Archive for the 'Kitchen Tools' Category
They continue to define the country kitchen because rooster kitchen decor reminds us of a sights, sounds and smells that are only found in wide open spaces. Bring back that country feeling with some new decor that’s worth crowing about.
While the bright colors can accent almost any floral pattern, the country rooster also comes in the two tone variety. When the bright colors are too much for us, the familiar pattern still brings back memories of life on the farm.
Waking up to the aroma of fresh coffee and biscuits on a table top dressed with our favorite rooster just makes our kitchen feel warm and cozy.
I don’t like accidents and I don’t like blood which means choosing cooking utensils requires safety consciousness. Knives should be sharp and the handles secure to avoid needless injury. Selecting the proper knife for the job will also help keep the cooking process uninterrupted.
When it comes to chopping and slicing most cooks have a specific choice. Mine has a curved blade so that it rocks gently across the food. If I have several different tasks to perform while preparing a meal that special knife gets washed and dried often.
Sometimes even before I plan a meal, I’ll know how much will be leftover, and the type of kitchen storage container that will save it all. Getting the leftovers eaten before they spoil is another issue, but it helps to know what and how I’m going to save the extra food. If we have a lot of variety, I’ll either put together individual meals, or keep everything separate so that everyone can pick and choose.
Saving leftovers is only one use for kitchen storage containers. We stopped using cereal and cracker boxes long ago. Storage containers stack and store more neatly; plus we never seem to have stale crackers any more. Pasta, beans, coffee and dry bread for homemade bread crumbs all store more efficiently in a proper kitchen storage container.
Winter time for us always includes homemade soup. While many vegetables are out of season, those we’ve frozen, dried or canned work well in soup. Fresh game may be the only remaining ingredient that we don’t have on hand, but the local butcher may have something in the freezer from hunting season.
Our soups are always created start to finish in stainless steel stock pots. Regardless of the type of soup or variation of the recipe we know it’ll always taste like we intend. Even hiding inside from the cold doesn’t diminish our love for a simmering pot of soup on the back burner. A loaf of homemade bread or rolls and we’re ready for a hot wintry meal.
When I consider how valuable a kitchen tool is to me, the first question I’ll ask is how difficult would the job be without it. If the meal simply cannot be accomplished without a specific tool, then it is invaluable. Some cooks will tell you that the tool becomes invaluable when their creations aren’t exquisite.
To be honest, without the stainless steel cookware set, we’re eating pizza for thanksgiving. On top of the variety of vegetables, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes and cranberry sauce, we always have mushroom gravy.
We take the mushroom sauce recipe, which is whisked in a large frying pan, and add the drippings from the turkey. I’m sure there are other reasons the stainless steel cookware can’t be replaced this holiday, and I’d write them down, but I’ll be watching football.
Fresh cranberry sauce is a favorite holiday tradition in many homes and anyone can have success even if they’ve never made it before. Most recipes simply call for sugar, water and cranberries.
Select a medium saucepan and dissolve 1/2 cup sugar into 1/2 cup water over medium heat. Stir in 2 cups cranberries for 7 to 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Always avoid overcooking to prevent the sauce from becoming bitter.
Magazines and recipe blogs are filling up with many exotic creations based on traditional cranberry sauce. Since the base sauce blends well with other fruits, almost any combination works well. If you want to taste the orange zest, or the apple and cinnamon, as well as the cranberry, be sure to use stainless steel cookware to protect the flavor.
I’ve seen some fascinating kitchens in my lifetime. The professional kitchens have the advantage of space for moving about, and for open storage. I remember an old Victorian home, originally a fort, likely converted into a bed and breakfast by now, where the kitchen was halfway beneath the ground. The window ran the full length of the wall looking toward the backyard. Upon the sill stood a variety of kitchen storage containers in varying styles, some made of glass, others ceramic, but all in use.
No matter how large or small our kitchens are, having dry goods within reach serves two important purposes for cooks. When we need a dash of flour, not only is the kitchen storage container right there, but we don’t have to put it away when we’re done. Making the most efficient use of our space also saves us time as well.
We’re catching onto some amazing trends that help our homes and our world by using renewable resources. Going green blogs are on fire with ideas that are often very easy to implement. Most of what we do in our home to help the environment actually saves us money.
Perfectly natural, bamboo is a new miraculous material for western civilization but among the oldest in the world. Structurally harder than Maple, Bamboo is a member of the grass family and doesn’t need the care that most wood boards require. Bamboo boards are lightweight and can double as serving trays. The hard surface means fewer nicks and slices that harbor bacteria. Bamboo boards are kitchen tools that are an attractive and useful complement to any kitchen.
The statement made by our kitchen decor should be unmistakable. We want people entering our favorite room to know we mean business. From the pictures on the wall to the note board by our phone we want to make a distinct impression with what people see.
When the country rooster is set loose, the statement is anything but subtle. Not only does rooster kitchen decor like to be noticed, it can hardly be missed.
Being identified by what we wear isn’t only a matter of recognition, but an exercise in practicality. In the cooking profession, hats as well as hair nets, are often standard issue along with cooking aprons. If we see the chef we have an expectation of how they should be dressed especially if we own the restaurant.
In our homes and in our kitchens we can relax the dress code without fear of reprisal from the boss. However, we can also expect the practical conclusion of having our street clothes unprotected from the elements that surround us. So we keep the cooking aprons handy even if no one is around to notice our diligence. We should be as honored as any famous chef to don a uniform so universally recognized.