably a few years. Right now the mid-range price for these ovens
is about $300.
Right now the electric products known by a variety of names such as
InstaPot are all the rage in the kitchen. And, when used properly,
they are a great tool for fast and delicious cooking. But, let’s get
real. This is not new technology, it is a new way of delivering an
age old practice of pressure cooking with a twist that it offers
better control and perhaps more safety, with cooking options and
digital timers that are “set and forget.”
Our grandma’s used pressure cookers, but with less precision. The
concept is to create pressure within the pot through heat. On a
gas-fired range, regulating heat is sometimes challenging.
With the newer electric versions, you have the choices of cooking
times and the amount of pressure in the pot based on the push button
options for meats, soup, rice, etc. In addition, you can tell the
pot what pressure to use manually with a pressure setting key.
So, is the new technology better than the old? Probably. But decide
for yourself with this video.
Is the Instant
Pot worth it? — The Kitchen Gadget Test Show
The air fryer has been around for a while now, and once you learn
how to use it properly, they are a great little appliance to have
around the house, especially if you are on a low fat or no fat diet.
With an air fryer one uses little or no fat to produce, hopefully, a
product similar to that created with a traditional skillet or deep
fryer. Don’t be fooled. There are differences in the end product,
but if you are making that dietary adjustment you will find that the
food coming from the air fryer is doable and even good.
But, like every other appliance in the world there is room for
improvement. A new generation of air fryers are now on the market,
and they combine that fat free technology with something we’re a
little more familiar with, the toaster oven.
Larger than the typical air fryer, these appliances offer a variety
of cooking methods in one place, and they appear to be the next big
thing.
Of course the Cadillac version of any kitchen tool is Cuisinart. The
company has come up with an air fryer toaster oven and the following
video will give you an idea of what it can do in the kitchen.
Air Fryer
Toaster Oven Demo (TOA-60)
These toaster oven air fryers are saturating the market now and are
available from a variety of manufacturers. They also are available
in a variety of price ranges. So, shopping for the one that fits
your needs will be key, but also not all that difficult.
Back to Gordon Ramsey. Yes, the right knife, pot, pan or other
utensils are essential to good cooking and it is hoped you will take
some of the advice he offers so as to avoid those drawers full of
worthless tools. But unlike Ramsey, most folks don’t cook for a
living, they cook to sustain themselves and their loved ones. If a
new gadget out there can help to accomplish that with less time and
effort, then it is definitely worth considering.
And remember, Christmas is just around the corner, so putting an
inverter microwave or a new toaster oven air fryer on your wish list
is not unthinkable!
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