What kitchen gadgets do you need?
Ever feel like your kitchen has become overrun with appliances? Here's what to ditch and what to keep, writes Natalia Didovich.
Before you buy another appliance, think hard about whether you need it. Trained chef and cookbook author Nicola Galloway of Homegrown Kitchen says there are some things she couldn’t live without, and some she certainly could.
Galloway lives a busy life, which means it’s important for her to keep the food she prepares and the appliances she uses in her Nelson kitchen simple and easy.
‘‘With two young children life is full, so the food we eat is simple, fresh and easy to prepare,’’ Galloway said. ‘‘What we eat is largely decided by what is growing in the garden and available at the local markets, combined with everyday grocery staples.’’ Galloway said she couldn’t live without her 12-year-old Kitchenaid food processor
‘‘Although an initial investment, it is build to last and has awesome power to blend, grind and puree everything,’’ Galloway said.
‘‘I use it like a blender, grinder and mixer and although I have some of these appliances as well, my food processor lives permanently on the kitchen bench, which says a lot, as it gets the most use by far.’’
A slow cooker
When the nights are cold and time is short, Galloway said a slow cooker becomes a kitchen necessity.
‘‘For winter cooking, a slow-cooker is a must,’’ she said. ‘‘Make soups, stews, stock, cooks beans, even cakes. It’s super versatile, affordable and efficient.’’
However, if you want to cut down on the number of appliances cluttering your bench, get an all-inone cooker that will not only act as a slow cooker but as a pressure cooker and multi cooker as well. While Galloway has never tried an all-in-one cooker herself, she said ‘‘they do sound intriguing and a great time saver’’.
Good knives
Although technically not an appliance, Galloway said her kitchen