Heston loves gadgets almost as much as he adores food – and he’s chosen his favourites especially for delicious. magazine. Here are Heston Blumenthal's top six kitchenware essentials.
Heston’s hot list
1. Decent knives
“Obviously a top priority. Sharpen your knives each time you take them out of the drawer, but briefly, or you’ll wear down the blades. Tojiro Senkou knives have the finest edge I’ve found and are really comfortable in the hand. They’re really expensive, so if you can only afford one, go for this cook’s knife.” Tojiro Senkou 16cm Chef’s Knife, £97 (Millys Store).
2 Oven thermometer
“Getting the oven temperature right is essential for consistency, and any oven thermometer will do. It’s amazing how inaccurate temperature gauges can be – even in expensive ovens. I always leave a classic oven thermometer on the shelf, especially when baking. Use it a few times and you’ll realise how the number on the dial relates to the real temperature inside.” Stainless Steel Oven Thermometer, £4.88 (Lakeland).
3. Digital probe
“I learned the importance of a digital probe with a little custard tart we served at the Fat Duck. It turns out the custard was perfect only when it reached 62°C – one degree cooler and it wasn’t set, one too hot and it was too firm.” Mastrad Meat and Jam Thermo Sensor, £29.95 (Amazon and Kitchen World).
4. Kitchen scales
“A decent set of scales is essential – correct measurements make the difference between success and failure in many dishes. When you go to buy a set of scales, take a chocolate bar with you and slip it on the scales to make sure they’re accurate. Any decent set of scales will do, but I like Salter.” Salter Dome Electronic Kitchen Scale, £44.99 (website).
5. Riedel decanter
“I dislike equipment that is all style and no substance, but I love this decanter, which combines great beauty with functionality. A large surface area of the wine is exposed to the air, which allows it to breathe and develop its flavours, but the narrow spout prevents the wine’s essential characteristics from evaporating into the air.” Riedel Amadeo decanter, £290 (website).
6. Thermomix food processor
“This is a great gadget – a food processor that cooks. It’s not cheap, but it combines 10 appliances in one unit – it weighs, blends, cooks and steams, and will save you loads of time and effort in the long run.” The Thermomix TM31 costs £799, which includes a 300-recipe cookbook, home delivery and a two-hour cooking demonstration (see website).