Category: equipment
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PK’s Essential Pantry Cupboard Contents
Welcome to the first in a series of posts dealing with lists of essential items for getting the most out of your growing, catching and cooking journey. This particular post is all about the kitchen pantry.
Whilst a work in progress I aim to present the bare minimum essential items that must be in my cupboard at all times. I have many others in my shed (there is a slight disagreement between my wife and I over who owns our very small kitchen) but the items below need to be in easy reach or I get grumpy 🙂 .
Herbs, Salts and Spices
- Cinnamon
- Cumin seeds
- Fennel seeds
- Mustard seeds (black and yellow)
- Peppercorns (whole black)
- Salt (table and crystals)
Sauces and Condiments
- Fish Sauce
- Mustard paste (dijon, hot english and wholegrain)
- Tomato Passata
- Sriracha Sauce
- Worcestershire Sauce
Vinegars
Fats and Oils
- Ghee (clarified butter)
- Olive oil
- Peanut (ground nut) oil
- Sesame oil
Confections and Flours:
- White flour
- Raw Sugar
Rubs and Coatings:
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Mortar And Pestle
The mortar (the bowl) and the pestle (the rounded club shaped part that you hold) have been used for ever and a day to crush and grind cooking ingredients.
It can be used to grind dry ingredients to a fine powder or equally to give them a coarser texture. I use it for wet ingredients when a wet power blender would make the paste too smooth.
To show you what I mean, this is the same very tasty sauce (first picture is blended, second is ground):
My two tips are:
- avoid the temptation to get a small one as spices like peppercorns and coriander seed will make a break for it as soon as you start grinding 🙂
- don’t spend too much on them, they all do the same thing regardless of the price tag
Dry
Wet
PK
Related Links:
- see recipes that use a mortar and pestle here
- see more kitchen kit here
- see more equipment posts here
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Cast Iron Skillet
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This is my first ever cast iron skillet and I am immediately a fan. I won’t lie to you, it was purchased without approval on a solo trip to Kitchen Warehouse and I am still begging for forgiveness :).
Before I used it for the first time I gave it a wash in hot water (no suds) and then gave it a light coating in olive oil. It then went into a fan-forced oven at 160C for about an hour.
I used it to make Shakshuka and it cleaned up so easily. Again, hot water and a slight coating of oil before being thrown into the cupboard. This thing is indestructible!
Enjoy,
PK
Related Links:
- see more equipment posts here
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Nylex 5L Shoulder Sprayer: PK Reviews
The Nylex 5L and 8L Shoulder Sprayers are perfect for people with kitchen gardens, even large ones. I am reviewing several of the Nylex Sprayer range and I started with their Nylex 1.5L 360° Sprayer. Please see the other Nylex reviews here.
In short I couldn’t be more pleased with my 5L Shoulder Sprayer and I bought it for next to nothing from my local Bunnings. At ~$22 AUD it is very good value for money and one of my units has been in use for 3 years now.
This pressure sprayer is perfect for spraying plants with dense hard to reach foliage (such as chili plants and tomato plants) with both targeted solutions such as pyrethrum or full plant coverage solutions such as bio-oil. You could even use it on trees such as large citrus plants.
My favourite bio-oil by the way is http://ecoorganicgarden.com.au/products/pest-disease/eco-oil/ and no they are not paying me to say that :).
A trigger spray (although Nylex makes good/affordable versions of these) is not going to suffice as they can’t spray upside down and don’t have the holding capacity. Turning the leaves is going to end up getting spray on you and also leaf/foliage damage.
Note: This is not a paid post.
Product Reviewed:
- Nylex 5L Shoulder Sprayer
Pros:
- Very good build quality for a very low price
- 2 year warranty on the UV resistant plastic bottle
- Fibre glass wand with fan and jet nozzles works well with the D shaped handle or supplied shoulder strap to allow you to spray where you want and only where you want
- D shaped handle also makes for easy pumping and even stores the wand when not in use
- Lockable trigger on the wand
- Safety pressure release valve that also makes for easy de-pressuring when you are finished
- Easy to read incremented 1.0L marks so you can accurately mix your concentrate solutions
- Plastic sleeve for holding labels to indicate what type of solution you are keeping the sprayer for e.g.. fungicides vs insecticides (this is one of my favourite features as I don’t like to use the same sprayer for different treatments)
- Filter mechanism avoids blockages
- Spare o-rings etc are available
Cons:
- None that I can tell, sorry 🙂
Availability:
- Available at your local Bunnings https://www.bunnings.com.au/nylex-5l-shoulder-garden-sprayer_p2962002
The Verdict:
Great product at a very reasonable price and easy to store when not in use. Build quality is very high and you should get many years out of it. Once I bought my first one I could not go back. You are going to use a lot less plastic packaging and save money by using such a sprayer.
If you have any questions about the product range I recommend contacting the Nylex team at http://www.nylexwatering.com/contact-us/
Hope this review helps and feel free to send me any comments or corrections.
Enjoy,
PK
Hope this review helps,
PK
Related Links:
- See more Nylex posts here
- See our other product reviews here
- See more growing, catching and cooking equipment here
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- see our other product reviews here
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PK Reviews: Nylex 1.5L 360° Garden Sprayer
Product ranges get an automatic tick of approval from me if the bottom end of the range far exceeds expectations. The Nylex Garden Sprayer range is the perfect example of this. I am reviewing several of their models starting with the Nylex 1.5L 360° Sprayer which is my latest purchase. See the other reviews here.
I couldn’t be more pleased with it.
This pressure sprayer is perfect for spraying chili plants and tomato plants, for example, where you only want small quantities of solution but you need to get the underside of the leaves too. A trigger spray (although Nylex makes good/affordable versions of these) is not going to suffice as they can’t spray upside down. Turning the leaves is going to end up getting spray on you and also leaf/foliage damage.
Note: This is not a paid post.
Product Reviewed:
- Nylex 1.5L 360° Garden Sprayer
Pros:
- Very good build quality for a very low price
- 2 year warranty on the UV resistant plastic
- Feels balanced in the hands
- Adjustable nozzle from mist to stream
- Lockable trigger
- Easy to read 1.0L and 1.5L marks so you can easily mix your concentrate solutions
- Filter mechanism avoids blockages
- Spare o-rings etc are available
Cons:
- Not as versatile as a pressure sprayer with a wand for plants with dense foliage
- Lack of tag or other method to communicate purpose/type of the contents e.g. fungicide vs insecticide
Availability:
- Available at your local Bunnings https://www.bunnings.com.au/nylex-1-5l-360-garden-sprayer_p2961996
The Verdict:
Great product at a very reasonable price and small enough to store when not in use. Build quality is high and you should get many years out of it.
If you have any questions about the product range I recommend contacting the Nylex team at http://www.nylexwatering.com/contact-us/
Hope this review helps and feel free to send me any comments or corrections.
Enjoy,
PK
Hope this review helps,
PK
Related Links:
- See more Nylex posts here
- See our other product reviews here
- See more growing, catching and cooking equipment here
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PK Reviews: Tradeflame 220g Pro Heat Blow Torch Kit
You know how sometime you buy something and wonder how you survived without it to this point? The Tradeflame blow torch range is such a product. I bought the 220g Pro Heat Blow Torch Kit (see this Bunnings link) only to start charcoal chunks in my Weber Barbecue but every time I used it I had a massive smile on my face.
So I decided to see what else I could use it for. I already had a sub-par chef’s torch for cooking and this product blows it away, no pun intended. The flame’s intensity and amount of air injection can be adjusted so you can pretty much handle any task, small or large.
Here is a list of uses I found after 5 minutes googling:
- cocktails (not going to do this as I can see me in flames)
- crisping pork crackling (I have done this)
- starting charcoal barbecues (best tool ever)
- shrink wrapping eg. rubber coating your fishing sinkers so they don’t scratch the boat on the way up
- stripping paint
- stripping wires
- making s’mores (whatever they are)
- browning roast chickens (yep done this one)
Product Reviewed:
Tradeflame 220g Pro Heat Blow Torch Kit
Pros:
- The instructions were well laid out, clear and listed all relevant safety information.
- Auto ignition system.
- Easy and clearly labelled adjustment for air and flame intensity.
- Comes with a gas cartridge that lasts well (website says 105 minutes) and the replacements are ~$10 AUD (at time of writing).
- Consistent flame characteristics at all times unlike my useless chef’s torch that wavers a bit and often needs refuelling mid cooking.
- Can be used inverted and that is great for BBQ use.
Cons:
Being a novice and not having anything to compare it too I can’t find any. My main concern was fuel costs but that is not a problem.
The Verdict:
Great product at a reasonable price. Suitable for the budding pit-master that might also only have minimal handy man skills :).
Hope this helps and feel free to send me any comments.
PK
Portable and easy to store:
Impressive flame quality and length:
Hope this review helps,
PK
Related Links:
- See more kitchen kit posts here
- See our other product reviews here
- See more growing, catching and cooking equipment here
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Weber Q Baby: Josh Reviews
Weber has been around since the 1950’s and we have seen the shape change ever so slightly over the years, with each new model keeping the “round” kettle shape.
In 2004 a new model (and shape) was released, known as the “Weber Q” Series. A couple of years later, a “Weber Q Baby” was released, and it’s as it sounds, a smaller version of the Weber Q.
Here are the differences – the Baby Q is on the right:
I acquired the Baby Q Q1000 from Myer when they had a special on a few weeks back for $289, normally they are around the $320-$330 price range. The Baby Q was purchased for camping mainly, and events where a small BBQ would come in handy. My old man has a Q2000 (The big guy) and it’s a great BBQ to use, whether it be for smoking meats, or just simply grilling them.
Once it was home it was an easy assembly, you just need a Philips Screw Driver. The new grill and flat plate, being cast iron, was then lightly oiled with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and then with low heat, was left running for 15 minutes, to burn the new BBQ in. Once this was completed, a quick wipe down and it was boxed back up.
If you purchase one of these, based on this or any other review, the Baby Q only comes with the grill on each side, and I would recommend getting the flat plate for the right hand side (around $60) as its definitely worth having a flat plate!
It uses a normal LPG gas bottle, with the POL fitting. BCF sells a 4kg bottle which is more than enough gas for a week away, with it being used for dinner and breakfast.
For those who wish to be prepared, it would be about 30-45mins a day burn time, 5 days total usage and we have about 2kg left of the 4kg of GAS we left with.
A week ago, my partner and I left for Bremer Bay and Albany. A week later and we absolutely LOVE the Baby Q and it’s the perfect size for portability! We cooked multiple types of food, being: bacon, eggs, toast, tomatoes, burgers, steak, corn and chorizo sausage.
Like with any review, there are a few things worth noting that would make the unit better.
I also have a few tips that will help you get the most out of your Baby Q:
- The hose requires a bit of stretching. It took a couple of days cooking to get the LPG hose to the right movability to connect to the gas bottle.
- A hook to hang your cooking utensils on would be welcomed. This is an easy fix by getting the stand. Depending on size of course!
- Get a couple of spare drip tray’s, or have some spare alfoil (aluminum foil) around. We used the alfoil to make a drip tray and it worked just as good as the Weber branded ones.
- Keep the lid down while cooking, there is a lot of heat loss when it’s up. Remember it’s more like a portable oven than a BBQ.
- When you have finished with it, wash it and keep it clean. A well cleaned BBQ is easier to cook with and will produce a better taste. Also ensure a light oil coating is applied before storing it away long team to protect from rust on the Cast Iron.
Would I recommend this?
YES I WOULD 🙂
Josh
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Beer Can Chicken Roasting Rack
I got this beer can chicken roasting rack from Bunnings, for a steal. I used it with a half full can of beer the first time and the result was very pleasing. The rack keeps the chicken vertical, allowing the fat to drip away. The beer keeps the inside of the chicken moist.
Between you and me though, I prefer to skip the beer can and use a lemon instead. The lemon keeps the stuffing inside the chicken, imparts a beautiful citrus aroma and keeps the chicken just as moist.
Check out the result:
Try your favourite dry rub or marinade.
Enjoy,
PK
Here are more chicken dishes and kitchen kit posts:
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