Food is something that we all have in common. It’s something to engage and bond over and is often an integral component in bringing people together. Many people use cooking as a method of self-expression, but like anything, sometimes there’s a struggle for inspiration.
If at this moment in time you feel like you’re lacking in creativity, we believe that our guide to kitchen essentials is exactly what you need right now to bring you out of your rut. We’ll have you back in your pinny and chefs’ hat in no time!
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Spice and herb rack
Spices and herbs can be a quick and easy way to add excitement to any dish. A dash of this and a pinch of that can transform a mediocre meal into something of a show-stopper and leave your dinner guests dumb-founded. What’s more, it doesn’t take a taste genius! Must have spices and herbs such as black pepper, cumin and paprika, are guaranteed to help you on your way to creating taste sensations.
With cooking fast becoming a trendy pass-time, spice and herb racks have become somewhat decorative and often take proud placement on kitchen surfaces and work tops. However, if you’d prefer to save space they can easily be fitted to the inside of your kitchen cupboard doors.
Why not consider growing your own herbs? There’s a wide variety of herbs that require little maintenance to grow successfully and cooking with home-grown ingredients can provide a great sense of achievement and satisfaction.
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Alphabetic fridge magnets
Alphabetic fridge magnets are a fun way to inspire your choice of meal and its ingredients. You can either work through the letters in succession, i.e. A, B, C and so forth, or draw them at random from a hat. The letter you elect, through whichever method, will provide you with the first letter of the star ingredient of your dish. Creating challenges like this for yourself is a great way to put the excitement back into cooking, and something to get the family involved in too.
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Slow cooker
I know what you’re thinking; slow cookers are old fashioned and your grandma had one. But where life has become hectic and time is short, they have become the must-have kitchen appliance. Not only are they energy efficient and will cut your washing up in half, they’re perfect for experimenting and creating a wide variety of different taste combinations with ease.
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Photography and blogging
To blog has become hugely popular, and is now a profession within itself. Creating a blog where you can talk about your recipes and share your cooking tips is a great way to fall back in love with cooking and meet like-minded people.
If blogging is not your thing or maybe you don’t have the time, there are platforms dedicated to sharing photography such as Pinterest and Instagram. Keep a camera in your kitchen to capture your mouth-watering creations ready for the world to see.
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Whiteboards
And lastly, mount a whiteboard to one of your kitchen cupboard doors to make a note of any ideas that pop into your head spontaneously. It’s amazing how ideas can present themselves when you least expect it!