Updating the Kitchen Essentials

[Smithy]

You really are getting excellent advice here. The only bit I can add is to consider picking up some of those basic items on the cheap - used, at garage sales or thrift stores, for instance - until you know what you like. I would be leery of used precision instruments (specifically knives, scales and thermometers), but sometimes you can get lucky on even those; in the meantime you can get bargains on many of the basics if you shop around a bit. I'm probably fairly typical in that I started out with hand-me-down pots, pans and appliances and figured out over time what I liked and didn't like. In addition to saving money, you'll find it easier to let inexpensive purchases go (to another thrift store) when you figure out what you want instead.

[CatPoet]

I actually have an IKEA  Knife that is  good too, not as  great as the Victorinox but bloody hell for the price it is amazing and it is a good starter knife.

[MelissaH]

Great advice in this thread.

 

Thinking about what we have in our "travel" kitchen box, for when we drive somewhere that has at least a microwave or toaster oven:

*Knives, one paring size and one chef's/santoku

*Cutting board

*Carrot peeler

*Pyrex measuring cup (great for measuring liquids and also heating them in the microwave)

*Silicone spatula

 

As far as other equipment, assuming you have a burner or three to cook on, I'd get a pot large enough to boil pasta, a colander to drain stuff including the pasta you boil in your pot, a nonstick frying pan for eggs and the like, and a sheet pan. Maybe a casserole dish, if you like to eat things that get cooked in one. Maybe a smaller saucepan.

 

The Thermomix would be useful if you know that the things you like to cook and eat would work in one, and if you think you'll really need to make them in a more hands-free process. Otherwise, put your money elsewhere.

[andiesenji]

I've owned my Thermomix since November 2009 - as I live in the US, I had to order it from Canada and teach myself how to use it, but the "learning curve" is not very steep.

I don't use it as much as some enthusiasts do, but for some tasks, it has become, for me, essential.  (Particularly for risotto, which I love, but seldom felt like standing over the stove, stirring for long periods.)

 

I have a friend who has lived on her boat in a marina (Ventura, CA) for many years.  A few months after I got the Thermomix, she visited me for a day (on her way home from Las Vegas) and I demonstrated some of the features of the TM after she saw it on the kitchen counter.

 

She has a TINY galley in the boat and for all of the years she has lived aboard, she found it was easier to eat out most of the time rather than cope with the limited space in order to produce a reasonable meal.

She ordered a Thermomix and by the time it was delivered, had printed out a stack of recommended recipes (besides those in the cookbook that comes with it) and began teaching herself how to use it.

Within a month she had mastered the basic procedures and even began inviting one or two people for dinners on the boat. (She said she had years of payback to folks who had entertained her to catch up on). 

Since then (mid-2010)  a couple of other marina residents have purchased the machines which work even with generator power when at sea. 

 

Some people deride it as an "expensive toy" but as it takes the place of a blender, food processor, steamer, etc., for those who can afford it and USE it, it is wonderful. 

[ElsieD]

I agree with Andie. I have had my Thermomix since 2011 and after an initial flurry of activity, I didn't use it much save for risotto. We have recently moved and I now store it where it is easy to get at and have begun using it again. I am kicking myself for having neglected it for so long. To give but one recent example, making bread in one of these things is a snap. Weigh the ingredients into the bowl, set the knead function (2 minutes for the brioche and focaccia I made) and presto, the dough is done.

Edited August 12, 2014 by ElsieD (log)

[SobaAddict70]

if the OP wants a super gadget for just about everything, he should plunk down $400 to $500 for a Vita-Mix. it even does windows and the kitchen sink.

[Gaius46]

Yet another vote for a good knife. There no cutting tasks that can't be accomplished with a knife. And a good knife, well cared for will last longer than you do.

[andiesenji]

I agree with Andie. I have had my Thermomix since 2011 and after an initial flurry of activity, I didn't use it much save for risotto. We have recently moved and I now store it where it is easy to get at and have begun using it again. I am kicking myself for having neglected it for so long. To give but one recent example, making bread in one of these things is a snap. Weigh the ingredients into the bowl, set the knead function (2 minutes for the brioche and focaccia I made) and presto, the dough is done.

Last Saturday I was given a nice trout.  I used the TMX - cooked a sauce in the bottom, vegetables in the inner basket and cooked the fileted trout in the Varoma basket on top. 

I rarely do this type of combo cooking but as someone on ForumThermomix had posted the process a year or so ago and I had printed it out, I decided now was the time.

 

This morning I made a banana/oatmeal/walnut batter for quick bread and without cleaning the bowl tossed in the ingredients for a batch of cocoa/coconut brownies.

[scubadoo97]

if the OP wants a super gadget for just about everything, he should plunk down $400 to $500 for a Vita-Mix. it even does windows and the kitchen sink.

you're suppose to keep the top on [emoji14]

[arafalov]

Thank you everybody for lots of very interesting comments. Let me try answer a couple:

1) The points on the knives, cutting boards, etc are very well taken and I did not mention those as they were on the "absolutely essential" list for me. Still, the specific tips about weight/fit were great.

2) VitaMix was mentioned, but it cost around a third of ThermoMix and does not do a bunch of things the later does. I know it does some other things better (higher speed blade?), but I am looking for highest overall value for money.

3) ThermoMix has scale (so yes on "weight, not volume") and it has blending combined with temperature control. I had a look at a bunch of recipes and a lot of the issues seem to be around "don't let it get too hot", "keep mixing while it is hot to avoid sticking", etc. ThermoMix seem to have a good answer to that.

4) For the other gadgets, the temperature control also seem to be a deciding factor in why people like it. Halogen Ovens have that control, as do combined pressure/slow cooker model I found.

5) As a counter point, I looked at all-in-one microwave with convection AND steam and I can't seem to find any conclusive positive review for it on the internet; so that seems like a gadget gone wrong to me. In the completely other direction, sous-vide does not interest me at this stage at all.

6) I am also not in the "learn over time school" for the basic skills. I want to get away from eating out but don't have that much time to dedicate to true cooking skills. Hence, the shortcuts to easy but good foods.

 

As to the original combination question, I saw, for example, that ThermoMix community raves about how it makes bread dough very easy. But the next part still requires understanding of rising and baking and all those little tricks.  But at the same time I saw hallogen oven community raving about how it makes bread proofing and baking much easier (due to sealed, temperature-controlled environment), but the dough has to be made with a traditional method. So, it seems to me that - between those two gadgets/tools - things like bread suddenly become accessible to a newbie because now all the steps in the process are covered. So, this is the way I am thinking about it. And the combo slow/pressure cooker seems to do browning and slow cooking (and less interesting pressure cooking as a bonus).

 

Granted, to some degree it is a mental theoretical exercise and the reality may turn out to be different.  But I know that the other way (pots and pans and slow incrememental learning) did not work for me. So, I am exploring the shortcuts and gadgets as a crutch for the initial tradeoff.

[SobaAddict70]

Thank you everybody for lots of very interesting comments. Let me try answer a couple:

1) The points on the knives, cutting boards, etc are very well taken and I did not mention those as they were on the "absolutely essential" list for me. Still, the specific tips about weight/fit were great.

2) VitaMix was mentioned, but it cost around a third of ThermoMix and does not do a bunch of things the later does. I know it does some other things better (higher speed blade?), but I am looking for highest overall value for money.

3) ThermoMix has scale (so yes on "weight, not volume") and it has blending combined with temperature control. I had a look at a bunch of recipes and a lot of the issues seem to be around "don't let it get too hot", "keep mixing while it is hot to avoid sticking", etc. ThermoMix seem to have a good answer to that.

4) For the other gadgets, the temperature control also seem to be a deciding factor in why people like it. Halogen Ovens have that control, as do combined pressure/slow cooker model I found.

5) As a counter point, I looked at all-in-one microwave with convection AND steam and I can't seem to find any conclusive positive review for it on the internet; so that seems like a gadget gone wrong to me. In the completely other direction, sous-vide does not interest me at this stage at all.

6) I am also not in the "learn over time school" for the basic skills. I want to get away from eating out but don't have that much time to dedicate to true cooking skills. Hence, the shortcuts to easy but good foods.

 

As to the original combination question, I saw, for example, that ThermoMix community raves about how it makes bread dough very easy. But the next part still requires understanding of rising and baking and all those little tricks.  But at the same time I saw hallogen oven community raving about how it makes bread proofing and baking much easier (due to sealed, temperature-controlled environment), but the dough has to be made with a traditional method. So, it seems to me that - between those two gadgets/tools - things like bread suddenly become accessible to a newbie because now all the steps in the process are covered. So, this is the way I am thinking about it. And the combo slow/pressure cooker seems to do browning and slow cooking (and less interesting pressure cooking as a bonus).

 

Granted, to some degree it is a mental theoretical exercise and the reality may turn out to be different.  But I know that the other way (pots and pans and slow incrememental learning) did not work for me. So, I am exploring the shortcuts and gadgets as a crutch for the initial tradeoff.

You don't have 30 minutes a day to devote to cooking?

All of those gadgets are great, but you're still going to have to learn some of the basics (i.e., how to chop and slice, how to scramble an egg) and that takes time.

[weinoo]

I am trying to shortcut the process of buying 5 different gadgets and then discovering that there is a one super-gadget that does all those jobs and cheaper than those individual gadgets combined.

 

I think what you need is one of these...

 

[CatPoet]

You need to learn when things are done and not stare at numbers.  Yes the inner temperature is important, that is numbers , but breads  you learn   by   messing up and do it again.  

And no matter how many gadgets you have bread takes time, cooking takes time and  to make it food safe you cant just skip steps.

Edited August 13, 2014 by CatPoet (log)

[Mjx]

Should have asked this earlier, but, briefly, what sorts of things would you like to eat/cook?

 

I have a nice array of precision scales and thermomenters, because consistency is important to me, and I bake quite a bit, but those may not be relevant to your plans.

By the same token, gadgets that do a bunch of things may be great value for money, but only if you actually plan on making use of most or all the features (e.g. are you actually planning one baking much?). Otherwise, they're just expensive paperweights/doorstops.

 

There aren't any shortcuts, really. Cook's Illustrated's list of kitchen essentials is probably as good a point of departure as any, even if you disagree with their specific preferences for individual items.

 

I think there was a discussion of the microwave/convection/steam oven, and the consensus was that it was relatively useless.

[Porthos]

arafalov, here is the Cook's Illustrated list mjx refered to: http://www.cooksillustrated.com/equipment_reviews/1077-top-essential-kitchen-equipment

[Norm Matthews]

"Hence, the shortcuts to easy but good foods...

Granted, to some degree it is a mental theoretical exercise and the reality may turn out to be different." 

 

 The reality may indeed turn out to be different.  How to make food easy but good is something I have heard people asking about and wanting to do for years.  I am afraid that isn't possible unless you like  to limit your cooking to simple foods.  If painting portraits were easy to do well, everyone would do it. Likewise for cooking, if it were easy to do well with gadgets but otherwise without effort, restaurants would be out of business.

 

ps even a salad, which requires no cooking, needs some knowledge and time to assemble. 

Edited August 13, 2014 by Norm Matthews (log)

[c oliver]

I consider my most valuable tool (I travel with it) my meat thermometer.  You'd want digital.  It gives you the internal temp of meats which is really, really important.

 

Don't know how basic a list you want but measuring cups and spoons, slotted spoons, tongs, box grater, serrated knife, vegetable peeler.  Ikea has a great line - 365 - of cookware.  Good heft to them.  I recently got two each of two different sizes for under $70 including tax and shipping.  Kitchen timer.  I'd get an immersion blender that has the little food processor attachment.  More to come

[Anna N]

Perhaps it is not gadgets the poster should be looking at. Doesn't seem to want to do any prep work. So perhaps instead of gadgets try looking at already prepared ingredients. Doubt you even need a chef's knife these days. I've seen everything from pre-boiled eggs to chopped onions to cooked beets and frozen rice. The list is endless. With already prepped ingredients and a Thermomix one shouldn't need much more.

[Shel_B]

Perhaps it is not gadgets the poster should be looking at. Doesn't seem to want to do any prep work. So perhaps instead of gadgets try looking at already prepared ingredients. Doubt you even need a chef's knife these days. I've seen everything from pre-boiled eggs to chopped onions to cooked beets and frozen rice. The list is endless. With already prepped ingredients and a Thermomix one shouldn't need much more.

 

One could always order take-out <LOL>  But seriously, are you suggesting that a Thermomix can prepare a wide range of dishes, maybe enough to satisfy someone's desire and need to eat for extended periods of time, by just throwing a bunch of prepared ingredients into the machine and pushing a button?  I suppose that's a bit of oversimplified hyperbole, but I'm not familiar with the machine, only hearing about it recently in a response to an off-the-cuff, half serious, comment I made about finding a way to stir some ingredients (maybe when curd) automatically (and it may have been you or Kerry who mentioned the machine).

 

So, just how capable is this gadget?  Can it make an omelet, stews, fried potatoes, spaghetti and meatballs, meatloaf ... IOW, what's it really capable of and what are it's limitations?  Can you provide some examples of what the machine can do - perhaps what you have made - just by tossing a bunch of prepared ingredients into it's maw and pushing a button.

 

I went to a Thermomix site and watched a video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt-jyXZ_EBE&feature=player_embedded of making a pastry.  Apart from the Thermomix, the chef needed an oven, a baking pan, at least one knife, a variety of vessels and containers, and perhaps a few other items, in order to prepare the dish, which is to be expected.  In addition, it seemed that a fair amount of prep work was done beforehand, also as expected.  So, to the OP, I would say that however wonderful the Thermomix might be, you'd still need some knowledge of cooking and recipe preparation, and quite a few other items (as minimally noted above) in order to make some(many) dishes.  The machine, while quite possibly very useful in certain situations, does not preclude a need to know how to cook and prepare ingredients.

Edited August 14, 2014 by Shel_B (log)

[c oliver]

I haven't even looked at the Thermomix thing but I've never seen any appliance that doesn't require prep.  Slicing, dicing, measuring, etc.

[basquecook]

i would recommend a good toaster oven..  It will keep you from using the microwave, keep you from heating up a big oven when it's just you in the house.. You can get a fancy one that may completely eliminate your need for using an oven 99 percent of the time i.e something that can like roast a chicken in. like the large breville, or just something basic where you can toast a bagel, heat up a slice of pizza or make a small casserole in.  

 

 also like nice big wooden cutting boards.   Don't buy a knife set.  a bread knife, a chef knife, a vegetable peeler, a good pair of scissors is all I really need. 

 

a nice sheet pan to bake cookies and things. I le creuset cast iron grill pan with out the ridges, a le creuset french oven for stews or risotto, a non fancy non stick for omelets and things a large pot to boil water or lobsters, or to make soup in.  Maybe a super large stock pot if you plan on making a demi glace. 

 

What else does one need. 

 

I would also recommend getting a jam box to listen to music while you are in the kitchen 

Edited August 14, 2014 by basquecook (log)

[Anna N]

I haven't even looked at the Thermomix thing but I've never seen any appliance that doesn't require prep.  Slicing, dicing, measuring, etc.

My point is that you can BUY everything already prepped and the Thermomix has a built in scale. arafalov seems to want to avoid eating out but also wants to spend an absolute minimum of time preparing food. Buying already prepped ingredients and tossing them into a high-end appliance would seem to meet the poster's requirements admirably.

[andiesenji]

It's not difficult to prep for cooking in the Thermomix.  If you have questions about what it can do, there are numerous videos.

 

I suggest you visit Helene's exceptional (unofficial) Super Kitchen Machine website and watch some of the videos.

 

This evening I cooked some ham in a sauce - similar to that for egg fu yung  in the bottom of the jug and cooked an omelet in the Varoma basket (lined with bakers parchment), transferred the omelet to a shallow dish and added the sauce with the ham.

 

When stirring a sauce or meats, etc., that you don't want to reduce to smaller bits, the blades can be set on REVERSE so the stuff is stirred instead of being chopped. 

[gfweb]

I'm not yet a Thermomix believer. Thermomix seems a great thing for the boat or RV or space shuttle, but maybe  not so great for a real kitchen unless one's act is truly together cooking-wise and one understands how to integrate this thing into day to day cooking. A novice cook probably would see no benefit for the expense.

 

Its nice to think that there is magic to be used in the kitchen, but I haven't yet found it and if there is any magic it is in the process of learning how to cook using the techniques refined over the past two centuries.

 

 A gadget can't make an omelet or a burger...or even spaghetti.

 

Sounds old-school and cranky, but I haven't seen a short cut to getting decent food on the table. Refinements like sous vide are great but they don't obviate the basics.

[CatPoet]

How do you make a salad with theromix? 

 

I check out the risotto video with the theromix and the thing is  it assumes that all onions cooks the same time and I know that isnt the case, fresh onions cooks quicker then  stored winter onions. 

 

Yes if you want to avoid eating out, well check out  what is in the freezer, cans and pre made, and work you life style around that.   You could easily get something healthy out of that and no prep.