kitchen tips.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of enjoying a fantastic dinner with friends, and have come to realize that nothing is quite finer in life than good friends, lovely food and a big glass of wine.

Here are a few of my best kitchen tips for a well stocked and well loved kitchen workspace ….♥

Happy dining!

stock: your cupboards with the essentials, fine and whole grain flours, sea salt and black pepper, brown and raw sugars, your favourite spices - and if you are a baker, ingredients for a good cake and muffin base like baking powder and soda, vanilla bean, whole cinnamon and nutmeg. Try substituting things like coconut oil for cooking, and bulgar as a replacement for rice.

supply: your kitchen with heavy pots and pans, best quality utensils, a great thick wooden spoon, a scale to weigh ingredients, and a thick olive wood chopping board. Invest in a neutral colour set of dinner and salad plates; and a good knife set that includes at least one sharp fish, meat and fruit knife. Bakers should be sure to have a silpat baking mat, they are fantastic!

shop: the best quality and freshest food that you can afford. Olive oils, cheese, balsamic vinegars and chocolate are examples of money well spent. Organic and locally grown fruits, vegetables, fish and meats are fantastic if you can find them. Even better, find a small piece of land and grow your own tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, potatoes and herbs - nothing tastes sweeter than food picked fresh from your own garden.

set: your dining table and make dinner something special on a week night. Make it simple and easy - use a fresh tablecloth in rough white linen, or a colourful graphic patterned material as a base. Top with a pitcher of ice water, an easy stack of plates and utensils, a candle, and a bottle filled lazily with a few tall flowers. Great music is a must! Open a window in the warm weather, or move the whole thing outside…

(image via emmas designblogg)