A variety of dishes in the kitchen allows you to conveniently prepare all kinds of dishes, receive guests and just have dinner with your family at a common table. But at the same time it should not be too much. A warehouse of plates and pans is unaesthetic. And even with more dishes, maintenance is complicated, a lot of dust and dirt accumulates. When choosing kitchen utensils, you need to adhere to the middle ground.
List of necessary kitchen utensils
When moving to a new place of residence, many housewives ask themselves what should be bought from the dishes first. The standard basic set of kitchen utensils includes:
- plates for first and second courses;
- glasses and mugs;
- knives, forks and spoons;
- cutting boards;
- large bowls;
- pans
- pans
- teapot;
- shoulder blades;
- grater;
- colander;
- ladle;
- skimmer;
- pusher;
- salt shaker and pepper shaker.
All housewives use these items. It is impossible to do without them in the kitchen. However, the list of necessary utensils can be much larger. It all depends on whether you cook pastries, bake meat and vegetables in the oven, preserve vegetables and fruits for the winter, or twist the minced meat yourself.
Each mistress has her own basic set. It may include:
- sieve;
- form for baking;
- gosyatnitsa or cauldron;
- corkscrew;
- glasses and glasses;
- meat grinder;
- whisk;
- rolling pin;
- measuring cup;
- a hammer for meat;
- seaming machine;
- juicer;
- teapot;
- tea, coffee service;
- can-opener;
- storage containers.
How many plates do you need to buy?
The standard is a set for 6 people. However, it is correct to buy plates based on the following formula:
- number of family members + 2 plates.
The exception is when large groups of friends or relatives visit you often. Then the calculation is made individually.
It is also important not to forget that you need to buy at least 2 types of plates:
- deep for first courses;
- small dining rooms for main dishes.
Plates of second necessity:
- dessert
- snack bars;
- salad bowls;
- elongated - for fish.
The number of glasses, mugs, cutlery is calculated according to the same formula as the number of plates.
Choose versatile dishes that can be used in the oven, microwave, dishwasher. For example, from the tempered shock-resistant glass.
How many knives?
Knives of the first necessity - this is the so-called "cook three". It includes:
- universal knife or chef knife;
- bread knife with teeth;
- a small knife for peeling vegetables.
A universal knife should be high-quality and expensive, because about 80% of all processes in the kitchen will fall on its shoulders: cutting and slicing meat, fish, chopping vegetables and greens. But bread and vegetable knives can be taken easier.
Number of chopping boards
Cutting board is an indispensable item in the kitchen. Without it, you will not be able to cut meat, vegetables and fruits without damaging the table.
The minimum number of cutting boards is two:
- for fish and meat;
- for vegetables and fruits.
Boards must be separate for these types of products. Raw meat and fish contain dangerous bacteria that cannot be removed by ordinary washing under the tap. Moreover, many housewives advise having different boards for fish and meat.
Required minimum pots
At home, it is recommended to have 2 to 3 pots. Optimal sizes:
- large pot 3-4-4 liters (or two 4.5 liters and 2-3 liters);
- stewpan with a handle 1-2 l.
One is needed for cooking the first dishes, the second - for heating. The choice of the main pot should be approached responsibly. It is desirable that it be roomy, with thick walls and a bottom. This will allow you to use it also for stewing.
For heating, a stewpan with a handle is also suitable. It is useful for cooking eggs, pasta, cereals, making sauces and other small things.
How much to buy pans?
No hostess can do without a frying pan in the kitchen. Without it, you can’t cook good soup and borsch on the fry, you can’t cook crispy steak, you can’t make quick fried eggs.
In the house, it is desirable to have 2 pans - large and medium. Approximate characteristics:
- large - wall thickness 4-6 mm, diameter - 26-28 cm, depth - 8-15 cm;
- medium - wall thickness 2-4 cm, diameter - 24 cm, depth - 6-8 cm.
A large frying pan is indispensable in the preparation of stew and fried meat, pilaf, meatballs, various meat dishes. It is recommended to give preference to solid materials that retain temperature for a long time: cast iron, stone. An average frying pan is needed for frying vegetables, making cottage cheese pancakes, fried eggs, and warming dishes. The best option is a classic stainless steel frying pan with non-stick coating.
If I plan to buy a slow cooker, will I need the usual kitchen utensils?
When using the technique, the amount of utensils needed in the kitchen can be reduced. For example, a slow cooker can replace a pot and a frying pan, a food processor - a grater, a whisk, a juicer. But this is not always justified: it is irrational to turn on a combine to rub one apple.
How is a fish cutting board different from a regular one?
The fish board is usually made of plastic and equipped with a special clip. It does not absorb odors like wood. And the fish fixed with a clamp does not slip and does not fall out of the hands when cutting.
Does the kitchen need a pancake pan?
In principle, pancakes can be cooked in an ordinary "universal" pan. But if you and your family love pancakes, then it is better to buy a crepe maker - a flat pan with a thick bottom. For cooking ordinary pancakes, a pan with a diameter of 22 cm is suitable. For pancakes with filling, you need a larger pancake, with a volume of 26 cm or more.
So, the basic set of dishes in the kitchen is an individual concept. The list and number of items directly depends on the size of the family, the variety of prepared dishes, the number of guests received. Choose dishes that are convenient for you personally to work with, and do not buy new items without urgent need. Then order will always reign in your lockers, and the set table will delight the family and guests.