In today’s sub-category driven culture where more niche interests are cropping up every day, one of the most vocal of these groups are those that identify as foodies. This has been helped along in a large part from the growing popularity of the Food Network and other cooking programs that are teaching people about the love of good food and quality cooking once again. For years now, our homes have been filled with fast food wrappers and junk food, but now people are discovering the joy of cooking all over again. If you’re one of these foodies that enjoys a excellent home cooked dish, here are some must have kitchen gadgets that will make your next meal a wiz:
Microplane
If you’re not sure what this is, a microplane is a versatile grater. You can grate more than just cheese with it for those dishes that require citrus, ginger, or even garlic. You don’t have to remain content with high processed ingredients that come in a plastic bag. With a microplane, you can add the finest grated accents to any dish. It’s an all-in-one tool that you can pick up for close to nothing and many of the newer models are very easy to clean.
Bread Maker
Getting store bought bread is the most standard way everyone shops these days, but there’s nothing that can compete with the quality and freshness of home cooked bread. You can do this by hand but it’s far easier, quicker, and more convenient to use a bread machine. Plus, there are so few options at the store for those who can’t eat gluten. For those people who have special dietary restrictions, you can get a really good gluten free bread machine that will work great and give you the quality bread you need to go along with any meal or sandwich.
Stand Mixer
If you’ve never had a kitchen mixer then you don’t know what a miracle they are to the person that loves to cook. It’s not just a time saver, these devices expand any cook’s abilities to perform the most complicated tasks with next to no effort. You can whip cream faster or make a cake in no time. Standing mixers are built to handle the biggest, or smallest, tasks. You can even buy attachments that allow you to grind meat, roll out pasta, or make ice cream. Obviously you wouldn’t want to do all of those things and the same time, but that’s the kind of versatility you get with a quality standing mixer. Also, if you get a good one, it’ll last you practically your entire life. A great investment for any at-home cook.
Some of these items aren’t going to be useful to everyone. The easiest way to gauge how useful it will be is to estimate how much you’re spending on items that you’re buying in the store versus how much it would cost you to make at home. This isn’t always the logic given that some people are willing to pay more for higher quality food. There are lots of cool kitchen gadgets that make the cooking process easier. Consider what you’re doing, and what you want to be able to do, in the kitchen and do a little shopping around online to find a good deal on some must have kitchen gadgets.
