Methinks, we can’t finish Lockdown yet, I haven’t done all I set out to do, and I’ve a dozen masks to make, plus the surgical gowns ( one almost done) to make! HELP!

Today is my Day Off in the kitchen ( well alright I did breakfast) but Himself is in charge for tonight.

I have spent part of the day, sorting and cleaning my kitchen drawers. Everything has its place, I’m really a bit OCD, but it was about time to clean them out. What do you have in your kitchen drawers, do you know? Are there things there that shouldn’t be? Are their things there that are never used? Are there things there that are a complete waste of space?

I must admit that I buy kitchen paraphernalia as a hobby, especially when overseas, or there is a new kitchen shop. BUT, I don’t just buy Willy Nilly, I think about it and wonder if it is a good idea, and if it is not too expensive I might give it a try. Or if it is beautiful , then even if useless, it is a must buy!

When I had my ‘Cooking School’ in Brussels I decided on a menu and then wondered if I had the right equipment, invariably not, which would mean a trip to my local market town where there was a wonderful kitchen shop, and if she didn’t have what I needed then she would get it for me. She knew that if I was giving a class, then my pupils would be along to buy the gadget! ( a bit Delia smith syndrome, though on a much smaller scale!)

So what did I find in my kitchen drawers?

Here we have three different peelers, one for potatoes, one for finer peeling ( maybe tomatoes, or asparagus ) and one for cutting Julienne strips.Three bean slicers! One belonged to my Mom, so that has to stay, and one strings as well as slice. Considering I rarely cook Runner beans, maybe that is over kill. Two Apple corers, fish tweezers ( for getting rid of any stray bones), the absolute perfect zester and a butter curler ( everyone needs one of these)!Here are shellfish pickers, a pastry wheel, a larding needle and two induction Hob scrapers.

From the top, kitchen scissors ( must have more than one pair) an excellent knife sharpener( I have tried many and so far this is the best!) and a string box/ cutter

The wooden drawer, I’m very fussy about my bits of wood. I prefer, Olive wood utensils, they have such a nice feel, followed by bamboo and then others. A big old spoon for when I am making Jam and a couple of wooden spatulas, including the wavy one made by #1 daughter about 30 years ago! I recently bought a set of wooden spoons from Robert Dyas, just because my small ones had gone ‘walkabout’ ( probably in the Trash Bin) , they were just horrible, I should have known better, they had just such a horrible feel to them, that they too went the bin.

Not one but two rolling pins! The green handled one, I have had forever and the small one I bought in India, for when I make chapattis , I have never made them ! Here we have an antique ice cream scoop, a mushroom brush ( one should never wash mushrooms) an old pie funnel, a potato fork, to hold whilst peeling boiling hot potatoes, an Avocado thingy ( never used) and a mango stoner. Actually this was very useful when I was in my Eating a Mango daily Phase.Here is a collection from 3 rd drawer down. A smart carving knife,an old carving fork, my absolute favourite palette knife, don’t you dare put that in the dishwasher, well as my ancient ham knife, useful for slicing cakes in half! Then another ham knife, meat forks,grater, a ladle and a fancy frying basket.At the bottom, an egg slicer ( Never used) Parmesan cheese grater, again rarely used but in beautiful Olive Wood, long handled strainer, a truffle slice ( never used but I love it, beautiful) two thermometers, used for jam making etc, why two? Simply I wanted to make jam and couldn’t find the first one.And the little steel thing, an icing sugar duster device! ( of course !)And now, an assortment from my Stainless steel drawer.Ladles meat bashed and whisk.And finally , for today at least, a few of the items that are for the bin. A temperature probe for steaks ( bought in Texas, where steaks are THICK, otherwise, it tests the temperature of the pan in which the steaks are cooking) a citrus peeler, Useless, a smart zester, useless, it makes one hold the lemon the wrong way, a carrot pencil sharpener, Don’t ask ! The green thing a Joseph and Joseph invention, for smushing garlic? And the red thing for rolling the skin off garlic!

Ah well, I haven’t cleaned all of the drawers yet, so more to come !