Create wonder with your dinnerware

Despite having decent dinnerware, there is something that I would never consider myself to be, and that is a great cook. Even the moniker of mediocre cook is a lofty title that I desperately aspire to be. Recently it all changed though. The smell of burnt egg no longer pestered the nostrils of my friends and family. The dry heaving was reduced to a slight cough and the air became heavy with the smells of freshly cooked meat and freshly sliced vegetables. The change was sudden, unlike the slow metamorphoses of larva to pupa. I became a cook overnight, the only change in candour ? the homeware which I now use to create my masterpieces.

It truly is amazing and it excites me as I type each word of this, but utilising the correct dinnerware, homeware products, knife sets and so on will bring the expertise of the master chefs into your hands. Let's take a simple meal such as fried chicken - a kitchen classic that will never become unfashionable in the hearts and minds of men, women and children of all ages. Cooking this dish in a thin steel pan that has endured years of warping and burning will produce an unhealthy, greasy and unappetising meal that will cause sadness in the stomachs of your guests. Let's avoid this situation shall we?

The answer is of course to employ the services of cast-iron cookware or stainless steel Teflon coated pots and pans. Banish your hideous old cooking equipment from the house or melt it into a fashionable coffee table stand, I really don't care. Whatever you do, just do it! How long have you cooked with litres of oil, butter or similar products? This is highly fattening and will often cause the pan to burn if your food overcooks. Cut out the drama and begin the process of clean cooking, often with very little to no oil. Cast-iron cookware is also heavy, causing you to tone up your arms in the process (the last fact was a partial lie).

When you eat out at a fancy restaurant, do you ever wonder what they use to create those divine tasting meals? Simple; the answer is high-quality cookware. A griddle pan, a Teflon coated pot and perhaps a decent cutlery set keenly shined to perfection.

Reality resets itself and you find that you have been standing in a kitchen for all these years, working on food that has never really met the taste expectations of frankly, anybody. It will be hard to grasp the futility of your cooking experience, but these tips below can help you to appreciate your newly-fuelled desire for correct cooking.

? Before using your pot or pan, 'season' it with soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Once dry, give your new pan a coat of oil. Once greased, heat the pan on high for five to ten minutes. This will ensure that your pan is kept safe from harm. This also removes the first minute coat of the cookware (sprayed in the factory and not recommended to be used on the first time).

? If your pan begins to show any signs of rust or food begins to stick once more, simple re-season the cookware once more.

? Cast-iron pans can actually be used in the oven as well, in temperatures of up to 250 degrees Celsius. Remember this when reheating food is a requirement.

? These pots and pans will heat evenly, so always use caution when touching them. Most of the surface area will become smoking hot ? unless you are lucky enough to have a silicone, vulcanised handle.

? Never use an abrasive cleaning tool to scour your pan. This will remove the non-stick surface. For stubborn stains, simply allow a solution of bicarbonate soda to rest in the pan for thirty minutes or so. The dirt will then easily lift off.

? Finally, it is best to store your cast-iron in a dry place when it is not in use.

That's it. Enjoy cooking with the homeware that nature intended you to use.

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