Saucepans

A small saucepan is great for boiling vegetables, eggs, potatoes. A larger one is useful for pasta as well as cooking soup, casseroles or stew for a large group. 

 

Measuring Jug

As cheap as chips yet invaluable, a large plastic measuring jug is not only useful for measuring liquids such as water and stock, but can also be used as an impromptu mixing bowl.

 

Frying Pan

A good non-stick frying pan can be used for everything from a good English breakfast to frying mushrooms – it’s an essential item and a solid investment. You can buy a thin-edged frying pan that is perfect for pancakes and omelettes.

 

Colander

Brilliant for draining water from pasta, rice, potatoes, vegetables. Plastic and metal versions work equally well.

 

Wok

Woks come in handy all the time, from a quick stir-fry to a gorgeous curry. A high-sided frying pan is a perfectly good substitute.

 

Mixing Bowl

I would strongly advise a Pyrex mixing bowl, as it’s heatproof. Use it for melting chocolate, cake mixing, making pesto, home-made burgers and whipping up swift salad dressings.

 

Mini hand-held food processor

These are cheap, portable and on sale in Manor!  They get rid of the need to chop veg and so super-speed all your meal preparation!

 

Chopping Board

Thick wooden chopping boards. or plastic all work well - having different sizes and colours allow you to keep them separate for meat, veg - - really useful when you are house sharing...

 

Vegetable peeler + Garlic press

these both ave so much time and faff...

 

Can Opener

Imperative for the kitchen – from cans of beans to tuna, coconut milk and wonderful canned tomatoes.

 

Grater

Brilliant for grating cheese but also great for grating garlic and ginger.

 

 

Spatula

A plastic spatula is a great implement for scraping up all the leftovers from a mixing bowl. It’s also ideal when you need to fold a mixture gently – as with a chocolate mousse.

A metal version is useful when you need to lift and drain fried food, such as when cooking a breakfast fry-up.

 

Wooden Spoon 

These are used extensively in baking. They aren’t used as much in savoury cooking as they tend to absorb the flavours and smells of foods such as garlic, onions and chillies. However, they won’t scratch the bottom of non-stick saucepans, unlike metal spoons.

 

Small Paring Knife - 

One of these makes cutting or slicing fruit or fine vegetables or fish very easy. 

 

Large Chopping Knife + Bread Knife

Make sure you have a super sharp large knife to deal with solid veg, meat joints - anything posing a challenge...bread knifes speak for themselves  really...

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Large baking tray

Glass, pot - whatever as long as its oven proof, these will allow you to cook lasagna, roast joints, tray bakes for you and your housemates