If you’re anything like us, then lockdown has had you asking the same question over and over: ‘what can I make in the kitchen today?’. We’ve been cooking in a whole new way – scouring store cupboards to see what we’ve actually got, but also spending a lot more time actually preparing meals. Working from home means we can prep for dinner at lunch, keep an eye on pots bubbling away throughout the day, leave dough to rest and prove while we catch up on emails or simply get started on dinner just a little earlier due to the lack of a daily commute.
Confining ourselves to our homes is vital to getting the world back on track, not to mention supporting the frontline workers who are ensuring we are looked after if we do fall ill. And while it obviously has its many downsides, one thing we can do to stay positive is keep busy in the kitchen. Baking (sourdough in particular) has become unimaginably popular over the past few weeks (and if you’re still keen to create your own sourdough starter, here’s how) – but if you’re still finding flour and yeast quite hard to source, there are plenty of other skills you can pick up within the walls of your own home. From the simple to the more in-depth, here are five ways to make yourself a better cook and come out of lockdown armed with a new arsenal of culinary techniques.