Hi all: It’s been an age since my last blog post, but I have been absolutely flat out on my book, work experience and about a billion other things. I do have some more substantial posts in the works, but I thought I’d just put this up quickly so that you all don’t think I’m dead. – Adam

My 10 Favourite Kitchen Tools: listed below clockwise from top right.

These days most of us just point our furniture at the TV and eat our meals off coffee tables, but it wasn’t so long ago that the kitchen was the heart of every household. I’ve always been a big believer in that, and having a personal connection with your kitchen is all important. Here at 10 things that make me love working in my kitchen. What are your favourite kitchen tools?

1. Kitchenaid Artisan Mixer

This is the most usable mixer I’ve ever owned. It’s tactile, simple and intuitive – the way all appliances should be. Fun fact: Marion uses hers to whip mashed potato, which is something I am definitely going to try.

2. 18cm Japanese Copper Pots

I don’t know the brand of these but the size, weight and feel of them is just about perfect. I bought a whole bunch of these when I moved back to Australia from Japan. Aside from being great to cook with, they also look ‘the business’.

3. Timers and Scales

I don’t tend to use many measurements when I cook (except desserts) but regardless, timers and scales are among the most used tools I have. Scales are great for portioning and timers take my sieve-like memory out of the equation.

4. Sugimoto Vegetable Cleaver

My grandma took a chunk out of this trying to chop up a frozen chicken once but my knifesmith managed to cut it down save the blade. After that it was about 2 cm thinner, and that actually made it even more usable.

5. Short-handled Wooden Spoon

This spoon used to belong to my ex-flatmate’s Italian grandmother who used to make the most amazing tomato sauces. The short handle is great for control, but I like to romanticise the fact that it’s probably been used to stir 1000 pasta sauces.

6. Stanley Fatmax Cutter

I use this more than any knife in my kitchen. Rather than opening a bag of spices with a $400 wa-bocho, having a purpose-made opening cutter in the kitchen is a much safer and easier option. I use it for opening boxes and bags, cutting the tops off bottles and basically for cutting anything that isn’t food. The extra fat handle fits really well in the hand.

7. ‘Pig Sticker’

I don’t know exactly what this is called but basically it’s for poking hundreds of holes in pork belly and suckling pig to give a perfect crackling. It’s great for shoulder roasts as well.

8. Le Creuset 20cm French Oven

This is a small casserole that is the perfect size for 2-4 people. I use this so often in winter that I just keep it on the stovetop and don’t even bother putting it away. There is something magical about a casserole simmering away in a cast iron pot on a cold and blustery winter day.

9. Chinese Ceramic Utensil Jug

I bought this pretty jug in Shanghai a few years ago and was intending to use it for summer cocktails, but then I thought it would be such a shame to hide it away in a cupboard for 364 days of the year. Now this sits next to my cooktop and holds all the utensils that I use regularly.

10. Basic 5L Stockpot

This is a very small stockpot that is perfect for weekly batches of stock for a small family. I usually buy and joint about a chicken a week and this fits the bones and carcasses perfectly. I make about 3L of light chicken stock every week in this, which is a perfect small volume of stock for regular home use.

Note: I paid for (almost) all of these products and I am not sponsored by any of the brands mentioned.