I’ve been on a decluttering mission recently – removing pots, pans and various weird and wonderful kitchen devices that I’ve never actually used, and many of which I discovered had quietly died some time ago. Now the challenge is to maintain my beautiful zen kitchen, which contains just enough – and where I don’t have to drag hundreds of pieces of pot and plastic out of cupboards every time I need to find a pan.
So I’m seriously excited to discover Hokan Bowls – Hokan means storage in Japanese. Although a British company, Hokan Bowls have embraced the Japanese values of Shibui – simple, beautiful, unobtrusive. As I look at them I feel a calmness descend, I want to make beautiful food, quietly and slowly, respecting simple nutrition in both the cooking and eating.
The three bowls – small, medium and large all have the same circumference – the size is determined by their height. This means they stack on top of each other, taking up little room in a cupboard or on a work surface, and their lids are interchangeable. The colours are beautiful – I love the new Green Jade. The reactive glaze on the stoneware ceramic pots creates natural variations, meaning each pot is unique. If your kitchen needs a different colour – there’s plenty of other choices too.
But now for the clever bit – they are oven, microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe, so you can prepare a meal in the bowl, cook it, then serve it – or even use the bowl itself to eat from (or the lid, which also doubles up as a small bowl). This is the kind of minimalism I love. Then if you have any left-overs you can keep them, still in the bowl, in the fridge or freezer, then take out and microwave (of course in the same bowl) for a later meal.
The stoneware allows for even heat distribution during cooking and the lids help maintain stable temperatures and retain moisture. Simply remove the lid for an ideal crust or browning.
As a doctor I do worry about all the plastics our bodies are constantly exposed to and I love that Hokan bowls are sustainable and of course BPA-free, unlike many plastic containers.
These lovely bowls are really not expensive, at RRPs of £25, £30 and £35 for the small (440ml), medium (600ml) and large (1000ml) bowls respectively. Available from hokanbowls.com
If you’re trying to declutter your life too, these are a good start on your journey. Good luck.
By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q
Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.
