Photo by Caroline Attwood on Unsplash

Here at Quench food we absolutely love our kitchen equipment and we wanted to know what everyone’s culinary favourites are! Read on for inspiration on how to add excitement to your kitchen cupboards.

Air fryers and Pasta Makers by Clara Boon

When my mother got us an Air Fryer for Christmas, my mind instantly turned to how I could incorporate the new gadget in different recipes. I liked the idea that the Air Fryer was a healthier, alternative option to the standard Deep Fryer. Within just a few minutes it heats up like a mini oven. I am obsessed with how it makes potato wedges so crispy, yet fluffy on the inside. An avid cook, whilst in the kitchen I now stop and think ÔÇÿcould I air fry this?ÔÇÖ IÔÇÖm air frying everything. Not only does the Ninja Air Fryer AF100UK use up to 75% less fat than traditional frying methods, but it also has a ÔÇÿReheatÔÇÖ, ÔÇÿRoastÔÇÖ and ÔÇÿDehydrateÔÇÖ setting too!

For my brotherÔÇÖs birthday, my father decided to buy him a ÔÇÿJamie OliverÔÇÖs Pasta makerÔÇÖ to remind him of his time living in Puglia, Italy. I remember being fascinated watching the Italian Nonnas making their own orecchiette on the doorsteps of their trullos in Alberobello. Marcus soon learnt that making pasta was actually a two-person job. We started by making a simple Carbonara together. With me twisting the handle and him meticulously feeding the fresh pasta through the maker, we created our very own spaghetti. The machine allows you to make different widths of pasta shapes. Once we had some practice with the machine, we moved on to making tagliatelle, and lasagne. ThereÔÇÖs nothing more satisfying than making your own fresh homemade pasta. Once youÔÇÖve tried it ÔÇô thereÔÇÖs no going back. So thank you ÔÇÿJamie Oliver Pasta makerÔÇÖ for allowing me to fulfil my lifelong ambition of becoming a certified Italian Nonna.

Microplane by Sasha Nugara

I believe that the microplane is without a doubt, one of the best culinary inventions yet. Light to hold, easy to navigate, grating doesnÔÇÖt get easier than with this gadget. Its perfect ratio of handle to grater results in a balanced weight, whilst its shape makes it easy to hold with one hand and grate with the other. A regular, multipurpose cheese grater is large and clunky, often getting in the way and creating a mess. This doesnÔÇÖt happen with my trusty microplane. The smaller grating area means the grated product is focused and confined to the exact spot I want it to fall, preventing the clean-up job that we all hate.

Not only does the size represent its superiority, but its versatility is unparalleled. It grates garlic, ginger and lemon zest to the perfect size, and proves to be the perfect companion when cooking up an Asian feast. It grates cheese, chocolate, nutmeg, cinnamon and coconut perfectly whilst also acting as a reasonable choice for preparing fresh herbs.

If I were to offer any advice for your next year of uni cooking, it would be to get yourself a microplane! Their quality is amazing, and they will last for years if you treat them well. Say goodbye to the old-fashioned box grater and hello to the modern alternative!

The slotted spoon by Sian Jones

Having become a self-declared poached egg connoisseur, the necessity for the correct kitchen apparatus to fulfil your poaching needs is paramount. No meagre spatula will fit the quota for salvaging an intact poached egg from the confines of boiling water. Having to pat off wet egg with a paper towel? Not in my kitchen. Nothing says breakfast done right like a perfect poached egg cooked using a slotted spoon to embark on the recovery mission. You may wonder, how does oneÔÇÖs kitchen experience invariably transform with the addition of a slotted spoon in the drawer? HereÔÇÖs how:

Whether your eggs are submerged into a whirlpool of blisteringly hot water left to tornado into a squall of half-cooked egg white and yolk or if you position yourself among poached egg contrarians and go for an alternative method Youll recognise that once your allotted 2-3 minute timer has achieved its goal of triggering your fight or flight instinct; its time to rapidly remove the egg from the heat, lest the yolk cook too long and lose its runny centre.

This is where the dust gets brushed off the slotted spoon in your kitchen arsenal of utensils to perform at least 73% of the effort required to create the magnum opus of all poached eggs. The humble slotted spoon seamlessly scoops the poached egg out of the water while simultaneously ensuring that its going nowhereÔÇöunlike the unreliable slotted spatulaÔÇöholding the egg securely in its curved edges while draining the desperately clinging on dregs of water from the egg. Re the paper towel method: a slotted spoon in your kitchen drawer will turn this daily nuisance into a figment of your worst nightmares! The sophisticated slotted spoon is succinct in its objectives. Or, more specifically, objective. Admittedly, the slotted spoon beyond the poached egg is somewhat futile. But what it does, it does alarmingly well.

For DeliaÔÇÖs poached egg method: https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/occasions/mothers-day/mothers-day-breakfast-and-brunch/poached-eggs