Ok, so kitchen utensils for Christmas may not sound like the most exciting topic in the world but I for one once realised halfway through cooking Christmas dinner that I didn’t actually have a whisk. Cue lumpy gravy. Not good.

This post actually started due to Charlotte’s love of the Joseph Joseph coded chopping boards. I kid you not. We started talking about what essential utensils we have in our cupboards. See we don’t only talk about lipstick at our meetings! Most of you will probably have heard of Joseph Joseph and lots will probably have one or two of their items in your kitchen cupboards. I know that when I started thinking about it I actually realised I have A LOT. The designs are always stylish and colourful, which I love, but most importantly they are ingenious. There is always a clever little twist on a classic that makes it much more interesting than shopping for a new peeler!

The lovely folks over at Joseph Joseph were kind enough to send us a few items to try (including said boards) but of course we would never recommend them unless we didn’t think they were brilliant products.

Following on from my lumpy gravy disaster I’ve put together a list of my kitchen essentials to ensure a stress free (ish) Christmas lunch.

Preparation

  • Chopping Boards – Charlotte was adamant she needed this fabulous coded chopping boards with 4 boards in one handy holder. You’ll have a board for your fish starter or buffet, one for the meat, one for the vegetables and one for the hot foods. Ideal for all your Christmas food or great if you have one veggie and one meat eater in the house like our lovely Lauren.
  • Peelers – A good peeler is essential for the mountain of roasties my family demands. My top tip is to peel all your veg the night before and place in pans of water on the hob ready to go come Christmas morning.
  • Rolling pin – As a baker a rolling pin is a must for me. I love making mince pies and gingerbread men for festive treats and try very hard not to eat them all myself. When it comes to the perfect pastry or cookie dough you want to get a nice even thickness so this clever rolling pin takes the guess work out of things and lets you choose from a number of depth settings for your pastry. I love it.

    • Cooking

  • Baster and Thermometer – I generally go for a bit of guess work when it comes to basting the turkey. Most likely when I remember to put down the mulled wine and actually check it! This little gadget bastes and checks the temperature so you can be sure you don’t have a nasty dried out overcooked turkey for lunch.
  • Whisk – The aforementioned missing item from my Christmas preparation to ensure silky smooth gravy. I now have 3 whisks so as not to make the same mistake but I seriously wish I had this snazzy number. It folds flat. Yep completely flat so that it doesn’t get stuck each time you open your cutlery drawers.
  • Spatula – I have a hundred and one spatulas and spoons and I’m never quite sure which I use for what. I tend to just reach for the same one so have no idea why I keep the rest. You need a great spatula for turning the roasties, loosening the pigs in blanket and for getting the yorkshire out the tin.
  • Measuring Jug – Despite the lovingly crafted gravy we serve with dinner I have had to make a quick batch of top up Bisto half way through or to avoid the girls becoming drunk on the amount of red wine my sister adds to it! A measuring jug is a must to ensure perfect instant gravy or custard, as lets be honest, we all often run out of time.

    • Serving

  • Cut and Carve board – Carrying on the chopping board theme this is one of my favourite Joseph Joseph pieces that we have. This clever board is angled so the juices run away and has spikes on one side to hold the meat in place.
  • Trivet – I’m a big fan of oven to table dishes. It keeps food warm and saves on the washing up. I do find myself therefore hunting around for extra placemats or protectors to pop the hot dishes on. This fancy trivet folds up small and can be stretched across the table to house lots of yummy food.
  • Storage boxes – Don’t forget the storage boxes for all those leftovers. Ideal for stacking in the fridge for midnight snacks on those yummy roast potatoes.

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    Have you got any amazing kitchen gadgets that help you create the perfect Christmas dinner? Anything I need to add to my shopping list before the big day?