TREAT YOURSELF TO COUNTERTOP Luxury
I've been cooking more at home during the pandemic and I've surprised myself with the success of some of the sweet and savoury Instagrammable delicacies I've made. Plus, cooking has been very therapeutic.
I've learned to appreciate the good knives I invested in years ago, that French cast-iron pan gifted to me, and the dishwasher that seems to be constantly running cleaning up after me. I decided to invest in the appliances that help me become an even better home chef.
Of course, a fantastic meal can be made with essential tools, like a stove, but a couple of fancy bells and whistles can make the cooking process a much more enjoyable and efficient experience (plus they help to upgrade the look of my 12-year old kitchen). Do I need these? Let's just say that once tried, I may never go back.
A COUNTERTOP MACHINE WITH SUPER POWERS
I'm always on the lookout for a kitchen helper that performs more than one function, and I think I've found the most versatile machine on the market. The Vorwerk Thermomix TM6 is a super-powerful blender that also cooks, sautés and stirs. It replaces a rice cooker, blender, coffee mill, smoothie machine, slow cooker, yogurt maker, sous vide, steamer — the list goes on and on. Did I mention it also has a built-in scale, making measuring ingredients a breeze?
It also preps — it chops, sautés and mixes, which means minimal cleanup because everything but the frying and baking happens in the generously-sized stainless bowl.
It even connects to Wi-fi to access more than 50,000-plus step-by-step recipes It's like having a sous chef in your kitchen. Bonus: this one machine does the work of eight to 12 countertop appliances, so think of the storage space you save. And the price of this wonder-machine is basically the cost of all those appliances it replaces, landing on your counter at just over $2,000. It's one of those things that once you try, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.
A TOASTER OVEN T H AT DOES MUCH MORE THAN TOAST
I can see the Wolf Gourmet Toaster Oven as an amazing addition in a variety of settings: for a single person who likes to cook; as the only cooking appliance in a getaway cabin; or as a great secondary oven in a busy household. It's really like no other.
A generous interior and many features of a full-sized oven earn this toaster oven five stars.
First, it offers pro-kitchen style that upgrades the look of your kitchen with stainless steel and those famous Wolf red knobs. Second, it has all the features you'd find in a conventional oven: an internal light and seven cooking modes, including convection, broiling, proofing (great for baking sourdough bread), baking and roasting. It has a temperature probe for exact roasting and the internal oven is large enough for two 9x13-inch lasagna pans or a 12-inch pizza pan.
When testing, I noticed that the top of the oven became quite warm and was perfect for warming dinner plates or keeping a side dish warm.
It evenly baked a loaf of bread and cakes; and a small chicken cooked and browned beautifully; pizza was perfecto. I thought there was really no need to heat up the range oven ever again.
INVEST IN SOME CHEF-WORTHY KITCHEN ACCESSORIES TO UP YOUR AT-HOME COOKING GAME
1: A good quality knife set and sharpener should last you a lifetime.
2: A non-slip cushioned floor mat to stand on will relieve your hips, shoulders and neck.
3: Attractive countertop canisters that can be displayed and kept at arm's length means no more opening cupboard doors for the salt, sugar or flour.
Do you have a decor dilemma or want to give feedback? You can contact Karl on Instagram at Karl Lohnes. Karl has worked as a home decor expert and product designer for 25 years.