The Thorngrove Table

Scaling up is worth it

Amazon.co.uk is currently having a sale on electronic Salter Kitchen Scales. Now normally I wouldn't bother commenting, however I have to say the Salter scale I have (which is a smaller compact model, but still goes down to 1 gm or 1/8 oz weight) is excellent, and if you're thinking of buying one, I thoroughly endorse this brand.

At one point about a year ago, I dropped the whole thing into a bowl full of water for several seconds (don't ask), and for a little while it showed nothing but blinking numbers and I was like, "Woe! I've killed my little electronic friend!". However once it had dried out a couple of days later, it went back to normal and has worked fine ever since. I'm not recommending you follow my example (!) or even claiming that yours would survive such a dipping, but it was an impressive feat nonetheless (plus I was very grateful I didn't have to shell out for another scale).

So yes, they are expensive, but the quality is worth it. And if you look around online you can usually find one on sale, e.g. currently on Amazon (one of them is £13, see below) or off eBay. The latter is where I got mine (brand new from a kitchen store) for £20, which was about £10+ off the RRP at the time.

Sunday Lamb shots & silicon glee

Lamb roast for dinner this weekend. On which I got to try out my new camera. It's an Olympus EVOLT 510, which What Digital Camera recommended as the best of the entry level DSLRs. The last time I owned an SLR was almost ten years ago, a trusty old Praktika I'd owned since I was 16. It's somewhat amusing to note that digital SLR cameras don't help one shoot any faster. But so far I'm having great fun playing around with it - and realising just how much I'd come to rely on the autofocus...

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Please note underneath the lamb my spiffy new silicon roasting rack I got from Anne & Michel for Christmas. Thanks guys! Another excellent bit of kitchen kit that's so much easier to clean.

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A suggestion for the Cook who has everything

Looking for that unusual present for the cook in your life? Well, not content with the cherry pitter or strawberry huller, Williams-Sonoma tempt us with yet another unitasker - the 'Chestnutter':

"This tool takes the peril out of scoring chestnuts – an essential step before roasting or broiling them. It's simple to use: Place a nut in the chamber, close the handles, and a stainless-steel blade makes a perfect "X" through the outer shell and inner skin, which then loosen during roasting. 6 1/4" long."

Hoorah, yet another gadget to clutter up my kitchen drawers! Available here for the princely (or as this is Christmas, kingly) sum of $25.

Pasta Drying Rack

Look what I found in a charity shop yesterday lunchtime [rubs hands with glee].

I've been looking for a cheap pasta drying rack for ages and now finally, success! (and really, it would be hard to beat its £3 pricetag). And I'd say it had been used - never - judging from the wood I had to pull out of the holes.

I have the (much, much easier to find in a charity shop) manual pasta machine sitting below the sink and gathering dust. Underneath the aforementioned George Foreman minigrill, to tell the truth. So now I just need to go buy some pasta flour and I'm all set.

Pointers to any tried and trusted pasta recipes will be greatly appreciated.

Utensibility Week

For Sam (of Becks & Posh)'s Utensibility Week:

As aforementioned, my kitchen is a tiny 7 by 7.5 foot box. I don't have wallspace, I have two-dimensional vertical storage. And oddly enough, all my favorite utensils are grouped together on the same piece of two-dimensional vertical storage. I know this was only supposed to be one utensil, but well, it was just too serendipitous to resist.

Going sort of clockwise from the top, we first of all have my collection of Global Knives on that wonderful invention - the magnetic strip. These are the ones I use frequently; there's also a carver, a fish boner and one huge wopping knife I'm unsure of what it's for except to make me go "meep!".

Some people don't like Globals, saying they're too small, light and unbalanced, but I could write poetry about them (don't worry, I'll spare you). I have very small hands so they're an excellent fit. I like the lightness as I have mild arthritis, and I think they balance perfectly for me. I also love the single piece manufacture - hygenic, easy to clean and stylish - and the dimple-ridged hilts. Of them all, my favorite is probably the large vegetable knife.

Next is my Juniper Wood Salt Box. I bought it at Spittlefield Market five years ago, off the guy who makes them. This was rather expensive - about £20 back then - but it's a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. The maker also told me juniper wood is mildly anti-bacterial, so an excellent choice for this type of container. I love it so much I gave one to some friends as a wedding present.

Beneath that is my Salter Scale. It's the smallest version and Sam has already given the lowdown on them, so I'll just say I couldn't live without it.

Last, but certainly not least useful, is my new Mini-magnetic Board, bought on my recent sojourn to the US. I'm terrible about losing recipes when cooking, or dropping stuff all over them (not to mention the severe dearth of bench space I suffer from). This has gone a long way to helping as I use it to hold written or printed recipes. The steel board is about 6 inches by 4 inches and is stuck to the wall. It has those super-strong little magnets that firmly attach even recipes cut out from cardboard boxes. Not only is it discreet but it's quite stylish when empty. Also, it's completely invaluable and to ice the cake, only cost US $6. I strongly recommend getting one to any cook!