Why do kitchen designers still go on about the "work triangle" of sink, cooker and fridge?

[BasilBabyEater]

Given that everyone's got a dishwasher now and lots of veg is pre-washed?

Do we still need it? Did we ever need it? Does anyone live without it and feel every day a rage at not having it?

What should a well-designed kitchen have nowadays?

£2K? Where did you buy it?

The kettle question will never be settled satisfactorily.

If you have an electric one, it sits on the surface taking up preparation space.

If you have a hob one, you have to move it on to the surface while you're cooking and sometimes, if you only have 4 cooking rings, you can't have a cup of tea while you're cooking.

I am learning to love the island in our kitchen. It's large thus preventing optimal triangulation but it's beautiful solid wood and designed for proper cooking so gives larger area an a worktop for pastry, plating up for loads of people etc. It accomodates some well thought-out drawers (fab for snacks, children's crockery, linens etc) and cupboards. It was designed by someone who cooks for a living so will be brilliant when I get used to having it. I am increasingly fierce about there being nothing on it ever. I also like having kitchens with no cupboards (or anything) above worksurface height so kitchen feels spacious and airy. If I had more cupboards I would end up with more stuff; don't need any more stuff!

Roshbegosh Fri 21-Jun-13 07:43:40

Gamerchick, you are odd IMO to think it's lazy to choose not to spend hours and hours washing and drying dishes.

hours and hours? how many dishes do you use?

Do you take your laundry down to the river with a wooden scribbling board and out it through a wrangle? No, Lazy girl!

that has to be one of the most bizarre things anybody has ever said to me in all my years on forums. Bravo.

Seriously it takes a couple of minutes to wash plates and pans when they are still fresh, rinse under tap and leave to dry on the drainer. There's nothing time consuming about it and no extra products to buy or electricity to use and space being used up in the kitchen for an extra appliance. Takes all sorts I suppose. :)

You will evolve to grow extra scouring fingers and your skin will develop a rubber sillicone coating. The washup brigade are definitely a different species.

wondering what is an industrial tap?
Can anyone recommend a good tap, one which is easy to use with mucky hands and easy to clean too!

Regarding time saved with dishwasher argument, people who don't cook make the same argument about convenience foods which again I don't buy (no pun intended).
An omelette or sardines on toast takes minutes.
All that faffing with microwaves and stirring and piercing plastic. Urrgh. Soul destroying.
I saw a well dressed woman in M&S the other day with what seemed to be shopping for four. Lots of the same meal times four. By the time thei last one had been microwaved, first one would be cold surely?

Similarly all those 'dine in for £10' deals.
Each to their own, but microwaving food is not my idea of a romantic evening in with my dh.

Microwave ovens come into their own when you are making sauces.

You cannot fuck up a bechamel if you do it in the microwave and it takes about 3 minutes. You never have to deal with lumps, you don't have to guard the hob and if you step away (to wash a pan as you go along ) it won't be ruined.

Also there are brilliant recipe books for proper meals which you can use the microwave oven for. I've got one. I haven't actually looked at it for ten years but in principle I know you can use a microwave oven for loads more than just heating up beans or ready meals.

Does anyone else have a shelf of recipe books they don't look at any more because it's quicker to get it from the internet?

BasilBaby - tell me how to do bechamel in the microwave? Now I can't cook without a toddler clinging to me, I've been buying the stuff in cartons...

Currently I have a step running all across my kitchen cutting it in half, so going from the fridge to the hob or sink involves a step down, and from the hob to the sink involves going round a table and chairs. Yes it is ridiculous, and I dream of the day hopefully in about 6 weeks when the entire sodding room is being knocked down, stupid step, tiles that actually have a pattern of grey smears, and all.

I am a real hoarder of cookery books but in light of new kitchen and Rethinking Life, I have moved them into the kitchen and decided if they don't fit into the cupboard I have designated for them, they have to go.

Thus there is a pile in the garage with all the furniture I no longer want/need and plan to flog but I am wavering. Is it bad and a tacky move to get rid of cookery books?
Even naff stuff like Gary Rhodes numbers from 1992?

I have an integrated microwave/cooker now (still not worked out how to use it) and did very well with a £26 number from Asda for years. Nowt against microwaves, I just wouldn't want my whole dinner to come from one.
I worked out how to do porridge in one which saved me from a gluey saucepan every morning before going to work.

I like adding a bayleaf once you've added the first bit of milk, to give it that infused flavour. If I want a posher sauce and have time I use pre-infused (with peppercorns, bayleaf, carrot and onion) milk. Then you can just use that milk to pour in - you can infuse that in the microwave too. I'm not all that keen on nutmeg in white sauces so often leave out.

Honestly, I'd never do it on the hob again, unless the microwave was actually broken.

I haven't quite come to terms with porridge in a microwave. Does it have to be special microwaveable porridge, or will any oats do?

Must mention scrambled eggs - again, they come out perfect every time from the microwave, no damp pools on your toast.

Just regular oats.
I buy the cheapest there are-a huge bag at a time.
You do it on medium and stop every now and again and stir.
I'll try the béchamel too, and the scrambled eggs. I was doing eggs in microwave when we were all cooped up in one room like illegal aliens while they knocked down walls and what have you but came out as solid mass with liquid centre. Too fierce in terms of power? Mind you, I find that hard to believe with £26 microwave.

I do them for a minute then stir then another 30 seconds to a minute depending on how much, then stir again when they come out if needed - they come out perfect every time.

Will try the porridge thing.

I was taught that you have to 'toast' the flour in the butter until it smells a bit biscuity. Probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a microwaved one anyway though.

I make it Gordon Ramsay style - doesn't take any longer than the microwave version and you don't have to keep opening doors.

Wow, Bechemel in a microwave? I think I've just had a revelation! Can't stand scrambled eggs microwaved though. They don't have that lovely light fluffiness in my experience. Mind you we keep chickens, have glorious fresh eggs and are total egg snobs