My girlfriend is having trouble shopping. But not bags or shoes. Her specialty is kitchen utensils.
Her latest goal is a new pasta maker. This is not the classic roller machine that Italian nonnas have used for generations, but a new device that packs the dough from the top and forces spaghetti or tagliatelle from the bottom like minced meat.
She's convinced of its convenience, but I have my doubts. Wouldn't this affect the elasticity and density of the dough? Anyway, what I'm really concerned about is not the waste of money, but that she already doesn't have the storage space. Do you know the last scene? Raiders of the Lost Ark?It's her pantry.?
We've all fallen prey to impulse purchases, especially products and appliances that we thought would make cooking easier and faster. Portable mini bread ovens are now a waste of space that doesn't bake well. The barbaric-looking flesh-shredding claws are now relegated to junk in the back of a drawer. All the disposable scraps you no longer need using a regular oven and two forks are included.
I also know people who use electric salt and pepper grinders. It's tempting to ask, “When did my arthritis get so bad that I couldn't grind pepper?”
However, we are all susceptible to such unnecessary tools. I too admit that my kitchen is full of unnecessary junk. Never use a rusty can opener. A garlic press that doesn't press very well, and a mini George Foreman imitation grill that's perfect for a single chicken breast.
Healthy or not, office snacks and what they say about you
Healthy or not, office snacks and what they say about you
However, my significant other has a much more questionable chalk hoard. She bought an avocado slicer and scooper, which is basically a combination knife and spoon. She also has a heart-shaped measuring spoon (for cooking with love?), a strawberry stem picker, an apple corer, and some ceramics customized for lemon zest, ginger, garlic, and horseradish. And own a metal grater (one tool won't do the job) for all? ).
We can see how these time-saving products are appealing to people who want to spend less time in the kitchen. There's an entire category of gimmicky gadgets designed for foodie geeks. For some people, cooking the eggs at a precise temperature and time is enough for a precisely oozy yolk. There's also a tool to accurately measure flour, sugar, and milk for cakes and pastries to get the perfect crust and fluff.
One of my friends recently invested in an infrared thermometer. No more manipulating a temperature wand into a pot of hot frying oil or poking the turkey's butt to see how many degrees Celsius is inside. You can point the laser and do it right away. It's very professional and very geeky.
A good way to determine what is actually useful and what is not is to check the equipment in a restaurant's kitchen. I've never seen a line cook use an egg slicer, pepper prepper, corn kerneler, or lemon squeezer. They just use a good paring knife and their hands.
Then there are specialty appliances like waffle makers, deep fryers, wine aerators, ice cream makers, and cold press juicers, all of which seem like good ideas, but you only use them about once every two years. only. Don't get me started on the sous vide cooker.
I will admit that there are gadgets that have a decent place in my cupboard. Salad spinners are great for drying lettuce leaves. I also regularly use an air fryer that I received as a premium from my telecommunications provider. In fact, it's great for chicken wings, chops, and even steak.
However, I believe that more than half of the devices and gimmicks found in kitchen supply stores are destined to waste space in your home. On the other hand, this term also applies to shoes, clothing, and accessories.
I think there are worse shopping decisions than a questionable pasta maker.
