While you are busy bustling with all the decorative things that make the holidays look and feel festive, this a timely reminder that you also need to pay attention to what you need to get in the kitchen to make your holiday cooking and baking a success.
HARDWARE
Pots & Pans
Check the capacity of your pots and pans. In other words, check and double check their sizes so that you know they can hold the quantities of things you want to cook/bake in them. Consider, if you will be entertaining, whether or not you can make everything in one pot/pan or if you may need to cook in batches. To save time and money, you may want to consider getting disposable baking pans. These days, you can find not only aluminium pans but other baking dishes and pans made with sturdy materials that are oven safe.
Sheet pans, pie plates and casserole dishes can be used for a variety of preparations such as baking bread, bread rolls, buns, frittata(s), meats, vegetables, and potatoes.
Large roasts, including ham usually call for roasting/baking pans with racks, check that you have one or two.
If you are making Garlic pork, you will need a jar with an airtight lid to cure and store it throughout the season. Avoid things with metal covers and if you have to use jars with metal covers, then line the inside with cling/plastic wrap or a piece of new, clean fabric before securing the lid onto the bottle or jar.
Storage
You’ll need bottles and jars for the making and storing of seasonal favourites – Ginger beer, Sorrel, Mauby as well as homemade fruit wines, cordials/liqueurs.
Tins and containers with airtight covers will be needed to store cakes and other treats baked for breakfast, tea and entertaining.
Serving
Fresh up your stored kitchen and tea towels. I know that you have some that you only bring out at this time of the year, and some may have their seasonal holiday designs. (lol). Or, you may want to consider getting some new ones, even then, launder them before using.
Freshen up the silverware and check that you have enough, as well as your serving dishes and serving utensils.
Linings & Covers
Aluminium foil, parchment paper, wax/greaseproof paper and plastic/cling wrap pull double duty – they are used to line pans and tins and they are also used to wrap, seal, and store a variety of things. They are indispensable in the kitchen. Therefore, check your rolls and ensure that you have an adequate supply.
SOFTWARE
Spices & Flavourings
Check your spice collection. In a lot of cases people have no idea what they have in stock because they don’t cook or bake regularly. Or there may be spices that have been there for so long that they have lost their potency. Cinnamon, cloves, and ginger are the stars of the season. We use them for sweet and savoury preparations – in food and beverages. Nutmeg is a spice often used in combination with cinnamon for certain baked treats and drinks as well so have some in stock.
Remember that you need to get the cinnamon and cloves in their whole state and not only ground. Personally, I get my spices whole and ground them but if you can afford it, then buy the whole and ground versions because you will need them in both forms for certain things. I would recommend that you not get the nutmeg ground, that is easy to grate fresh and the flavour is significantly better.
Essence and extracts are added flavourings that we need to have on hand – vanilla, almond and lemon are among the most regularly used.
Fruits
Dried fruits such as raisins (dark & golden), cherries, prunes, apricots, cranberries, and mixed peel star along with the spices during the season. Cakes, buns, sweet breads, and other sweet loaves are made rich and homely with these fruits, the spices and in some cases booze too. Think of plumping up or hydrating some of the dried fruits with rum or wine before adding to breads, buns, and sweet loaves.
Not to be left out of the mix are nuts! Stock up on a variety – walnuts, almonds, peanuts etc. And, if you can, get them in a variety of ways depending on how you plan to use them – raw, roasted, slivered, salted, unsalted, blanched.
Baking & Leavening
Check on the stock and freshness of your baking powder, yeast, and baking soda. Don’t take chances. Get some fresh stock.
Flours(s), eggs, butter and shortening should be in ample supply as you will need these for cooking and baking, for sweet and savoury.
From next week, the Tastes Like Home column will be published on Sundays for the holiday season. See you there!
Cynthia
