The humble kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the home. It’s where we store the food, the beer, and the microwave. But let’s face it. We need a good kitchen to ensure we can eat a good diet. And there’s nothing wrong with having a flashy kitchen to show off to our mates either! Some guys hate to cook, while others make a living out of it. Whether you’re a wannabe chef, or you’re someone with a drawer of takeaway menus, there are a few essentials every guy needs in a great kitchen.
When you think about really good food, you might be thinking about lean meat and hearty vegetables. To prepare these kinds of foods, you need a seriously good set of knives. There are some awesome ways to store those knife sets too. Get a chunky wooden knife block so they’re always on the countertop ready to go. Or a magnetic wall bar to stick the blades too right by the hob. It beats hiding them away in a drawer!
Your pots and pans can become part of the decor in the kitchen too. Hanging hooks over the kitchen island have been a favorite choice for years. For something new, why not try a pot stacker. These tend only to work with certain pot sets so be sure yours is one of them. Of course, a deep soft-close drawer could be the ideal place to keep them dust free if you’re not confident enough to use them everyday.
No kitchen would be complete without a state of the art coffee machine. An espresso maker is certainly a show piece for a stylish coffee. It may depend on the kind of coffee you like to drink. You might enjoy the pops and spits of a percolator and the convenience of having a hot jug of the good stuff to hand. Or maybe that whoosh from the steamer is more your thing to feel like you’ve woken up to a truly great day.
There are several different kinds of fridge that might adorn your kitchen. If you like to entertain, it’s worth investing in a wine or beer fridge. Most of these little under counter fridges have glass doors so you can see what you have in there. And they can be set super cold for beers, or chilled for wines. The choices are yours. Of course, you mustn’t forget your fridge freezer. A bigger freezer section offers you plenty of space to freeze all those extra portions from batch cooking. Ice anyone? Pick a freezer with an ice dispenser to really impress at your next party.
The fridge freezer isn’t the only appliance you should have in your kitchen. Some guys go for matching brands, but that isn’t always a good idea. If you like one of the big name brands, then ask your friends what they think of them first. Of course, they may just suggest reading their appliance reviews to get a broader picture of each brand. This is definitely worth doing when you’re thinking of spending a lot of money kitting out your kitchen.
The appliances every kitchen needs include a dishwasher. Who wants to get their hands in the dirty water when they don’t have to? They run pretty quietly these days, so you could set it to do your dishes when you go to bed if that’s easier. There are usually several different programs to choose from. A quick one will vary between twenty and forty-five minutes. Obviously, if you need a dish instantly, you’ll have to wash it up the old fashioned way. But dishwashers do the job with steam making everything far more hygienic.
If you do like to dabble with the cooking, chances are you’ve experimented with a few recipes. Herbs and spices can really bring a dish to life with flavor. If you haven’t explored beyond seasoning, you are definitely missing out! Get yourself a spice rack or a dedicated shelf in your kitchen cupboard. You should have ginger, garlic, cinnamon, paprika, chili, basil and turmeric. The active ingredients in turmeric can also act as an antiinflammatory. Ideal after the gym! Ginger and cinnamon make sweet dishes and cakes taste amazing. The basil is ideal for tomato based dishes. And paprika and chili add a little kick of heat to your favorite meals.
The kitchen can easily become one of your favorite rooms in the house when you kit it out right. And knowing a few clever recipes can make you one your mate’s favorite friends! What’s the best thing about your kitchen?
