By Chantal Oakes & Linda Bartram
The AEBC BC Affiliate meets every Thursday evening on Zoom. Recently, participants shared their Tips and Tricks in the Kitchen. There were at least 16 members who came together that night and here are a few topics discussed.
Some shared that they like to use many different kitchen gadgets; things like strawberry slicers, zesters, special knives and egg poachers/omelet makers. While others confessed that they stick to the old vegetable peelers, the paring knife that is used for everything, the one frying pan they use to cook many items and they do just fine. We all have different ways of doing things and we all need to employ the methods we are most comfortable with until we are ready to try something new.
Many on the call were interested in the different types of pots used to easily pore liquid out of or to manage on the stove without fear of spilling while stirring. Some pots have lids with holes to allow for draining and others with lids with the ability to lock securely to the pot to stay in place so you don’t need to hold it while flipping it over to drain. If you have never experienced a pasta pot, it is great as it has a strainer insert which you place the pasta into then you simply lift it out when it is cooked and it will drain as you take it out of the pot. There is one with two inserts, the top one is smaller for little portions.
There was much interest in talking about instant pots. What can you cook in them? Does it save you time? Which is best for a blind person? Are they accessible? Apparently the original Bluetooth model is no longer sold. There are a couple of models available which are accessible using Wi-Fi at a higher price of course. In any case, many things can be cooked in this type of pot ranging from oatmeal to mac and cheese or a whole chicken.
If you don’t have an instant pot, do you own an air fryer? This also sparked lively discussion. Some shared they have stand-alone fryers equipped with dials which you can turn according to the temperature or length of time you need and others use the air frying feature from their fancy toaster ovens. On that subject, some expressed difficulty using toaster ovens as they tend to burn themselves when reaching for the food. Silicone oven mitts that are long enough to almost reach your elbow were suggested.
Specific helpful kitchen tools mentioned with interest were: egg poachers and omelet makers for the microwave. These can be purchased at Walmart or most grocery stores. It’s possible some dollar stores might also have them. Also popular is a zester which is narrow and long and doubles as a 12 inch ruler for precise cuts.
Double flippers or spatulas otherwise known as "grip & flip" spatulas can be purchased online from Amazon, and in-store at Canadian Tire and Walmart. Some are silicone so they won’t scratch your pans and they may vary in width. These are very handy if you want to be sure to have a good grip on what you are attempting to flip in your pan. There was also interest in a pancake pan which eliminates the need to flip the pancake itself, you just flip the pan.
Favourite restaurants were mentioned as the group reminisced about certain dishes they served. Participants also chatted about where they shop in-person for food, or online delivery services they find accessible. Some sites are easier to manage than others and this likely depends on the skill level of the user.
For those who like to order foods which are nearly prepped and you just need to assemble, a salad delivery service was discussed called Inspired Go. Although this is by all means not the only service of this kind, it is used by some who appreciate the service they provide to order occasionally as a treat especially when time is a factor. It can be cost-saving to only order what you will eat as opposed to having leftovers in the fridge you may not use which will spoil.
These are just a few of the many ways that persons who are blind can safely accomplish tasks in the kitchen and produce tasty meals. Happy cooking!!
ALT IMAGE TEXT: Photo of a person's hands breaking a raw egg into a bowl.