One of the things I am enjoying in my new kitchen is the lack of bench space.Yes, I know, this is quite a peculiar statement to make in this era of cavernous kitchens with space for every conceivable gadget.
Of course I miss the ability to spread out, or to be able to have three children make their lunches at once without annoying each other. Yet minimal bench space does have its advantages.
For example, we simply cannot let clutter build up, so we are forced to keep the kitchen clean and neat at all times. Moreover, because there is little bench space I have tidied most of my kitchen appliances away. The microwave is out, as is the toaster, but I just don't have the space to bother with electric mixers, food processors and so on. If I used my large slow cooker I wouldn't be able to do anything else!
So in the last few recipes I have published you may have noticed that all the instructions are for doing things by hand. And surprisingly, I am finding my baking is faster rather than slower, with less cleaning up. I recommend you try this too.
Our grandmothers really knew something, didn't they?
Here is a recipe for some chocolate chip cookies I made last weekend. Easy and delicious!
Chocolate Chip Cookies150g/5 oz unsalted butter, softened but not melted
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C self-raising flour
3/4-1 C chocolate chips (I used dark but you can choose. You could also substitute chopped nuts for half the chocolate chips).
Preheat oven to 180C/350F, less for fan-forced. Grease baking trays.
Cream butter and sugar with vanilla, then beat in egg. Stir in flour and chocolate chips; the mixture will quite stiff.
Drop spoonfuls of mixture on baking trays with one inch at least between them. You could decorate the tops with some of the choc. chips or with lollies such as Smarties or M'n'Ms, if you wish.
Bake for 15 minutes until lightly browned and cool on trays.
Delicious with an icy cold glass of milk!
So tell me, are you a gadget girl (or boy), or do you prefer to do your cooking and baking by hand?
Do you have a favourite kitchen gadget that you couldn't do without? If so what is it?
Try and sell me on its merits!
Kate xxx
15 messages and notes:
My choc chip bikkie recipe is almost identical, except that mine is 1/2 cup each of white & brown sugar. And ooohhhhh they are wonderful bikkies. Miss Mischief has made a batch for Grandparents Day at school tomorrow.
I was surprised to find you back on line, I thought that it would take a lot longer. Your house looks lovely. When we were down in Adelaide a few years ago I fell in love with the architecture of some of the suburbs. It is good to have you back.
I like to mix everything by hand, too! Except for bread dough, which I unashamedly put into my mixer. :-)
Kate,
You are so right about the clutter of gadgets. The only gadget that gets to live on my counter is my stand mixer. I love it and use it often when I bake. However, there are times when I will not want to deal with cleaning it, so I will mix by hand. I figure it burns off a few calories so I can enjoy my treats guilt free. Glad to hear you are settling in :0)
Yummy! And hey, you get a good work out stirring that stiff dough!
I think I prefer gadgets...for example I really, really miss my kitchenaid which has been in storage for two years. Yet, I really don't mind doing things by hand either. I don't have a food processor (though if I could have one, I probably would). So I suppose I'm in the middle with both.
My favorite would be my kitchenaid. My daughters would be the vita-mix for her smoothies.
I to think for a moment when you said "bench" space. I'm thinking, what is she talking about (C: I figured it out.
I've decided another thing...we americans are so boring in our speech. I noticed that as I listened to Bobbie Houston speak from HIllsongs on a DVD. She was so expressive in her word usage and the terms you have for things are so much more "fun" than our words.
Your cookies look delicious. You are so right about gadgets taking up so much space. I guess the one thing I am really glad I have is a food processor. It really cuts down on prep time for elaborate food preparation, such as when you have to shred a ton of cooked meats or veggies.
Yes! My kitchen is messy much more often now than when we had a tiny one. Of course, I also couldn't roll out a pie without bumping my elbows on the wall . . .
Going to try that recipe some time soon, it sounds delicious!
Yep, I prefer doing things by hand just as it's easier and quicker than lugging out the gadgets, assembling them and washing all the nooks and crannys afterwards.
I am very much a hands in girl but I have some back problems that mean things like baking bread are basically impossible for me without gadgets.
Most of my sweet baking recipes are definitely the girl, the bowl and a spatula material
Kind Regards
Belinda
I love how you call it 'bench' space...here in the states we'd say counter space.
thanks for the recipe...yum.
Kimmie
mama to 6
one homemade and 5 adopted
how funny...my recipe is like yours too :o)
yummy!
I think I might need to go whip some up :o)
~simply~
I have been lurking for a while.
So glad you are back we are thinking to move to Australia and Adeleide is my first choice. I am so glad to hear the people are friendly. I was looking into property and was rather attracted to the Eastern Suburbs. The Torrens river is by the Eastern Suburbs, isn't it? How do you find the place.
God bless,
Mrs. T (South Africa)
I much prefer making things by hand too, but with the level of RSI I'm currently having I'm having to do without home baking as I don't have a mixer or the bench space to put one. (no storage space either). I did recently buy a blender for soups that I used to puree by hand through a sieve, to make space on the bench for it we threw out our toaster which we hardly ever used anyway. If I want to do anything that requires more space, such as rolling pastry for a pie, I clear off the small dining table in the living room and use that. It's only 3 steps away from the kitchen anyway.
Thank you all for visiting.
It's interesting that so many of you prefer to bake by hand.
Kirstin and Kimmie, in Australia, kitchens have benches and counters are in shops. You go to the counter to pay for your goods. In a pub you can order a counter meal, which means that you pay for it and collect it from the counter (no waiting staff).
Mrs T, if you would like to email me privately I can tell you more about our experiences of Adelaide (so far).
Kate
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