The Chefs Kitchen

[SummerStar]

I realised I haven’t posted here for a couple of days.....

A question today........

What’s your favourite piece of kitchen gadgetry or your favourite cooking equipment that you own?

Mine is this lovely stainless steel wood fired pizza oven that I purchased last year in the summer.......... if only for some nicer weather again to be able to use it again

https://i.imgur.com/JqHCUuu.jpg?1

And a bonus video of me making pizzas

https://imgur.com/62PxSRy

My husband does almost all of the cooking for us. My new favorite kitchen gadget is our air fryer though. We got a small one just to see if we would like and use it and I’m already to upgrade. So much easier than the oven for quick bites and tastes so much better!

 

[Portobelllobelle]

My great set of knives, it’s a simple answer but true. Love and have most everything below, except air fryer, but I’m air fryer curious, tell me more sumner! With out the knives, the rest doesn’t do it’s job as well, imo.

 

[SugarSpiceAndLace]

What’s your favourite piece of kitchen gadgetry or your favourite cooking equipment that you own?

Okay, this is going to sound stupid, especially as I have two amazing mixers that I love (KitchenAid and a SandLidA, which is a beast), but my favorite kitchen gadget is this stupid little egg cooker that I got for Christmas. It's ridiculous but I'm obsessed with it.

 

[HotChef1970]

Do you realize in the states, people let nothing stop them from having an authentic barbecue? They grill especially in the snow or whenever the mood arises. Imagine waking up to steak cooked on the grill after it had been marinating for a whole day. Your neighbors waking up thinking, I wish...

You do know how much it rains over here though don’t you?

I get bbq when it’s been snowing (if only) but have you ever tried making pizza outdoors in the rain?

 

[HotChef1970]

What’s your favourite piece of kitchen gadgetry or your favourite cooking equipment that you own?

I have a very small kitchen and so gadgets are rare. I have a cuisinart food processor that gets used fairly often. I also have a vitamix that I almost never use because it’s so huge.
So maybe my favorites are my Wüsthof knives since I use them many times a day?

Whenever I move to a bigger house, I plan in getting a kitchen aid mixer to keep on the counter to virtue signal

I’m with you on the small kitchen part, the problem with gadgets is they take up either too much cupboard space or too much counter space!
A great set of knives in the kitchen is always a plus point.

And the KA mixers I’ve always looked at as a piece of art or a status symbol on your counter, a talking point for guests

 

[HotChef1970]

I'm with both of you! I've had my KA for many years now. It's pastel pink which probably tells you how old it is! I love it for making pizza dough. I would so love a wood-fired pizza oven.

Now a KA would be something I aspire to just like you would love a wood fired pizza oven, so stylish & timeless (even in pastel pink )

 

[HotChef1970]

Definitely my Braun 'hand blender' - makes it sound like a stick blender, which it is, but also a heap more, and takes up far less bench space than the traditional blender. Probably not so great for the big jobs, but I live alone (and also with a very small kitchen) - perfect for just about everything I need it for. A recent guest said if she gets married again, I have to get her one for a wedding present.

https://www.myfussyeater.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Chorizo-Tomato-Soup-Braun-Blender_001.jpg

Such a versatile piece of kitchen equipment, sure it’s a stick blender but the add ones are great, the mini chopper etc.

Although last night using mine to blend some soup somehow the soup gets drawn up inside where the spindle is and when I dismantle it for washing I get my hand covered in boiling liquid

 

[HotChef1970]

My husband does almost all of the cooking for us. My new favorite kitchen gadget is our air fryer though. We got a small one just to see if we would like and use it and I’m already to upgrade. So much easier than the oven for quick bites and tastes so much better!

Lucky that you have someone who does almost all of the cooking!

Air fryers are great, a recommendation for you if you’re looking for an upgrade and want another kitchen gadget then you should consider the instant pot Duo Crisp https://instantpot.com/portfolio-item/duo-crisp/

So versatile in what it can do

 

[AlpineFresco]

Hmm... fave gadget or piece of kitchen equipment? It's a tiny kitchen, so no room for a lot of things.

The correct answer is probably 'my chef's knife' cause I use it every time I cook and it's such an upgrade from previous duller blades (oh man, I remember being in the kitchen with an ex, and she'd bought a new knife from Tesco - I opened it up to use, and it couldn't even cut a bell pepper. WTAF?!) - but I'm English, so my actual answer has to be 'the kettle'.

I don't make the rules.

 

[HotChef1970]

My great set of knives, it’s a simple answer but true. Love and have most everything below, except air fryer, but I’m air fryer curious, tell me more sumner! With out the knives, the rest doesn’t do it’s job as well, imo.

Hmm... fave gadget or piece of kitchen equipment? It's a tiny kitchen, so no room for a lot of things.

The correct answer is probably 'my chef's knife' cause I use it every time I cook and it's such an upgrade from previous duller blades (oh man, I remember being in the kitchen with an ex, and she'd bought a new knife from Tesco - I opened it up to use, and it couldn't even cut a bell pepper. WTAF?!) - but I'm English, so my actual answer has to be 'the kettle'.

I don't make the rules.

You’re both right that strictly a good knife is the single best kitchen “gadget” you can have, without that then you can forget being able to cook or prepare anything, as with everything though it’s no good if you don’t look after it......
A good knife is only a good knife if you keep it sharp properly...

And I love that a kettle is the best gadget!

 

[HotChef1970]

Okay, this is going to sound stupid, especially as I have two amazing mixers that I love (KitchenAid and a SandLidA, which is a beast), but my favorite kitchen gadget is this stupid little egg cooker that I got for Christmas. It's ridiculous but I'm obsessed with it.

This reminds me of a conversation I was having a few weeks back with a friend about a microwave egg cooker...... I’m assuming it isn’t the same type of thing?

But technically a gadget in the kitchen is something that makes your life easier so if that floats your boat then good on you

 

[SugarSpiceAndLace]

This reminds me of a conversation I was having a few weeks back with a friend about a microwave egg cooker...... I’m assuming it isn’t the same type of thing?

But technically a gadget in the kitchen is something that makes your life easier so if that floats your boat then good on you

I'm going to try to add the link, but I'm not sure I remember how. We'll see.

https://www.amazon.com/Dash-Rapid-Egg-Cooker-Scrambled/dp/B07SHBG2W2/ref=sr_1_4?crid=BJ1Q6KULDO1B&dchild=1&keywords=dash+rapid+egg+cooker+6+egg+capacity&qid=1610712575&sprefix=dash+rapid+egg+%2Caps%2C678&sr=8-4

Hopefully that came through.

Other than the egg cooker, I'm not a huge fan of cooking but I absolutely love to bake, so it would probably default to one of my mixers.

 

[HotChef1970]

I'm going to try to add the link, but I'm not sure I remember how. We'll see.

https://www.amazon.com/Dash-Rapid-Egg-Cooker-Scrambled/dp/B07SHBG2W2/ref=sr_1_4?crid=BJ1Q6KULDO1B&dchild=1&keywords=dash+rapid+egg+cooker+6+egg+capacity&qid=1610712575&sprefix=dash+rapid+egg+%2Caps%2C678&sr=8-4

Hopefully that came through.

Other than the egg cooker, I'm not a huge fan of cooking but I absolutely love to bake, so it would probably default to one of my mixers.

That worked and I can get that.... people struggle for perfect eggs.

Baking is still cooking so that’s a valid response

 

[SugarSpiceAndLace]

That worked and I can get that.... people struggle for perfect eggs.

Baking is still cooking so that’s a valid response

I get nervous and over cook them, and then hate myself for it lol. This is no thought.

And baking might be technically a type of cooking, but cooking is more of an art whereas baking is more of a science. I like exact measurements and no guesswork.

 

[HotChef1970]

I get nervous and over cook them, and then hate myself for it lol. This is no thought.

And baking might be technically a type of cooking, but cooking is more of an art whereas baking is more of a science. I like exact measurements and no guesswork.

Well we will have to agree to disagree, all cooking is based on science at its roots

The only difference with baking is that if you screw up on the quantities but with other cooking you can style it out and rebalance

 

[Portobelllobelle]

You’re both right that strictly a good knife is the single best kitchen “gadget” you can have, without that then you can forget being able to cook or prepare anything, as with everything though it’s no good if you don’t look after it......
A good knife is only a good knife if you keep it sharp properly...

And I love that a kettle is the best gadget!

I just picked up a 7 inch nakiri to add to the block, LOVE it so far.

 

[Dribble]

You’re both right that strictly a good knife is the single best kitchen “gadget” you can have, without that then you can forget being able to cook or prepare anything, as with everything though it’s no good if you don’t look after it......
A good knife is only a good knife if you keep it sharp properly...

And I love that a kettle is the best gadget!

Do you know how many knives I have bought claiming to be the "best"? Some were way too expensive...but for a great knife. Most end up used as darts.

 

[AveryElle]

Do you know how many knives I have bought claiming to be the "best"? Some were way too expensive...but for a great knife. Most end up used as darts.

Do you sharpen them?

 

[HotChef1970]

Do you sharpen them?

^^^^^ this exactly, so many people forget this... really a knife should be lightly sharpened on a sharpening steel before each use at least.

I mean you don’t buy a car and never check the oil or tyre pressures

 

[KimGordon67]

Such a versatile piece of kitchen equipment, sure it’s a stick blender but the add ones are great, the mini chopper etc.

Although last night using mine to blend some soup somehow the soup gets drawn up inside where the spindle is and when I dismantle it for washing I get my hand covered in boiling liquid

That's interesting ... I make soup very rarely, so I've not encountered this issue, but I consider myself warned. I mostly use the stick blender for mashing up stewed fruit etc for going into the yoghurt I make. (Actually, one of my other favourite kitchen 'gadgets' is the Easi-yo that I got for $5 from the thrift shop, because you can use to just make yoghurt normally as well, i.e. without the sachet things.)
I probably use the bigger blender bowl the most, for making humus, pesto, etc. I like that it doesn't weigh a ton, like a normal blender, and just tucks away in a fairly small cupboard. (Tip if you're making classic pesto - try using macadamias instead of pine nuts. OK, maybe not if you're making truly classic pesto with a mortar and pestle, but if you're just chucking everything in a blender, macadamias for the win.)

 

[mstrulyscrumptious]

I think my favourite changes according to what I am focusing on at the moment. Right now it is a the fabulous Ninja Foodi 8 in 1 Digital Air Fry Oven. Best purchase last year.

 

[Dribble]

Do you sharpen them?

I used to. But I am not the only person in the house. There reaches a point where it is a waste of my time.

Edit: i did finally buy myself my own Xbox controller for Xmas this year...maybe I should hide knives too?

 

[Lonelywife1205]

I realised I haven’t posted here for a couple of days.....

A question today........

What’s your favourite piece of kitchen gadgetry or your favourite cooking equipment that you own?

Mine is this lovely stainless steel wood fired pizza oven that I purchased last year in the summer.......... if only for some nicer weather again to be able to use it again

https://i.imgur.com/JqHCUuu.jpg?1

And a bonus video of me making pizzas

https://imgur.com/62PxSRy

What a fun thread HotChef! The most used thing in my kitchen is my Pampered Chef pizza stone. I just got a new one for Christmas because my old one cracked recently in the oven. I had it for 15 years and it was beautifully seasoned and the prettiest shade of golden brown. I was sad when it broke.

The only gadget or appliance that sits on my counter is my air fryer. We use it almost daily. We love it.

I have a stainless KA mixer that stays in the cabinet, I really only use it around the holidays to make cookies and cheese balls. I am fortunate to have enough cabinet space that I can keep my counters gadget free.

And how cute are you making pizza!

 

[Kat73]

I’ll start with 2 questions

How many cook books do you have?

What’s your latest cook book?

Last count I had 88 cookbooks on the shelf with the latest one added yesterday being this epic piece of reading

https://i.imgur.com/kxfaoTH.jpg?1

I have one small shelf of cookbooks. Some of my favorites are my two Better Homes and Gardens cookbooks. One was my Grandma's. One I bought when I moved out. My favorite is my recipe box that my Grandma gave me for my wedding. They are handwritten family recipes that I truly treasure.

I just picked up an old cookbook from my mom. Mid 40s on how to prepare meat. Great pics all through.

I realised I haven’t posted here for a couple of days.....

A question today........

What’s your favourite piece of kitchen gadgetry or your favourite cooking equipment that you own?

Mine is this lovely stainless steel wood fired pizza oven that I purchased last year in the summer.......... if only for some nicer weather again to be able to use it again

https://i.imgur.com/JqHCUuu.jpg?1

And a bonus video of me making pizzas

https://imgur.com/62PxSRy

My kitchen is 90 % Pampered Chef as I used to sell it. I love everything I use. I cook every single day. I love to cook and I am damn good at what I do, so I have the tools to do it!!

My cooking blender has been super fun to experiment with. Made a whole bunch of jelly around Thanksgiving. It was easy peasy!


Thanks for the fun thread! I will stop by often!

 

[Anastasia1999]

I realised I haven’t posted here for a couple of days.....

A question today........

What’s your favourite piece of kitchen gadgetry or your favourite cooking equipment that you own?

Mine is this lovely stainless steel wood fired pizza oven that I purchased last year in the summer.......... if only for some nicer weather again to be able to use it again

https://i.imgur.com/JqHCUuu.jpg?1

And a bonus video of me making pizzas

https://imgur.com/62PxSRy

A potato ricer for making mashed potatoes. No need to peel the potatoes. Just boil them, half them, cut side down into the ricer and press them through, the skin separates from the potato. It’s magic!!

Very jealous of your pizza oven HotChef and your KitchenAid Little Tease!