The right cookware for the small Irish kitchen
I recommend, if possible, buying all of your pots and pans in one nesting set. Picture: Moya Nolan
What items take up the bulk of the space in a kitchen? In my case it's cookware.
By cookware, I mean the plethora of pots, pans, casserole dishes, sheet trays, and more. I can’t pass by a kitchen specialist or a home shop without at least considering a purchase, which in a small kitchen becomes something of a problem. As with most items in my home, I favour those that have multiple uses, that stack cleverly, or that look good on display. I also want items that will last and ones that I will actually use regularly (I’m looking at you, heart-shaped ramekin). I like items that I can also serve food in, that are an attractive addition to my dining table, as they appeal to my lazy side by saving on washing up.
A significant majority of my cookware is actually bakeware, because I adore baking if you haven’t heard, and so I’ll be including that category here. That said, some of my bakeware items double up as cookware - especially since I discovered that baking sheet cakes and cutting circles out of them is far easier than storing multiple sizes of baking tins. Here is a run down of what I have and love in my own kitchen.
First up is my suite of copper pots and pans that I got as a present from my lovely mum when I moved into this house. I love these for many reasons, but honestly, the main reason is because they look really pretty hanging up over my hob. They’re nothing too fancy - they’re from the Crofton range and were bought from Aldi. They’re really stainless steel with a pretty copper exterior, which means they work with my induction hob and are easy to clean. Easy on the inside that is - the copper doesn’t go in the dishwasher, my one gripe, but shines up well when scrubbed with a salt and vinegar mixture (yes really).
I recommend, if possible, buying all of your pots and pans in one nesting set. It looks better to have that consistency of design, and it takes up far less space to have items that are designed to nest together. The choice ahead of you is what material to get. Stainless steel is easy to maintain and works with all hobs including induction. Copper looks beautiful but be careful it doesn’t burn your food as it heats up really quickly, and pure copper pots do not work with induction (look for ones with a stainless steel base if that’s what you have). Cast iron is also a beautiful choice, works well with all hobs, and lasts forever - however maintenance is required in the form of regular seasoning.
I’ve separated pots and pans because pans have some additional considerations - specifically non-stick coating. Teflon is the most popular and easiest to use but it can scratch and ultimately wears off, and once your teflon starts to scratch it is recommended not to use it anymore. You can get teflon pans recoated but as I discovered recently, it’s harder than it’s worth. Ceramic coating is the preferred option for some as it is made from a natural material, but it is not quite as effective as Teflon and wears off more quickly.
Another consideration with pans is the handle. Depending on how you like to cook, you may want to pop your pan in the oven or under the grill every now and then. In this case, make sure you buy pans that have either oven-safe handles (such as steel or wood) or removable handles. Avoid plastic, unless you want to spend a weekend scraping that mess off the bottom of your oven.
The true heroes of my kitchen, the workhorses that roast vegetables and bake cakes, and the versatile baking trays. My favourite has a heavy steel bottom with a ceramic coating and high sides and is about 25 x 40cm. I recommend this one if you’re only getting one. The coating makes it easy to clean and high sides allow for greater flexibility in what you can make in it - for example, sheet cakes or fruit cakes. Do yourself a favour and look for one that is dishwasher safe. I have a second one in the same material that is about two-thirds the size. Finally, I have a range of smaller glass oven dishes in single-serving sizes which I love because I can either cook a meal in the oven and put it in the freezer in the same dish for later, or I can assemble an apple pie and freeze it until I’m ready to take it out and bake it. Look for oven dishes made from borosilicate glass - these are both freezer and oven-safe and can withstand changes in temperature. The perfect lazy-woman cookware!
Possibly the hardest working piece of cookware I own is my beloved cast iron Dutch oven, a.k.a. casserole dish. I love Dutch ovens for so many reasons, the primary being that I am lazy and love nothing more than throwing everything into one pot. If you’re ever wondering what to buy someone as a gift, a cast iron Dutch oven is your answer. I was gifted a Le Creuset pot as a housewarming present and I will cherish it forever. It’s cast iron so works on induction, and enamel coated so it cleans easily. If you can stretch to two, buy one standard size and one shallow.
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