Nokia Lumia 2520: the perfect kitchen companion
Take a peek inside anybody’s kitchen and there’ll be a bookshelf containing unused, possibly decade-old cookbooks. I’ve got one. But it doesn’t have to be this way. The Nokia Lumia 2520 is the perfect cooking companion.
People are turning to taking their tablets with them into the kitchen and it’s a habit that should only increase as the apps available get significantly better. And they’re great already.
Here are just a few for your Nokia Lumia 2520 that will help you to become a better cook.
Jamie’s Recipes – Free
You’re welcomed by Jamie Oliver himself in a 68-second video introduction. In it, Jamie explains a little about the app and some of the features and how, by using this app, he’s going to “guide you to some of the best cooking you’ve ever done”.
When he says ‘he’s going to guide you’, that’s precisely what this app is about. It’s like having your very own Jamie Oliver in your kitchen taking you through every step of the cooking process.
Loaded with 10 recipes to get you started, such as chicken curry, roast pork, and tomato risotto for starters (well, main actually), the high-res photos and descriptions make it very simple to cook a treat.
The HD videos are also extremely useful to learn techniques, such as using a kitchen knife properly and safely, securing a chopping board and how to carve poultry,
In each recipe you’ll find the option to change portion sizes, add food items into your own shopping list so you know what to buy when at the shop and add a recipe to your favourites list.
You can browse recipes by either flicking through the various different categories, or by searching for something specific using the Search Charm.
If you’re feeling more adventurous an want to expand your cooking skills and recipe repertoire, more than 200 additional recipes, or ‘Packs’ as they’re called, can be purchased in-app for £1.79 each. Each pack has 10 recipes in it.
Great British Chefs – cooking with kids – Free
Great British Chefs is a glorious looking app that comes alive with every touch. Simply sliding the screen left and right prompts the tasty looking tiles to come to life and encourage you to delve deeper.
Rather then teaching you how to cook anything overly complex, this app is specifically aimed at getting your kids involved in the kitchen.
What that means is that you’ll find fun recipes such as popping coconut snowballs, potato and celeriac spider with bacon and egg mayonnaise, and chicken and apple hedgehog rolls. All sound and look delicious, but something the kids won’t hesitate to help you with.
If your child, or even yourself for that matter, needs some refreshers in to beat an egg, peel garlic, or fill and use a piping bag, the video section is filled with helpful material.
29 chefs have contributed recipes in this app, so you know the content will be top-notch.
Allthecooks Recipes – Free
Nothing beats home cooking, just how mum used to make. Allthecooks Recipes doesn’t take inspiration from chefs, celebrity or otherwise, but instead is created by a community of food lovers.
Sure, you can find cordon bleu style recipes, but there are also loads of delicious recipes on offer too. I must admit, Dorito crusted chicken fingers looks mighty tasty – ideal for a Friday night, I’d say.
Browsing through the 150,000+ recipes can take a lot of time, especially as most of looks rather tempting. However, to find something specific, or even make something from what’s left in your fridge, type the food item in the Search Charm and take your pick from one of the many results.
If you’re a part of, or want to join, the cooks’ community, signing in is simple and you’re then free to contribute your own recipes.
Bing Food & Drink – Free
Each recipe in this app comes with detailed step-by-step instructions alongside a high quality photo to show you what your meal should look like when you’re finished.
As with all the recipe apps here, there’s a vast library of food items to choose from, which can be reduced by using the filters. Here, you can find recipes by cooking method, such as boiling, grilling, or one dish/one pot – amongst others.
To make your next shopping trip a little easier, you can add ingredients from within the recipe and add them to a shopping list, which you can pin to your Start screen as a tile.
The collections feature is a nice way for you to store your favourite meals to save you sifting through the recipes again when it comes to setting up in the kitchen.
When that time does come, activating the Hands-Free Mode means you don’t have to touch your Nokia Lumia 2520 and cover it in food stuff. Instead, wave your hand in front of the front-facing camera to move on to the next stage in the cooking instructions.
One super-useful feature in Bing Food & Drink is the Meal Planner. If you’re the type of person who likes to be organised, select your meals in advance and plan your week ahead. Again, this can be pinned to your Start screen for quick reference later.
Timer+ – Free
Timing is crucial in cooking.
Leave something in the oven for too long and you’re left flapping a tea towel underneath the smoke alarm. Fail to time all the different parts of your meal correctly and you’ll have ice-cold potatoes while the meat’s quickly turning to charcoal. This app will help with all of that.
Create multiple timers for the various parts of your meal and wait for the alarm to sound.
This will run in the background so even if your Nokia Lumia 2520’s lock screen is activated, you’ll be notified when it’s time to turn down the heat.
Which app is your favourite? Do you use your smartphone or tablet in the kitchen instead of a cookbook? Do let us know, below.