Kitchen Deals -> Small Appliances

Keen cooks may want to take advantage of multi-function ovens - usually aimed at the top end of the market. As well as traditional cooking, fan or fan-assisted cooking and grilling, these ovens offer up to nine further functions. These include: Top element only (browning), bottom element (final cooking of pastry dishes or pizzas), fan and bottom element (delicate cooking), fan only (thawing).

The importance of high quality knives can't be stressed enough! Buy the best you can and expect to spend some serious money. It is better to buy a couple of excellent knives and slowly add to your collection rather than buying an entire set of low quality knives. Start with a chef knife and paring knife. You will also want to buy a sharpening steel.

When you want to finely chop foods such as: onions, garlic, parsley, or other items, pivot your knife by keeping the tip of the knife on the cutting surface at all times and hold the knife at an angle, about 95' angle, towards the hand holding the tip. This way, you use the blade to push and keep the food particles down, thus making them easier to chop. If the knife should slip, then the sharp side of the blade will slide away from where you're working, and away from your other hand and fingers. In addition, you make less noise, as compared to when raising and lowering the knife of the cutting surface trying to mince foods.