Although some foods, such as fruit, nuts and even seafood, can be eaten raw, most of the food we eat is cooked. Most food is prepared indoors, in a space called a kitchen, although it can also be prepared outdoors, over a campfire or on a barbecue. Kitchens include unique accessories, appliances and a variety of kitchenware for chopping, cooking and preparing beverages.
Kitchen fixtures and furniture
Sinks for washing dishes and rinsing food, benches for preparing meals, and drawers for storing cooking utensils and food are examples of kitchen accessories. In addition to tableware such as dinner plates, soup tureens, coffee cups and wine glasses, kitchens may also contain shelving and cabinets for storing pots, pans and other utensils. In addition, they may have specialized furniture, such as a kitchen table and chairs, where short meals can be prepared and enjoyed.
Kitchen appliances
Stoves are the must-have appliance in any kitchen. In some kitchens there is a large built-in gas or electric cook top, a grill or broiler underneath and an oven underneath the grill for baking and broiling. Instead of a stove, there may be one or more hotplates on a bench top, along with a separate oven, microwave or toaster and electric grill.
A refrigerator with cooler to keep food and beverages cold and a freezer to store frozen goods are also standard in modern kitchens. They also have a blender to prepare fruit smoothies, a toaster and an electric kettle or kettle for making tea and coffee. Other typical equipment includes rice cookers, coffee makers, food processors and various types of dishwashers.
Kitchenware
In modern kitchens, there are two types of kitchenware: pots, pans and dishes for cooking; and kitchen knives and spoons for stirring. Although there are many types of cookware around the world, pots, pans, frying pans and woks are the most popular. In addition to heat-resistant ceramic or glass casseroles, pie plates and other oven-safe containers, cookware also includes metal baking pans, pie pans and roasting pans.
A spatula, a grater, a soup ladle, a handful of coarsely ground kitchen knives, a few wooden revolver spoons, a vegetable peeler and a few kitchen tongs are some of the kitchen utensils common in most households. Other common kitchen items include cutting boards, mixing bowls, measuring spoons, colanders, oven mitts, kitchen timers, dish towels, etc.
