Time spent with friends is always enjoyable form of recreation. However, if we plan to meet at home, the time spent in the kitchen can definitely make our lives miserable. Then we will need a few kitchen gadgets, that will help us prepare the party. So, how to make your life easier?
In the kitchen
Hand blender
Buying a hand blender may seem like a whim, especially when you have a multi-functional robot. This one, however, is very often hidden in the most remote corners of a kitchen cupboard, and removing it results in at least half an hour of cleaning. The hand blender takes up relatively little space, so we can always have it at hand and use it when we want to prepare cream soup, sandwich paste, sorbet or homemade mayonnaise. When choosing a device, we should be guided primarily by its power. The more powerful ones are even able to make a dough. They will not replace a traditional mixer in everything, but if we are satisfied with its everyday functionality, it is worth having it close.
Hand mixer – sweets on a plate
When baking cakes, the mixer will be most helpful. Thanks to the interchangeable tips, you can use it both for whipping cream or egg white, and for kneading dough. The classic mixer can also be replaced with a larger version equipped with a base with a bowl. The bowl, which usually has a capacity of about 2.5 liters, is attached to a special rotating device. You can pour the dough into it and turn on the mixer – the mass will mix itself! Unfortunately, these kinds of models may not be very accurate – so it’s important to choose the most powerful ones.
Chop, mix, rule!
However, if we need something more, it is worth looking around for a multicooker. First of all, we need one that will help us in tedious work such as cutting, chopping, whipping and mixing.
What can we do with a multi food processor?
With its help, we can prepare a whole lot of excellent dishes, ranging from desserts, through vegetable salads, to pastes and dips, which are the number 1 at every party recently.
The robots on the market are equipped with various attachments and components, such as dough hooks, chopping knives, beater and mixing attachments, blenders and even meat grinders. So they can do a lot of the preparations for us.
However, in order to choose the model that suits us best, it is worth looking at our needs. We will be much better at this if we buy a model with equipment that will really be useful at home than with a whole lot of unnecessary gadgets.
Have fun with your food
My mom always said not to do that, but …
To make your task easier, focus on self-service. You can use an electric grill, raclette table or toaster for this purpose.
Then it is enough to prepare meat or seafood, vegetables, cheeses, bread, maybe a salad or some dips and leave the creativity to the guests.
Electric grill – what to choose?
The offer of electric appliances for grilling dishes is impressive. If you want to buy a small electric grill or a device of considerable size, you still have to decide on a specific type of grill, and you can choose from the following types:
- Open grill – a standard design that allows you to grill food of any shape. The open structure facilitates air circulation, which has a positive effect on the taste and aroma of the dishes prepared.
- Closed grill – has a cover that reduces the emission of water vapor outside the device. The electric grill with a lid allows you to prepare meals a little faster. Locked devices may have a standard structure and a cover (e.g. made of glass) or they may be appliances with a hinged lid, which also has a grill plate on the bottom and which can be pressed against grilled products – this type of grill is also sometimes referred to as a grill toaster.
- Kebab grill – is a specific mini grill oven with a shape and functionality dedicated to the preparation of kebabs, grilled chicken and similar dishes. It does not have a grate or a flat hob, but is equipped with a spit.
Raclette tables
Raclette set – a type of open grill, often of a round shape. Most often, it is two-level: at the top there is a grill in the form of a round (or rectangular) plate on which you can prepare food, while mini pans are located just below it.
They are the most characteristic elements of the device. Small, spade-shaped pans with a non-stick coating are used to prepare cheese snacks, fried eggs and any vegetable or vegetable and meat compositions. The handles of the paddles do not conduct heat, so anyone can easily insert and remove the mini-pans from under the grill.
The raclette, depending on its size, can hold up to 10 paddles on which each party participant can arrange their favorite ingredients. When the composition is ready, just slide them under the heated plate and wait for the cheese to melt and combine with the additives. The raclette grill is relatively small and is intended to be placed on a table next to containers of ingredients that everyone can compose on their own.
Or maybe a fondue?
Effective cheese, chocolate and even meat fondue will surely become a highlight at any party. Perfect for snacking in a larger group!
How to make cheese, chocolate and meat fondues? Not as hard as it may seem! However, you need to obtain a special fondue dish and gather the necessary ingredients to prepare the dish.
Fondue – what is it?
What exactly is a fondue? It is a dish derived from Swiss cuisine, but also popular in French and Italian cuisine. Although we associate fondue with a full bowl of melted chocolate, it is traditionally a dish prepared with hot cheese (at least two types) and white wine. This is a way of Swiss highlanders to use dry cheese and prepare, especially in winter, nutritious and warming dishes. Fondue is a dish designed to be eaten in a larger group, straight from the pot! Pieces of vegetables or croutons are put on forks and dipped in the warm cheese mass.
The second option is the meat version, however, the dish set remains the same. Frying oil is poured into a vessel and pieces of marinated beef tenderloin are usually prepared. But not necessarily. You can prepare any meat or prawns, as long as they do not fall apart and are loaded with a fork. Personally, I love the cheese version or the prawns dipped in pancake batter.
The sweet version is melted chocolate, but in my opinion it is more suitable for children’s parties.
Sometimes it is worthwhile to depart from traditional feasts and tables full of food to try something new and fresh. When it comes to party preparation, it’s better to focus on quality than quantity. After all, the meeting is supposed to serve relationships, improve them, build them and develop them, and not just clog the belly with food and the sink with dirty dishes. So have fun, try, diversify and don’t waste your time.
