Through your teenage years and your early 20s, cooking slowly morphs from instant noodles to something a little more sophisticated. Maybe you’ve invested in a nicer house and now have a kitchen you want to actually make the best of. As we march toward our 30s (and beyond), we start to get a feel for the finer things in life and may actually enjoy cooking for ourselves and our families! As we begin to prepare more interesting dishes, we need to make sure we have the tools for the job.
Rimmed baking tray
A rimmed baking tray or sheet is a fantastically versatile implement that can be used for all of your roasting and baking needs. Make sure to get one that’s large enough to fit on a whole chicken or roast with the trimmings for Sunday dinner. A rimmed baking tray is also perfect for that next batch of cookies.
A high-quality knife set
If you’re still using the same cheap knives you’ve had for years, now is the time to upgrade. A high-quality, and most importantly, sharp knife is an absolute necessity in any kitchen. Splurge a little extra cash and get a set of knives that are made of quality steel. These will last you for years as long as you sharpen them regularly. You should also consider getting your knives professionally sharpened once a year. This will ensure that they keep their blade and sharpness for years.
Tongs
A simple implement but one that not everyone has, a set of locking tongs can be used for a million things in the kitchen. From flipping meat on the grill to serving salad, tongs are a must-have for any kitchen.
Slow cooker
A slow cooker is a perfect hack for making food taste great without any of the hassle. If you’re debating to order from foodpanda.pk for the third time this week, try throwing some meat, vegetables, and stock into your slow cooker to have the next best thing waiting for you when you get home with just as little effort.
Blunt wooden spoon
Another kitchen staple, a wooding spoon is the most forgiving implement when using non-stick pans and won’t remove any of that precious non-stick goodness that keeps your eggs from sticking. A rounded or blunt wooden spoon is best for scraping the food off the bottom of a pan as you cook up a stew and doesn’t conduct heat, so there are no worries about burning yourself.
Cast-iron skillet
You can cook almost anything in a cast-iron skillet, from perfect eggs to cakes. It will last forever unlike a non-stick pan. When treated right, it has just the same, if not better, non-stick qualities. Take some time to season your skillet correctly with bacon and other fatty meats, and you’ll hardly have to use oil again. You can also quickly transfer them into the oven for crisping up the top of a frittata.
