For women of color, cooking and spending time in the kitchen was a mark of womanhood. You learned stories while snapping peas with grandma. You were brought into the sister circle.
As times evolve, the role of the woman in the kitchen has changed. Woman are no longer limited to being subservient individuals; we run business and many run our own households.
We've all also heard that a woman that knows how to cook, will always keep a man.
Whether you're looking to impress your partner or increase your culinary knowledge, here are the top ten must-have items for your kitchen:
Spices - spices can make or break your meal. No one wants a bland meal. The wrong spice can ruin your meal
Cast Iron Skillet – Cast Iron as well as copper is mainly because there is less toxins in it. Cast Iron is versatile, great for browning meats, cooks vegetables faster and its great to use for baking. You haven’t had corn bread if you never had corn bread made in a cast iron skillet.
Standing mixer - I prefer kitchen aid. It is expensive but there are some cheaper alternatives. Some of the perks of a stand mixer is it limits the mess and it’s hands free. It’s more power and it mixes evenly. It also cuts time depending on what your baking a hand mixer can be tiring.
Mixing bowls - I prefer metal ones you can get them from your local home goods or Marshalls. You can also use plastic bowls, but over time smells and flavors from the food your prepping can get into the plastic.
Thermometer - always test your meat doesn’t matter if it’s beef or chicken you want to make sure it’s cooked fully. Recommended temperature for beef is 145 ground beef should be higher around 160. Chicken should be at 165
Cutting board – why risk damaging your counter tops when you can use a cutting board. Also a cutting board keeps the bacteria found in food away from your counter tops. Which not only protects the cook. But also protects your family.
Parchment paper – It doesn’t matter if you oil your pans, or oil and flour your pans. If your baking something will always stick to the pan. Using parchment paper allows your food to slide right off. Which makes clean up a breeze.
Pots and pan (quality pots and pans) – Non stick pans although pretty and affordable, they are not the best to use. The ingredients used to make non stick pans, can be toxic, if consumed. Over time the non stick material begins to crack which will always end up in your food. My suggestion is metal pans. My favorite cookware brands is Wolfgang Puck and Ayesha Curry.
Griddle – They are so versatile. They allow you to cook more then one item at the same time. Sautee your vegetables, make fried rice, grill a steak, or whip up some pancakes. Whatever it is you want you can make it on 1 griddle instead of using multiple pots and pans.
Food processor – A food processor cuts your prep time in half. It allows your vegetables to be chopped evenly. My brand preference is Ninja and Kitchen Aid. They have the sharpest blades and their blades don’t rust.
Regina Taylor is the Home Chef, Blogger and Spice Creator behind the brand Taylor Homemade. Looking for all-natural, fresh seasonings with recipes to match, visit @taylorhomemade_ on Instagram and shop at taylorhomemade.net.
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