Quality Chef Workwear and Kit

For a change I thought I’d do a little review of a tin of soup. Yes, this blog is typically about cheffing and cooking from fresh, but be honest if you fancy something hot for lunch, making homemade soup is a little time consuming.

I needed a bowl of hot soup to warm me up so I paid a visit to our pantry – yes, we really do have a pantry! There were a few tins of soup including cream of tomato and the one I went for – Sainsburys be good to yourself, Tomato & 3 Bean soup.

As a healthy option the soup has less than 1% fat, but as I had wholemeal toast with butter I kind of negated that just a little. Normally I wouldn’t choose products from a low fat range because sometimes they’re low taste too.

A few short minutes in the microwave while the bread toasted in my beloved Dualit and I had a hot bowl of soup ready. Toast buttered and the addition of some ground black pepper for seasoning and I’m ready to eat.

So how did it taste? Pretty good actually to be honest. Obviously there’s a tomato taste and the beans give the soup a bit of substance. I enjoyed the hint of spicyness that the soup had – the ingredients do include chilli seasoning and green peppers.

As the weather is forecast to be cold and frosty I might just treat myself to some more. The improved and extended Be Good To Yourself range is available in Sainsburys stores and also online.

Nisbets, one of the UK’s largest and best-known suppliers of catering clothing and equipment to the trade, are currently offering free next day delivery on all orders. But hurry, this offer expires on 31st August.

The TV chef John Burton Race has declared himself bankrupt. You may remember him from the documentary a few years back following his progress at the New Angel restaurant in Dartmouth. Mr Burton Race was also a contestant in a series of I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here. Burton Race is still head chef at the New Angel as his friend Clive Jacobs bought the restaurant.

Jamie Oliver is expected to have overtaken Gordon Ramsay on the Sunday Time Rich List. The Telegraph suggests that Oliver will rank at position 1,348 with an estimated fortune of £40m. Ramsey is out of the top 2000 after last year ranking at position 1,446.

Of course, both of these on-TV chefs make a significant proportion of their income from TV shows and by selling stacks of cookery books. Ramsey has been in the news over the last few months as reports surface suggesting his global restaurant business is being affected by the credit crunch.

A few posts ago I mentioned that one of the top 5 kitchen gadget must-haves was a KitchenAid mixer. Well, if you need a little sweetener to go and treat yourself to one, here your’s chance:

Buy the Kitchenaid Artisan Stand mixer from John Lewis and until 31st May (or while stocks last) and get a 6 piece red KitchenAid utensil set (pictured) worth £60 absolutely free !

Only at John Lewis.

We’re looking to hear from anyone with tips on how to make good, fresh pasta – can you help? We’re launching a pasta machine site that’s all about making homemade pasta and we’re hoping to include a top tips page. So, if you’ve got any good advice then please leave a comment here on or on that site if you prefer – thanks!

Global Knives have a fantastic reputation for craftsmenship and quality. In this post I detail a brief history of Global and some tips for looking after their knives.

Designed by Komin Ymada in 1985, Global Knives are manufactured by the Japanese company Yoshikin. The initial aim was to produce a knife range that consisted of Italian design aesthetics, German durability and Japanese precision.

You may might not know that each knife is made from a single piece of stainless steel that is sharpened to a point rather than the conventional bevelled edge. The knife ridge is a gradual curve that helps keep cut foods separate from the knife blade.

I’ve read that Global knives should not be put in dishwashers and should not be allowed to drip dry – you should (carefully) hand wash, dry, then put them away. Do not cut frozen foods or ice to avoid blade snapping, chipping and nicks.

You’ll find a great range of Global knifes and chef equipment at Nisbets.

The winner of the 2009 Masterchef BBC competition was (pictured above on the left) Mat Follas

Mat blogs about his cooking and his foraging on his own blog at The Wild Garlic Blog.

Congratulations to him – I think he was a worthy winner, obviously passionate about his food.

The Telegraph has reported that celebrity chef Anthony Worrall Thompson has been forced to close four of his six restaurants because of the credit crunch.

Apparently he visited each venue to tell the staff that the company had been put into administration. It is believed that the 57 year old chef had used £250,000 of his savings to buy back the two remaining restaurants.

The magazine Waitrose Food Illustrated brought together a panel of 33 leaders in the world of food, including Jamie Oliver, Raymond Blanc and Prue Leith. They voted upon a list of the most useful gadgets in the kitchen, and without further adieu here’s a run down:

1 Wooden Spoon

The humble, inexpensive wooden spoon tops the list!

I guess it’s because it’s just so useful, just think what you can do with one; mix, stir, taste, sprinkle, spread, bash, etc

It’s hygenic, hard wearing and easy to clean too. A classic kitchen tool that you just can’t do without. Spoon shown is made by Typhoon and is stocked by John Lewis.

2 Microplane Grater

Another inexpensive kitchen gadget.

Microplane graters are available in both fine and coarse cut and are designed to work as a zester for citrus fruits, grater for cheese, chocolate and nutmeg or to puree ginger or garlic.

Made from durable stainless-steel with rubber handle for easy grip and comfort. Dishwasher safe. Stocked by John Lewis.

3 KitchenAid Mixer

The KitchenAid Mixer is a design classic!

A regular favourite for those wanting a professional mixer and also for those just wanting to adorn their worktop with something smart.

This mixer has both classic good looks and high-quality craftsmanship – it’s also available in a range of finishes. It’s robust all-metal construction, powerful 10 speed motor and tilt-up head design make mixing large batches easy. It also features a unique mixing action that ensures faster and more thorough blending. Guaranteed for 5 years for parts and labour. Stocked by John Lewis.

4 Wand Blender

Stick / wand blenders are made by a wide range of manufacturers such as Kenwood, Braun, Breville and own label brands.

I personally like this Dualit Hand Blender set. If it’s anything like the build quality of our Dualit toaster and scales then it’ll last for years.

Look out for features such as variable speed and pulse button blending.

5 Magimix Food Processor

The Magimix Food Processor is, like the KitchenAid mixer above, a more expensive item but should last you years of use.

It’s available in two models; the 5200 (pictured) and the cheaper 3200. Both are stocked by John Lewis. These powerful food processors mix, grate, slice, chop, whisk, knead and liquidise your ingredients. Aside from the main bowl it has an integrated mini processor for processing smaller quantities such as dips, mayonnaise or baby food, while the midi bowl can be used for slicing and shredding ingredients. All the bowls and blades are dishwasher safe. The commercial grade induction motor is guaranteed for 12 years, with an overall parts guarantee of 3 years; there’s just one speed, which operates quietly at the optimum speed for the job required.