5 Signs You're a Grown­up in the Kitchen    

  Ever found yourself in one of those situations where it's all fun and games until somehow age is                                   brought up? Like scrolling through a social media feed, quite light­heartedly, seeking for some                           afternoon fun when a meek “You know you're a grown up when you get excited there's a                                 new sponge in the kitchen” hits a bit too close to home.  You know when you also get spit out into the grown­up reality? When there's so much to clean                                   in the kitchen and it's you the sole responsible soul to handle it all. Especially the oven – now                                     that you are a grown­up you cook more often than not and the stove gets so dirty that                                   you haven't even realised it could. Sure, you can resort to professional oven cleaners, but                             where's the beauty in that? You got my irony – most of you still can't get over the thought you                                       have to be so responsible and still reach for the phone to get that favourite cleaning company                                 that saved you many times when you were supposed to move out of the old and dirty flat and                                     actually retain your deposit.  After the initial heart sinking, you do realise that living on your own entails a certain level of                                   responsibility, which you don't even realise. Somehow, you find yourself with a stash of                           detergents and plastic bags piled inside a bigger plastic bag. Well, congratulations, you are now                             an adult. And as a responsible independent functioning human being, who gets wine and cat                             food at 10 pm at the self checkout, here's what else you need to add to your home and kitchen                                       to be initiated into the adult world. 

# 1 You have kitchen equipment to give Martha Stewart a round for her                           money. When you start living on your own, you inevitably find yourself piling more and more cookware                               depending on what dishes you most frequently prepare. There are, however, some universal                         items each kitchen needs to have. Here's what you need to add to your cupboards so that you                                   are fully prepared next time you decide to try a new recipe. 

● Presentable cookware Stoneware or porcelain baking trays will let you present your dishes in lot more appealing                             manner next time you have guests sitting at your table. Enamelled steel pans are not only                               presentable but also easy to clean. 

● Mortar and pestle You know you're really a grown­up when you start adding whole and fresh herbs to your meals.                                 Best if you've grown them yourself. To get the best flavour of spices and herbs, you need a                                   proper way to grind them. You can either choose an electrical grinder, or buy a mortar and                                 pestle which will also be a beautiful decoration in your grown­up kitchen when not in use. 

● Baking stone Baking stones absorb heat from the oven and hold it in a way that baking sheets and other pans                                     cannot, so that food cooks evenly. They are the best way to bake your own pizza but can also                                     be used for baking bread with a crispy crust and cookies, making toast and quesadillas. You                               can also use them as a warm serving platter. 

● Food storage containers A grown­up wouldn't leave a single slice lounge in a full­size pizza box, occupying half the ridge.                                 The kitchen of a mature person needs to have real food storage containers to pack leftovers. 

● Milk pot Also known as a butter warmer, this tiny saucepan is invaluable for warming up soup, hot                               chocolate, melting butter and a prerequisite for making the perfect sauce. Make sure your oven doesn't look like garbage, too. You are an adult, and you are actually                                 going to have plenty of opportunities to host dinner parties. So all those specks, splatters,                             burnt­on food leftovers and greasy stains? You want them gone, and you want them gone for                               good. How to do that? It's something adults always apply in the kitchen – elbow grease and                                 whole lotta time. Cleaning the oven as one of the most important appliances and centric                             furniture pieces in the kitchen is simply crucial for the good impression. 

# 2 You are now a versatile cooking powerhouse. To clarify – versatile is a good thing. It doesn't mean lack of precision or mediocrity. It just                                   means you're a grown­up individual who has the skill, knowledge, and creativity to prepare tasty                             food for themselves and the people around. To be versatile, you need to have mastered the                               basics, such as the equipment you need for a fully functioning kitchen, classic recipes,                           and some cooking habits that aid you in the process. It doesn't stop there, however. To be                                 versatile, you also need to be eager to learn new things that will challenge you in the kitchen.                                   Try out new recipes or add an exciting twist to the classics. As with everything else in life, you                                     

have to step out of your comfort zone if you want to be a well­rounded cook. Accept your                                   mistakes and learn from them. Ask for advice from other people, stay curious, and share your                               experiences – that's when the real joy from cooking comes. 

# 3 Pizza delivery is no longer on speed dial. You are now an adult. Nothing to eat doesn't mean takeout. It means that now you have a                                   fully­equipped kitchen, cooking skill, and a set of easy recipes you can cook from                           scratch with your eyes closed. All those cooking shows and blogs will surely inspire you to try                                 something fancy. And like mentioned earlier, it's always fun to go wild with new recipes. But                               before you do that, you need to have a solid base of more “simple” recipes. These will not only                                     save you at times when you need to stir something up in just moments, but will also lay the                                     foundation for working on more elaborate recipes. It's a lot easier to make a chicken parmesan if                                 you've already mastered breaded chicken. These, of course, will correspond to your dietary                         needs, whether you're a vegetarian or have an allergy, and any nutrition regimen you                           might be keeping to. 

# 4 The story of the five breads and two fish seems true. Let's face it – even if you've already established good habits in the kitchen, like you make sure it                                     stays clean and neat, you know what each tool is used for, and you know some tried­and­tested                                 recipes by heart, there will still be those evenings when you just don't feel like cooking. Maybe                                 you don't have the ingredients and the thought of buying groceries at 6 pm on a workday                                 terrifies you. Maybe you just don't know what you feel like eating or cooking. This is where we                                   come back to the need of tried­and­tested recipes you can make in minutes. When the variety of                                 fancy recipes is too overwhelming, just resort to something easy you can make on autopilot. As                               for the shopping – a real grown­up will know such situations are bound to happen and will have                                   thought of stacking up on key ingredients in the larder or freezer. Also, there are plenty of online                                   suggestions and ideas on what you can cook with the ingredients you have, so “I want to make                                   that dish but I don't have nutmeg” is not a valid excuse. 

# 5 Parties are no longer alcohol in plastic cups and crisps. Now, once you've established good cooking habits and have stocked up on a set of recipes and                                 presentable cookware, it's only a matter of time that you find yourself hosting an adult party for                                 your other grown­up friends, too. It's no longer nachos and shots. This is the old you. Now, you                                   will do a welcome drink, treat your guests to fancy appetisers, serve them actual plated                             meals because you know how to cook them and have the tableware to serve them in.                               What's more, you will present these on a nice tablecloth, complete with flowers and candles.                             And, you will have the proper wine to go with each meal. Congratulations, you are now                               grown­up!