How to choose the best cookware set for the kitchen

No one doubts the fact that the kitchen needs utensils: convenient, beautiful, environmentally friendly. But how much of it should there be, so that the hostess can easily and without hassle prepare any dishes: from a light breakfast to a sumptuous feast? We offer you eight of the most necessary items of cookware in the kitchen.

A roaster with a lid

It’s ideal if it’s based on cast aluminum or cast iron: thick walls and bottom retain heat longer, allowing you to literally simmer the dish, mixing flavors and smells. Another important detail is the lid. We recommend choosing a roaster with a weighty lid, also on a metal base – this way you will avoid heat loss during stewing.

The handles of the roaster are also preferably made of metal: little “ears”. Perhaps they may not seem as convenient as long plastic or wooden ones, but the functionality of such a roaster will increase dramatically. In it you can not only stew, but also bake, which means that you will be able to cook more dishes.

Ladle

Small in diameter (about 18 cm), with a long convenient handle, a ladle is ideal for cooking a small portion of porridge or soup, as well as for warming up a part of an already cooked dish. Ideal in a family with small children to cook small portions, boil milk or boil porridge for once. Any dish that requires constant stirring or even whisking: cream, mousse, sauce, – will turn out perfectly in the ladle. Its design makes it easy to hold and use, e.g. to pour the contents. The optimal number of ladles in the kitchen is two or even three.

Ceramic pot

These cute things are gaining more and more popularity. As a rule, ceramic pots are miniature and exquisite in design. They are convenient to set the table, serving food from the stove or directly from the oven to the table. Portioned for each guest. Such a technique is used by famous restaurateurs, why not adopt it for hostesses. The smallest ceramic pots can also be used as julienne cocottes.

Roaster

This is a deep mold for baking or baking – without this method of cooking it is difficult to imagine any kitchen. The recommended material is metal or ceramic. While a metal roaster the size of a standard oven will be quite weighty, a ceramic roaster, in addition to its weight, has the advantage of a smart appearance and much easier maintenance. The glossy surface is easy to clean off grease.

Pay attention to the sides: they should be high enough to heat the dish evenly, preserve its juice and, finally, protect your oven from unnecessary splashes.

Saucepan

There’s no doubting the need for the classic saucepan in the kitchen. The saucepan is the best-selling item on the cookware market. How many pieces of them should be in the kitchen, leave it to the discretion of the hostess, specifying that three will be needed at least: small (20-22 cm), medium (24 cm) and large (26-32 cm). The pot is not only soup, but also home-made preparations, cold cream, compote – the list is endless!

The degree of beauty and convenience here everyone determines for himself, but the coating should be treated with special attention. It is very convenient when the walls and bottom of the pot have non-stick properties. In such a pot you can make a soup starter (stew vegetables) and immediately pour the broth. With this method of cooking, the flavor of the dish turns out more intense. Unfortunately, few pots have a non-stick effect, unless ceramic, which we wrote about above, or pots with ceramic coating.

Pay attention to the lid, in this case it can be glass: to monitor the intensity of boiling liquid inside. And to avoid embarrassing blunders, look at how powerful the vapor vent in the lid is, otherwise even the best pot can disappoint due to constant boils.

Frying pan

Here, too, there is a wide range of imagination and parameters. One thing is clear: a couple of pieces can not do. So, a classic frying pan, preferably with non-stick properties, a comfortable non-heating handle with a non-slip coating and a lid to fit. Note that the diameter of the frying pan manufacturers, as a rule, indicate the size of the upper part of the side. Thus, the bottom of the pan may be smaller if it tapers downward. When buying a frying pan without a lid, refer to the specified diameter. Although the best solution is to buy a frying pan complete with a lid.

Grill pan

The value of such a frying pan in the household is difficult to assess. At first glance, there may be many reasons to leave it on the shelf in the store: you do not like meat, rarely cook steaks. But if you think about it, how many wonderful dishes can be served with the right grill pan: meat, chicken and fish steaks, vegetables with ruddy “strips”, and most importantly – a minimum of oil, because thanks to the design of the pan fatty juice and most of the oil in the frying process flows down the grooves and does not come into contact with the food.

Please note: a grill pan cannot be light and thin. Optimal bottom thickness starts at 4.5 mm. Anything thinner is a marketing gimmick that is only good for croutons. A grill pan cannot be stamped, only cast. Before buying, hold the weighty beauty in your hand: the handle is a lever that should help you manage a weighty purchase in the kitchen.

Pancake pan

What Russian doesn’t love blinis! On weekdays and on holidays – a pancake pan is always cherished and kept by the hostess separately from all others. Here again, a convenient handle and the non-stick properties of the pan play a major role. For everyday use we recommend a smaller diameter – 22 cm, and for classic pancakes with filling you need a larger diameter – about 26 cm.

Perhaps these eight points are the minimum necessary for any kitchen. And how much to expand this list, decide for yourself. The main thing is the pleasure you should get from cooking any dish to saturate it with your energy and love.