Updating the Kitchen Essentials

[EnriqueB]

Many of the comments seem to ignore what for me is the BIGGEST advantage of Thermomix for beginners: that it removes many of the UNCERTAINTY sources from the cooking process.

 

When facing new recipes, some of which you may have never even tasted, the biggest problem is uncertainty. What should it look like? What does it mean "medium-high heat"? What is Julienne? What does it mean "cook until aldente"? Most of these issues dissapear with a Thermomix. Because the cooking vessel, temperatures, speeeds, and weights are standardized in their recipes, many of the degrees of freedom of general recipes are controlled. This makes it orders of magnitude easier for a beginner to face a new recipe or group of meals.

 

From that point on, the route depends on the person. Most people just benefit from the easier way to execute the recipes and never advance. Others, as I did, use it as a learning point: understand why the recipe is done that way in the Thermomix, play with the temperatures and speeds, then decide whether Thermomix is the best tool for that recipe or it can be done better by hand, on the stove, or mixer.

 

I started cooking seriously about 5 years ago and the Thermomix (actually a clone of it called MyCook) helped a lot. Nowadays I only use it for what it is more effective at (blending, and dishes that benefit from simultaneous controlled-heating and stirring or blending, mainly some sauces and desserts).

[EnriqueB]

And, by the way, there are very few professional kitchens here in Spain that do not have at least one Thermomix, ranging from "tapas bars" to michelin-starred restaurants. That's the best evidence.

[liuzhou]

And, by the way, there are very few professional kitchens here in Spain that do not have at least one Thermomix, ranging from "tapas bars" to michelin-starred restaurants. That's the best evidence.

 

Alternatively, that could be evidence that only trained, professional cooks who know the basics can effectively use them. Just because starred restaurant kitchens use something is hardly evidence for it being ideal for someone who knows nothing about cooking.

 

By the way, I'm intrigued by the suggestion that one of these machines does away with the need to know how to "cook until aldente". The same pasta shape from different manufacturers or even different batches from the same manufacturer can have different timings to be al dente. How does the machine check that?

Edited August 14, 2014 by liuzhou (log)

[EnriqueB]

By the way, I'm intrigued by the suggestion that one of these machines does away with the need to know how to "cook until aldente". The same pasta shape from different manufacturers or even different batches from the same manufacturer can have different timings to be al dente. How does the machine check that?

 

For pasta, TMX recipes will instruct you to use the times in the box. But "aldente" is also used for vegetables (what I was thinking about when writting). And, instead of what can be a vague definition for a beginner, the machine recipes will give you an exact time and temperature in a controlled environment for a given vegetable. Which may not produce the optimal texture in all cases but removes ambiguity, which is good for new people daring to cook something new.

[EnriqueB]

Alternatively, that could be evidence that only trained, professional cooks who know the basics can effectively use them. Just because starred restaurant kitchens use something is hardly evidence for it being ideal for someone who knows nothing about cooking.

 

 

Fair point, I agree.

 

The actual argument of it being a good tool (I didn't say "ideal") for at least some beginners is what I exposed in the previous comment --removing uncertainty.

[Blether]

If you're a single cooking for the freezer, and a beginner, I'd definitely recommend a microwave.

 

Do Montreal homes typically come with an oven and a broiler?

To what extent are you expecting to get into cooking for the love of it, and to what degree do you want to prepare meals quickly and conveniently?

How much time do you expect to spend at it in a typical day?

What do you see yourself actually preparing and eating?  You may not be a cook, but by the look of you you've been eating for a while    Do you want to keep eating the same way or completely change it up?

[liuzhou]

 

For pasta, TMX recipes will instruct you to use the times in the box.

 

Dreadful advice. The best advice I was ever given was to ignore whatever timings are quoted on pasta packaging and test it every few minutes yourself.. As I said before, different batches of pasta from the same manufacturer can have different timings depending on age, how they have been stored etc.

 

Similarly, giving "an exact time and temperature in a controlled environment for a given vegetable" seems odd to me. Different potatoes take different times, to give just one example. 

 

I am not convinced.

[Anna N]

So before anyone concludes that I, or for that matter anyone else, thinks the first tool to acquire is the Thermomix, allow me to quote from the original poster:

"Currently, the primary gadget/tool I identified is Thermomix (at the higher end of my price sensitivity). So, now I am looking for something to compliment its abilities.

......

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.

.....

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."

Whether the damn thing can make salads is irrelevant. It can provide "shortcuts to easy but good food". And combined with already prepped ingredients from the supermarket ought to fulfill the poster's requirements. It will not make him a great cook nor will it make great food but neither of these seem to be his goals.

[Norm Matthews]

I'd like to draw an analogy between photography and cooking.  If one has a very nice and expensive camera that does lots of things automatically, it still won't take the pictures that it will in the hands of someone who understands lighting and composition.  With lighting equipment and an understanding of symmetrical composition, one can produce images that are admired for their technical proficiency alone.  With a computer program, colors and images can be manipulated  to the point of surrealism, creating something that is astonishing, but one knows in the back of their mind that such an image cannot really exist in nature.

 

A person with a creative mind and talent can produce a picture in a dark room with film from an old SLR that can move you.  But no matter how basic or exotic your tools, knowledge must be gained and skills must be developed in order to get the most out of them.  Same with cooking.

Edited August 14, 2014 by Norm Matthews (log)

[Smithy]

That's a good analogy, Norm Matthews. So now when arafalov stops reeling from all the advice he's getting ;-) he can tell us whether he just wants the cooking equivalent of a good "point and shoot" camera. It sounds like that may be his objective.

When my DH found himself on his own for the first time in his life with no clue how to cook, he took a lot of shortcuts to feed himself well without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. By the time we met he had a number of favorite, easy meals that took minimal kitchen time, for example:

- pork roast and potatoes left in the crockpot all day on low

- chili cooked in one large pot from burger, several types of canned beans, tomato paste and chili powder

- spaghetti made by having a ready stock of jarred pasta sauce and chunks of fried hot Italian sausage (previously cooked, chunked, frozen on a cookie sheet, then bagged and put into the freezer so that the required handful could be pulled out); when the mood hit him he'd start the pot of pasta water, set the entire jar of sauce into a pan of water to simmer, and microwave the sausage balls until warm; the whole operation took the time it made to boil the water and cook the pasta.

He also ate a lot of salads, and most of his cooked vegetables were microwaved from packages of the frozen stuff.

To this day he isn't a complicated cook, but he's good enough for his purposes, and he's become more interested in the science of cookery because of our time together. Using your analogy, I'm more of a SLR/learn and work and get it right cook; he's more of a point-and-shoot cook. The meals we eat and how much time it takes depends on who's cooking.

[Anna N]

Still pondering an appropriate answer for the original poster and I think it might be a replicator as on the starship Enterprise. Tea. Earl Grey. Hot. A single, high-end machine that can produce whatever he wants to eat or drink. No prep required. May have to wait a while.

[sculptor]

Hello,

I am a newly single (male), absolutely useless in a kitchen and hoping to change that. I am moving to Montreal (Canada) and setting my new kitchen from scratch. I am looking to figure out what combination of kitchen gadgets will allow me to cook widest variety (of hopefully healthy) foods. I am happy to invest in higher-price gadgets if they really do make things easier. I am hoping to start by cooking easy newbie foods, then graduating to learning to cook complex foods. Since I am single, I am also interesting in the bulk cooking/cooking for the freezer approach.

 

Currently, the primary gadget/tool I identified is Thermomix (at the higher end of my price sensitivity). So, now I am looking for something to compliment its abilities. I guess it would be something that does high-temperature, something that does slow-cooking. I found a combination slow/pressure/rice/saute cooker (InstantPot brand), not sure if that's the right second gadget. Maybe a Halogen Oven too. Do I still need a microwave?

 

Any advice would be appreciated. Again, I am a newbie, so don't need gadgets that allow a skilled cook to make master dishes. I need something that will allow making good dishes for a person still clueless in the kitchen.

Regards,

   Alex.

I have no experience with a Theromix but I'd say it's in general it's a good idea to stick with quality single function devices. Idea of diverse devices seems like a noble ideal but in practice, like many such ideals, is is not as viable as one would hope for, One huge advanage to multiple devices is they may be used simlutaniously.

 

If you want to cook fast go for a quality pressure cooker. If you want to cook slow go for a Sous Vide setup (which is resaonable pricewise with the new inexpensive cirulators.) Note, there is the added advantage of being able to vaccum seal food prepared in bulk for later reheating.

 

I'd recommend a good highend blender. Good knifes and a good board can do more than a food processor so you don't need one of those. Get a stand miixer only if you get serious about baking otherrwise buy an electric handmixer.

 

Some other needs are a roasting pan and rack, a half sheet pan, baking dishes, vaious sizes of sauce pans, a stock pot, a saute pan, a frying pan, a steamer insert, a thermopen thermometer (only time I'll recomend a specif brand,) a collander, a "potato" peeler, nixing bowls and cooling rack. Buy all metal pots so they can go into the oven and stick with all stainless steel (with the exception of any builtin bottom diffusor which contain other metals.) Note, rivets through to interior are a pain to clean so avoid them too.

 

Some disrecomendations are cast iron or mild steel and dutch ovens (I own one and it's the least practical and used thing I own.) Note, your microwave is a very practical device so keep it. If you want to go totally off the deep end both price and space wise a combi oven  would satisfy your need for a diverse device and it also does things much better than a conventional oven which is why I "theoretically" recommend it.

Edited August 14, 2014 by sculptor (log)

[btbyrd]

Count me in the Thermomix skeptic camp. For the price of a Thermomix, you could get a Vitamix or a Waring Xtreme blender, an ANOVA circulator, a pressure cooker, a Kitchenaid stand mixer, a food processor, a chef's knife, a dutch oven, rice cooker, scale, and still have money to spare. It can't possibly be worth it. One of the big reasons that you find Thermomixes in a lot of European restaurant kitchens is that Vitamix blenders aren't available or they cost 2-3 times what they do in the US. From a blending standpoint, they don't have the power of the Vitamix or the Waring. Seems to be a "jack of all trades, master of none" sort of deal. I do see the appeal if kitchen space is limited, but if you're not living on a boat or in a 375 square foot apartment from Ikea, I'd put my money elsewhere.

 

 

Still pondering an appropriate answer for the original poster and I think it might be a replicator as on the starship Enterprise. Tea. Earl Grey. Hot. A single, high-end machine that can produce whatever he wants to eat or drink. No prep required. May have to wait a while.

 

 

This does seem like the appropriate response. The OP wants home cooked meals without the necessity of cooking or having basic knowledge and skills. There's no gadget on Earth that can deliver on this promise.  In his words, he's "not in the 'learn over time school' for the basic skills. ... Hence, the shortcuts to easy but good foods." The thing is, he's already discovered the shortcut to easy but good foods: eating out or ordering in. Most cities have shops that sell pre-prepped and packaged meals that you can take home and heat up in the oven. Might be something worth looking into.

Edited August 15, 2014 by btbyrd (log)

[andiesenji]

The following is the gist of the original post:

"I am a newly single (male), absolutely useless in a kitchen and hoping to change that. I am moving to Montreal (Canada) and setting my new kitchen from scratch. I am looking to figure out what combination of kitchen gadgets will allow me to cook widest variety (of hopefully healthy) foods. I am happy to invest in higher-price gadgets if they really do make things easier. I am hoping to start by cooking easy newbie foods, then graduating to learning to cook complex foods. Since I am single, I am also interesting in the bulk cooking/cooking for the freezer approach.

Any advice would be appreciated. Again, I am a newbie, so don't need gadgets that allow a skilled cook to make master dishes. I need something that will allow making good dishes for a person still clueless in the kitchen."

 

Here, from ForumThermomix  is a  down-to-earth, comfort food - all done in the Thermomix and it can be done by a total novice: Bangers and Mash in a Tasty Onion Gravy.    This was the very FIRST meal cooked by my friend who I mentioned above - she had done the orange juice and lemonade and risotto (my recommendation) and had printed out this recipe while simply lurking on the forum.  She phoned me to tell me how thrilled she was because she was able to do a nice meal for herself and another boater (he brought a salad and French bread).  And she was never a "cook" per se.  She could fry eggs, bacon or sausage, grill a steak and bake potatoes (in the barbecue because her oven was iffy) but that was the extent of her cooking.  

She says the machine IS EXPENSIVE, however she added up what she had spent on eating out during just one year and figured the machine had more than paid for itself and then some.  Her credit card bills for dining out for the first half of 2010 was more than 1K and for the second half a third of that. 

I spoke to her on the phone this afternoon to ask if she is still enthusiastic about the TMX and she is.  Today she made pizza dough and cooked pizza sauce, both in the TMX, and will be grilling the pizza in her barbecue.  She has a batch of granita in her little freezer for dessert - also prepared in the TMX.

She said that before she got the machine she would have dinner and sometimes lunch out at least 250 days a year, often more.  Figure out average costs and add them up. 

Incidentally she uses the TMX a lot for making drinks - no longer needs a blender.  

[arafalov]

Thank you all for the nearly overwhelming amount of advice. It seems about a third of post follows my line of thinking (e.g. EnriqueB's point on eliminating uncertainty), a third imply that I am a dreamer (not entirely untrue) and another third is about the best knives (point well taken).

 

The interesting question and comparison came from Norm Matthews on cooking paralleling photography. It is a good one, because I am an amateur photographer as well. Also, starting from zero. I had an entry-level (still expensive) DSLR with a 18-200 lense. To me, that combination is equivalent to Thermomix - it allowed me to take good picture in a green (point-and-shoot) mode and then, setting by setting, learn more complex scenario (Aperture-priority, Shutter-priority, hopefully manual mode in the future). Once I was comfortable doing that, I knew what I wanted and started to understand the limitations of universal tools (e.g. too high maximum aperture at the 200 zoom range) and could evaluate whether I want to spend my money on better single-purpose tools (e.g. prime lenses, flashes, filters, etc).

 

So, I am looking for a DSLR in the kitchen. As I already said, I feel that ThermoMix is one part of that equation. I do not need to be convinced towards/away from it. And I did not mean to imply I was looking for single universal gadget. I was more looking for the other items/techniques/approaches complimenting ThermoMix and with the same philosophy.

 

I am happy to spend good time in the kitchen eventually. I just want to start from getting fast healthy results ("good pictures") early on to minimize "cook, taste, throw away, order takeout, get frustrated" cycle, typical of unsupervised beginner cooks. And yes, I'll probably take some beginner cooking classes/knife skills as well.

 

Finally, I just wanted to really thank the community again. This was my first post and the firestorm of advice, counter-advice and (mostly) gentle humor is trully appreciated. Hopefully, once I start my journey, I'll have something productive to contribute back as well.

[Porthos]

Might I add that in addition to whatever equipment you start with you might want to consider subscribing to Cooks Illustrated. My wonderful FIL became a widower 12 years ago and he and my amazing MIL had had a very traditional Wage Earner/Homemaker relationship and he basically didn't know how to cook.  He read, he watched food TV, and his skills in the kitchen are very,very good now. I personally believe from conversations with him that Cooks Illustrated was his best "mentor."

[Norm Matthews]

I think a good basic cookbook would be more practical than any monthly periodical.  I also think Food TV isn't as useful as a teaching vehicle as it used to be. 

Edited August 15, 2014 by Norm Matthews (log)

[pbear]

So, I am looking for a DSLR in the kitchen. As I already said, I feel that ThermoMix is one part of that equation. I do not need to be convinced towards/away from it. And I did not mean to imply I was looking for single universal gadget. I was more looking for the other items/techniques/approaches complimenting ThermoMix and with the same philosophy.

 

IMHO, one gadget you would find nicely complementary is a countertop convection oven.  That's been mentioned a few times already, so consider this a bump.  Not the halogen.  That's a pain to use and limited in versatility.  Not a micro-convect-steam oven.  If those things can be combined, no one's done it well yet.  Just a well-built, reasonably-sized countertop convection oven.  Some like the Breville.  I happen to like the controls on the Cuisinart models better.  That's something you can research and make up your own mind.

 

What the oven adds to the mix is a different form of cooking, yet very easy to use.  One of the best ways to cook fish, chicken and other quick proteins.  Brilliant for roasting veggies.  Can bake a small tray of cookies or brownies.  And great for reheating leftovers.

 

[Porthos]

I also think Food TV isn't as useful as a teaching vehicle as it used to be. 

 

I agree that the Food Network is essentially useless. But I have to think that there are other food TV shows out there that might help.

[btbyrd]

Cooks Illustrated is a good way to learn, but given its nature as a periodical it's not going to really teach you the fundamentals. As far as comprehensive guides go, I think Jacques Pepin's Complete Techniques is the single best resource for someone starting out learning to cook. It covers everything you might need to know and is jam packed with photos that show you (and don't just tell you) how to prep and cook food.

 

As far as other gadgets go, I'd suggest a pressure cooker. I know they can seem scary and/or weird at first, but once you've used one for a while you'd never want to be without one. Pressure cookers are great because they speed up the time in which food cooks and preserve the nutrient content of foods. If you want quick and healthy, there you go! And if you do it right, the results are delicious. They're well suited toward cooking large batches of stock, stew, soup, chili, and beans as well as tenderizing tough cuts of meat like ribs or roasts in a short amount of time. Lorna Sass has a couple of great cookbooks on pressure cooking which are great companions to anyone picking up a pressure cooker for the first time.

 

I also think an immersion circulator and vacuum sealer would be a good investment, especially since circulators are so cheap these days. The precision that comes with sous vide cooking makes it easy for a novice cook to consistently produce good results. The convenience factor is also very high. Say that chicken goes on sale. You can buy up a bunch of packages of chicken, portion them into individual servings, season with various herbs/spices, vacuum seal, and cook up the whole batch. Then ice them down, refrigerate, and freeze what you're not going to eat over the next week or so. It's awesome to look in your fridge/freeze and see packages of garlic-basil chicken, southwestern chicken, asian chicken, and bbq chicken just waiting to be reheated. It's convenient and super tasty. And since you can freeze what you don't use, there's very little waste. A vacuum sealer is also nice for sealing up portions of your pressure cooked stews and chili, or individual portions of chuck roast or pork shoulder.

[andiesenji]

IMHO, one gadget you would find nicely complementary is a countertop convection oven.  That's been mentioned a few times already, so consider this a bump.  Not the halogen.  That's a pain to use and limited in versatility.  Not a micro-convect-steam oven.  If those things can be combined, no one's done it well yet.  Just a well-built, reasonably-sized countertop convection oven.  Some like the Breville.  I happen to like the controls on the Cuisinart models better.  That's something you can research and make up your own mind.

 

What the oven adds to the mix is a different form of cooking, yet very easy to use.  One of the best ways to cook fish, chicken and other quick proteins.  Brilliant for roasting veggies.  Can bake a small tray of cookies or brownies.  And great for reheating leftovers.

 

For many years I have had the Sharp Convection/Microwave oven (no steam) and have written about it numerous times in various threads on this forum.  I had one for 20+ years and then bought a second one when the first one developed a thermostat problem. (Microwave still worked and I gave it to a family and they are still using it.) 

I use it for many baking tasks because I like being able to time things.  I also have a Cadco 1/2 sheet pan size countertop oven, which uses more energy but is a much better OVEN than any of the others I have tried (Waring, Cuisinart, etc.  - - since the Farberware is no longer available)  At one time, prior to getting the Cadco, I had two of the Farberware convection ovens for when I did not want to use my gas oven (at that time I had a Blodgett commercial oven).  But when Cadco brought out the 1/2 size oven (there is also a 1/4 size)  I bought it and have been thoroughly pleased with it.

Besides baking and MW use, it can also broil  -  here's a photo of two rib eye steaks on the taller of the two racks.

 

The Sharp is only 900 watts but it seems much more powerful as it compares well to higher wattage microwaves. 

 

P.S.  It is also much TALLER inside than other microwave ovens  and the  enameled steel turntable has a deep RIM which catches spills much better than the glass turntables and is UNBREAKABLE.  Also it will hold a 15 inch baking stone. 

Edited August 15, 2014 by andiesenji (log)

[paulraphael]

For the mainstays, like knives and pans, I'd suggest getting good stuff that's inexpensive. You're not going to want to have to baby this stuff while you're learning basic skills. And you'll know when/if  you want to trade up. At that point, you'll know why you want to trade up, so deciding what to get will be easier. There are plenty of chef's knives under $100 that are solid, properly shaped, capable of decent performance, fairly durable, and easy to maintain. With these you won't freak out if you make a mistake while cutting or learning to sharpen.

 

The forschner knives are popular among restaurant cooks for these reasons. They're cheaper than most of the higher-end euro brands, and they out-perform most of them as well. But there are plenty of good choices, including some of the budget Japanese knives (I strongly recommend against most of the Japanese knives you find in chain stores in the U.S. ... they're terrible values).

[andiesenji]

For the mainstays, like knives and pans, I'd suggest getting good stuff that's inexpensive. You're not going to want to have to baby this stuff while you're learning basic skills. And you'll know when/if  you want to trade up. At that point, you'll know why you want to trade up, so deciding what to get will be easier. There are plenty of chef's knives under $100 that are solid, properly shaped, capable of decent performance, fairly durable, and easy to maintain. With these you won't freak out if you make a mistake while cutting or learning to sharpen.

 

The forschner knives are popular among restaurant cooks for these reasons. They're cheaper than most of the higher-end euro brands, and they out-perform most of them as well. But there are plenty of good choices, including some of the budget Japanese knives (I strongly recommend against most of the Japanese knives you find in chain stores in the U.S. ... they're terrible values).

I agree 100%.

America's Test Kitchen has repeatedly testes many chef's knives and always comes up with the same Victorinox  Fibrox 8-inch knife, a good secure grip because of the textured handle, a blade that takes and holds a good edge and is inexpensive.

 

I have some very expensive knives and even one custom-made for me and frankly, the inexpensive Victorinox knives that I keep for use by visitors are certainly an excellent choice for someone who is starting out. 

[Norm Matthews]

When my son left home, I gave him an 8" Henkels and a paring knife, same brand, made in Germany. I also gave him a copy of How to Cook Everything.  I discovered that he seldom used the knives because he was afraid to mess them up.  They were too nice he said.  So I got him a Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chefs knife.  He used it about a week then laid it aside and started using the Henkels.  The Victorinox went into a yard sale less than 6 months later.  

 

 

If you read Cooks Ill. first knife review, you will find them highly biased against any forged blade because they got ruined in their electric knife sharpener.  They also said in that article that forged knives were made by pouring molten metal into a mold.  As far as I know, knives have not been cast in a mold since the bronze age.

[Shel_B]

When my son left home, I gave him an 8" Henkels and a paring knife, same brand, made in Germany. I also gave him a copy of How to Cook Everything.  I discovered that he seldom used the knives because he was afraid to mess them up.  They were too nice he said.  So I got him a Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chefs knife.  He used it about a week then laid it aside and started using the Henkels.  The Victorinox went into a yard sale less than 6 months later.  

 

 

If you read Cooks Ill. first knife review, you will find them highly biased against any forged blade because they got ruined in their electric knife sharpener.  They also said in that article that forged knives were made by pouring molten metal into a mold.  As far as I know, knives have not been cast in a mold since the bronze age.

 

That just shows that knives are a very personal tool ...we all have our preferences.  I have forged Wustoff knives, forged and stamped Henkels, Victorinox, and a no-name bread knife as well as a custom made knife that came from my ex-wife's family and which is more than 100 years old.  My most used knife is a Victorinox 6-inch chef's knife with a rosewood handle.  I use it daily for vegetables.  Even though I'm a big guy, I love the way the smaller, lighter knife feels and the control it allows me.  But I also like the 8-inch Victorinox and the 8-inch Wustoff for different work.  As do I like the smaller Henkels for certain tasks.  It surprises me that I have four chef's knives and a total of about 10 knives, all of which are happily used.

 

I never read the article from Cook's Illustrated that you mention.  CI is not, IMO, the final arbiter of equipment or cooking.  Just a reference point, and one that is sometimes flawed. 

Edited August 18, 2014 by Shel_B (log)