Archive for March, 2010

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Knowing Your Cookware to Make the Best Dish


2010
03.26

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Want to become a MasterChef?

Speaking of rice-based dishes, and while we’re on in Europe, Let’s head west across the Mediterranean and get some paella. Spain’s signature dish is all the more festive when made with a good paella pan, which makes a great centrepiece to large gatherings. Scanpan, De Buyer, Paella World and All-Clad all make paella pans that’ll give your cookware collection a great international boost. You need to know that, if you’re interested in mastering paella, a good paella pan is a must. Paellas are renowned for the crust of rice and meat that is found at the bottom of the pan, In fact, this is considered a delicacy in Spain. A good quality paella pan is critical to obtain this rich, flavoursome crust.

France is famous for its delicious recipes. Crepes, tartans, croissants – the French have it all. To replicate these famous dishes effectively, specialty cookware is paramount. If crepes are preferred, a crepe pan from De Buyer, Scanpan or Jamie Oliver will have you making those light and fluffy treats in no time. If you prefer something more substantial, a French oven from Le Creuset or Le Chasseur will have you exploring a whole new region of fine food in no time.

Versatile and durable, woks are one of the most useful tools found in the kitchen. Although commonly used for stir-frys, woks are also used to steam, braise and make soup.  A good quality wok that heats well is required when cooking such dishes. That’s where traditional cookware giants Scanpan, Anolon, Circulon and Calphalon excel.

With a few of these specialty pieces of cookware you’ll become a stovetop traveller in no time. Make a point of introducing two or 3 dishes a year, master them and then pick a new destination and piece of cookware. There’s no rush and there’s a world of good tastes out there waiting to be discovered.

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Like Cocktail? You Will Need a Good Blender In Your Kitchen


2010
03.12

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As well as milkshakes of the past, the blender has been used over the decades to create icy alcoholic drinks such as pina coladas and daiquiris. In recent years, however, non-alcoholic concoctions such as iced coffee drinks and smoothies have made good use of the appliance.

KitchenAid, Cuisinart and Vita-mix are a few players that have made big names for themselves in the blender market over the decades.

Food processors have been used in the food industry since the early 1960s and in the early 70s the food processor was available for domestic use, courtesy of French-made and then Cuisinart in U.S.A. The big difference between blenders and food processors is that food processors use replaceable blades and disks instead of a fixed blade and they do not need liquids to work efficiently. Their bowls are wider and shorter, too, which works better with solid or semi solid foods.

KitchenAid, Cuisinart and French-made Magimix are traditionally the largest and most renowned producers of food processors. Recently, Morphy Richards have launched a line of food processors to challenge these traditional giants of the appliance market.

Finally, let us take a look at the machine that dates back the longest. Food mixer is used for whipping, mixing and kneading ingredients. The motorised version of this instrument can either be hand-held or attached to a stand, with the stand mixers being the more powerful of the two. The easier manually operated type, which was invented in 1870, is still in use today. Unlike blenders, mixers do not have blades per se (they are more like arms or sturdier whisks and are blunt), work at slower speeds and do not break down larger food items.

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Quality Cookware Bring You Cooking Skill To The Next Level


2010
03.11

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Cookware is what’s commonly referred to as the pots and pans used to prepare food on a stovetop or hob. It stands to follow that bakeware, the subject of another article, is, properly speaking, the vessels used for preparing food in ovens. So, things like roasting trays, roasting racks, terrines and baking dishes could very well be considered bakeware. However, the foods created in those vessels, such as roasted meats and vegetables, pates, casseroles, etc., aren’t what most consider baked goods—meaning cakes, breads and pastries. With that in mind, we will include baking dishes, roasting racks and other such items when discussing cookware.

Even the most budding of cooks can mistake a stockpot for a large sauce pan. A stockpot is any saucepan over 6L in capacity, and almost every one on the market has two handles for added stability. A very large sauce pan or a smaller stockpot will serve you well when making big batches of spaghetti.

This overview is designed to give you the basic information needed to make an informed purchase of essential cookware. As can be imagined, there are a variety of specialised pans out there: chef’s pans, crepe pans, egg poachers, grill pans and saute pans, to name some of the more well-known ones. The same can be said for saucepans. Among the special-duty pots are double boilers, pasta pots and inserts, mussel pots and woks—which occupy a space somewhere between pot and pan. Knowing the uses of these items will go a long way towards bringing out your inner chef.