8 minute read
Kitchen Life Savers
Adam Rees selects the latest gear to turn YOU in to a Masterchef
Cost competitive pan set with quality and beauty
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For those of you that want your kitchen equipment not only of the highest quality but also with looks to match, the Lakeland 5-piece non-stick pan set is one of the best you can get without breaking the bank. With a trio of 16, 18 and 20cm saucepans, a milk pan and a sturdy frying pan, this quality set of pans has excellent heat distribution and comes out sparkling even after the most robust treatment. Coming in smart carbon or copper colour, they both look and perform far beyond their division.
BUY IT: For £84.99 from Lakeland Cardiff https://www.lakeland.co.uk/26191/Lakeland-5-Piece-Copper-Coloured-Non-Stick-Pan-Set
Titanium pan offers excellent scratch and dirt resistance
It’s difficult to get your head around the idea that a pan can have 24 times better non-stick capability, yet the boffins at Tefal claim to have delivered a pan that seems almost incapable of getting dirty or scratched. The titanium-reinforced cooking area certainly delivers on its promise, which you can clean effectively with no more than a running tap, while you can happily scratch away with a metal fork without leaving a mark. The high sides mean it can be used as a pot, pan, baking dish, wok and more. It even comes with a lid and steaming rack and the trademark red hot spot also indicates the ideal cooking temperature with superb heat distribution.
BUY IT: For £60 from Debenhams, Cardiff https://www.lakeland.co.uk/26233/Tefal-Owl-Animal-Pancake-Pan-25cm-with-SqueezeBottle
Multi-cooker takes the strain at dinner time
We love devices like the Crock-Pot 5.6L Express Multi-Cooker where you can just throw ingredients in in the morning and come home to a warm, healthy meal in the evening without any faff. Though the array of buttons on the Crock-Pot might at first appear daunting, it’s pretty easy to get into the 12 main settings, whether you want to steam, saute or slow cook, while manual controls are quick to master. At 4 litres of cooking space there’s plenty of room for a big feed too. As well as a steam rack and a spoon it even comes with a recipe book to get you started. Trust us when we say a slow cooked baked potato in one of these things will change your life.
BUY IT: From £89.99 from Lakeland Cardiff https://www.lakeland.co.uk/61768/Crock-Pot-5-6L-Express-Multi-Cooker-CSC051
Elite grill provides exceptional performance
The BORA Tepan stainless steel grill is a serious piece of kit for those whom only the most elite gear will do. The grill comprises a continuous plate for powerful flash cooking. Two different grilling zones with individual controls mean you can simultaneously grill fish and meat at high heat on one and lightly crisp up vegetables on the other. As you’d expect from such a professional high-end product, the heat distribution and retention is exceptional, with the results speaking for themselves with steak, fish and more cooked at up to 250°C. A real style icon.
BUY IT: From £3,790 Artisan Interiors, Cardiff.
Powerful food processor makes light work
Though not feeling quite as up to standard as Cuisinart’s previous stainless steel choppers, the performance of this Mini Prep Pro is second to none. Coming in silver or ‘Vintage Rose’ for a few quid extra, the capacity is just shy of a litre. But the twin direction blade is surprisingly powerful, making easy work of some of the biggest chunks of raw vegetables and ice we threw its way for a morning smoothie. One of our biggest peeves is food getting stuck around the side that needs to be pushed down back into the blade’s path. Switching direction however ensured this was kept to the absolute minimum on the Mini Prep.
BUY IT: £44.99 from John Lewis Cardiff https://www.johnlewis.com/cuisinart-mini-prep-pro-compact-food-processor-silver/ p3751429
Superstar chef and founder of probably the world’s best restaurant, Noma, Claus Meyer tells us how he helped spark a worldwide food revolution
Claus Meyer is founder of Noma, the Two Michelin star Copenhagen restaurant that took Nordic cuisine from obscurity to the forefront of a worldwide movement. His daring flavour combinations using all manner of unexpected ingredients - most found right on the doorstep - are a thing of legend. This year, he’s a keynote speaker at Wales’ signature international food and drink trade event Blas Cymru.Taste Wales. There really can’t be anyone better placed to explain why and how we Welsh foodies should celebrate our food heritage and exceptional produce.
taste.blas: Many of our readers will be aware that Noma has been regularly voted the world’s best restaurant. What makes it so special?
Claus Meyer: With Noma we decided to challenge most of the conventions defining fine dining. We wanted a clear purpose: to spearhead a cultural food transformation in the Nordic countries. We really felt that Nordic food was a bit of a disaster. We wanted to turn it back into something truly wonderful and inspirational for the rest of the world. No one ever rests at Noma. The team is very conscious about what it takes to be an industry leader. They are constantly expanding the range of unusual ingredients found in Scandinavian nature, constantly coming up with radical new flavours, concepts and dishes. René Redzepis is doing a great job continuing to push these boundaries. my time in France that really changed my life. I went to live in Gascony where I lived with a guy who was a bit of a Renaissance man. He was a poet chef and pastry chef. He was a complete inspiration. He became like a father to me.
t.b: What was it that made you move from a French style of cooking to something rooted in your native Denmark?
CM: That’s a very interesting question. There is always something about timing that is magical. It probably happens a few times in your life. Suddenly you see a game-changing opportunity right there in front of you. I was deeply inspired by the Spanish chefs who back in 1973 had decided to revamp Spanish cuisine. In fact I contributed to a book about that revolution. I was also inspired by the Danish film makers who challenged the world of film making for a while with their Dogme manifesto which focussed on getting back to basics. Most of all I was inspired by the way that so few of the diners in our restaurants had any real understanding of our food systems.
t.b: Celebrating local produce is at the heart of New Nordic Cuisine - what can we in Wales learn from your experience of creating renewed interest in local food?
CM: Everybody needs to be involved. The change we long for is something we create together: private people, chefs, researchers, policy makers, farmers, fishermen, journalists… together. There has to be a vision shared by all stakeholders.
t.b: In the past you’ve talked about how important it is for children to experience high quality food and good cooking. What
“We wanted are the benefits, both obvious and less obvious? to spearhead a CM: Children who grow up in such cultural food surroundings will tend to make wiser choices as citizens. What we eat impacts transformation” what we grow and how we produce it. Children learn from what we do, not from what we say. If they grow up in a family where food matters and eating together is important, they will tend to be more conscious of health issues, planet impact, inequality, the art of hosting, the realities of farming, the potential losses and wins - the bigger picture in brief.
t.b: If there was one piece of advice you would give to aspiring chefs/restauranteurs what would it be?
CM: Follow your heart, never compromise on flavour.
t.b: How important is it to a country’s self-esteem to have a thriving food scene that everyone can identify with?
CM: Look at Denmark and Copenhagen these days. Or look at Lima and Peru. This says it all. There is something unique and approachable about food based on local produce.
t.b: What other lessons can we learn to help strengthen our regional identity and make us feel proud of our food?
CM: An important question to answer is ‘what can be the uniquely important Welsh contribution to the world of gastronomy?’ Answer this question and you are well on the way.
t.b: What are your favourite Welsh dishes and ingredients?
CM: I’ll answer that question after my visit!
t.b: What’s your favourite dish that you have at home?
CM: That I cook at home? My favourite dish? I’d say soup!
t.b: In that case, we’d wager a Welsh dish you’ll love is cawl – a hearty traditional Welsh broth with local lamb and leeks at its heart.
Open to the trade and public
Greytrees drip mat 234x434.pdf 1 20/05/2014 10:44
Greytrees drip mat 234x434.pdf 1 20/05/2014 10:44
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