Our earliest ancestors apparently ate everything raw. According to speculative thinkers, cooking was discovered by accident. They believe that perhaps an animal carcass was left too close to the fire resulting in roast meat. Apart from roasting food over a fire, rocks may have been hollowed out (or skulls), filled with food and placed in the fire embers.
Similarly, suggestions have been forthcoming regarding steaming, namely that food was wrapped in wet leaves and buried in the embers. As survival of the fittest was necessary, soft cooked food was by far easier for children and the elderly to consume, and consequently live longer. The clay pot, from around 6000 BC, was perhaps the antecedent of our current, essential plethora of pots.
Grilling our food, either on a BBQ or at the cooker, means the food is cooked either over flames, as with a BBQ, or under heat, with gas or electric fuel. The appeal of this sort of cooking is the instant, delicious smell with the accompanying sound of sizzles. The high temperature and speed means the fat drips off the food as it cooks: ideal for the health conscious.
Stainless steel is a highly practical type of steel developed in the early 1900's and eminently suitable for pans and cutlery. Kitchen cutlery is versatile and multi-purpose, but owning a canteen of cutlery is a luxury that serves the household well. It has associations reminiscent of a previous time when the best 'china' was brought out for visitors. Children in particular will love sorting and matching the various spoons, knives and forks. Learning to set the table correctly is an invaluable experience for children. A set of stacking pans is beneficial when teaching children how to keep the kitchen tidy.
The beauty of today's ovenware is that it can be transported from the oven to table in one uncomplicated move, without transferring foods into different dishes and risking the loss of valuable heat.
In the past it was believed that both pans and pots cooked better if some residue and build-up from previous meals remained on the base and sides. However, with the arrival of dishwashers in the modern kitchen, and easy-to-clean materials, the cookware is soon returned to a pristine condition.
Food preparation is simplified with the correct tools and gadgets. Furthermore, grinders, slicers, graters and whisks facilitate experimental cooking.
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