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Do you like to cook? Tips for choosing the most appropriate kitchenware
Make sure, before you start cooking, that you have the essential tools. Find out which ones are best for you.
It is as bad to clutter the kitchen with each new item that appears as it is to cut vegetables with the table knife. Having the right pieces of kitchenware will make preparing food every day more comfortable, faster and safer. A kitchen set adapted to the number of regular diners, a couple of frying pans, a slow cooker – if you are one of those who always has the right time –, a good set of knives and a studied selection of utensils to handle food is How much do you need to get behind the stove? We explain everything you need to know about the basic pieces and the best materials for each of them.
Stainless Steel Cookware Designed by John Pawson
Cookware. If we made a pyramid with the basic utensils in a kitchen, the battery would be placed on the first level. It is essential for preparing almost all types of meals. A five-piece set, consisting of three sizes of pots (6, 3.5 and 2 liters), a saucepan and a saucepan is more than enough.
When choosing the battery, it is worth taking into account issues such as whether it is compatible with all types of fires – and, especially, with induction hobs, which require ferromagnetic bottoms to operate –, the material, its resistance, ease of use. cleanliness and, of course, the price.
It is also worth knowing that the better the parts of a cookware conduct heat, the shorter the cooking time and the lower the necessary temperature. In this way, the loss of vitamins is reduced, so that meals are healthier and tastier.
Stainless steel. There are many materials used in cookware, although stainless steel is perhaps the most popular. It is hygienic, dishwasher safe, guaranteed to last up to 25 years and at affordable prices.
Its main disadvantage is that stainless steel is not the best conductor of heat, so it is common for pots and pans made of this material to integrate 'sandwich' type thermo-diffuser bottoms, which integrate an aluminum or copper sheet between two steel sheets. Keep in mind that the thicker the bottom of the stainless steel utensils, the less food will stick.
M'Stone Cookware
Aluminum. Another material widely used in kitchenware is aluminum. Light and easy to handle. It is a better conductor of heat than stainless steel, allowing for quick cooking at moderate heat. Economical and easy to maintain (it can be washed in a dishwasher and does not rust), its duration is shorter – about 10 years – but its main weak point is that it can deform at high temperatures, with the consequent loss of efficiency in glass-ceramic kitchens.
Aluminum pieces suitable for induction cookers must incorporate a ferromagnetic bottom with a thick base made up of different layers of steel and aluminum. To check if they have it, simply place a magnet near the base of the container. If it is attracted to the entire surface, it means that the bottom is ferromagnetic and therefore suitable for induction cookers.
Le Creuset French Ovens
Enameled iron. If you like to cook over low heat, cast iron pots and pans are the best, as they conduct heat very well and are very strong and durable. Choose enameled ones to make maintenance easier, otherwise they must be dried and oiled after each wash to prevent rust.
Furthermore, since they are heavy and difficult to handle elements – in addition to being quite expensive, compared to pieces made of other materials – it is advisable to reserve them.s para recetas tradicionales de largas cocciones. Eso sí, si las tratas bien, te durarán toda la vida.
Ceramic surfaces. Over the last few years, encouraged by the concern for healthier cooking, new ceramic coatings have been appearing that offer good non-stick performance. The biggest risk is that the chemicals present on non-stick surfaces, with use, can be released and become toxic when cooking at very high temperatures. Ceramics, on the other hand, are safe in this sense.
Ceramic coatings are incorporated into both cookware and frying pans, although it is the latter that offer the best results, as they allow you to cook with little fat and achieve golden, crispy foods.
Non-stick pans. Made of steel, aluminum or cast iron, like cookware, although generally coated on the inside with non-stick, the main drawback that frying pans present in the kitchen is their storage, since their long handles take up a lot of space. Hence, the versions with removable handles are convenient and versatile, as they hardly take up any space in the cabinets, can be easily stacked and can be used in the oven without worrying about the handle. Other very practical accessories that some of the newest frying pans incorporate are temperature indicators.
Purpose for autumn: A better used and organized kitchen
FAST MONIX CLASSIC. VARIOUS SIZES
Pressure cooker. With origins dating back to the 60s, pressure cookers represented a true revolution in the kitchen by substantially reducing cooking times. The current models recover the aesthetics and virtues of the first ones.
However, you can also find modern, even faster models, with different cooking modes, and even digital versions to control time and temperature precisely.
Whichever one is chosen, it is advisable to opt for one whose capacity adapts to our lifestyle habits (there are 2.5, 4, 6 and even 10 liter capacity) and with guaranteed security systems. Professional advice is especially important in this case.
Knives. A proper selection of knives is essential not only to work comfortably and achieve good results, but also to avoid cuts and accidents. There is nothing more dangerous than a poor quality or dull knife.
Good quality knives are made of carbon steel or even reinforced with molybdenum vanadium, for greater hardness and resistance to shocks. Those made of conventional stainless steel do not require maintenance but offer thicker and less efficient blades.
Ceramic blade knives deserve special mention, as they can not only be sharpened like a scalpel, but also maintain their edge for a long time and have no risk of rust. However, these models cannot withstand knocks and good quality ones have very high prices.
An adequate selection. Beyond the material it is made of, when choosing a knife it is advisable to analyze aspects such as whether it is made in a single piece, that it is balanced and ergonomic in the hand, with the lowest possible weight and that the handle materials are hygienic, washable and They do not have points where food remains can accumulate.
As for the pieces needed in a kitchen, the basic ones would be a lace knife – a short, small knife (about 13 cm) for multipurpose purposes – and a chef's knife – also popularly called an onion knife, about 20 cm long, with a wide and long blade. and which is used to cut and chop precisely by balancing it on the edge -, one for bread - with a long and narrow blade (about 25 cm) with a large and marked serration - and a filleting knife - with a very thin and long blade and with very sharp tip – which is ideal for filleting pieces of fish and meat. Finally, it is advisable to get a good sharpener for daily use to always keep them in perfect shape.