ELLE DECOR > IDEAS YOU CAN USE

HISTORY OF THE HOB
Perhaps a recent episode of The Simpsons illustrates best what it might be like to live before the age of the cooktop. In the show, the family is invited to stay in a house from 1875 with authentic tools from then, as part of a reality series. The initial excitement wanes when it takes them six hours to boil potatoes! Today finding a hob in a modern home is unremarkable. Like a sofa or computer or a TV.

Gone are the days when regulating the heat required pulling the cauldron higher or lower over the open flame. And of course, there were the little side effects of inhaling too many fumes from the burning wood and suffering from lung and eye ailments. To make the system more heat efficient attempts were made to enclose the fire, which resulted in the iron plated Castrol stove in 1735. The next lasting metamorphosis came when coal replaced wood. It’s the closest solution to induction tops today where heat was concentrated on one side of the metal plate so the cook could prepare food at different temperatures. In fact even after the gas burners took over, chefs in France preferred the smooth, flat cooking surface, which got christened the French style.

TALKING TO PERNILLA JOHANSSON DESIGN DIRECTOR, ASIA PACIFIC, ELECTROLUX
ELLE DECOR: What are your recent innovations?

PJ: There is a lovely product that is going to be released soon – the E:motion trivet is a sculptural piece designed for convex Asian vessels to be used on flat induction surfaces. The curved holder touches the hob at three places and the wok sits into it. The bottom of the pot is just a few millimetres above the plate so it is still recognised by the magnetic waves. For small spaces, we’ve created a long induction range where the burners are placed in a row, giving you more work area. And our latest Maxisense range doesn’t have plus/minus buttons that you have to continuously press. Just type in the temperature.

ED: What is an upcoming trend in kitchens?

PJ: With people looking for open kitchen solutions, glass is the next big thing. Interfaces are all touch and everything is integrated into the space.

ED: Do people crave traditional methods of cooking?

PJ: There is a dubiousness in people’s lives because they are looking for the authenticity of the past but they don’t always have the time – like making things from scratch. The appliances stay the same. But for example you put stones in the oven to retain heat and they are now available as accessories for the modern oven.

ED: The most important factor when designing a kitchen?

PJ: Select appliances first and plan where they need to be in the space ergonomically.

HIGHEST OUTPUT BURNERS
The KG 291 cooktop is sure to make you feel like you could have your own Hell’s kitchen. For the professional chef in you, the generous workspace comes with five brass burners designed to remain rust-free. The super sensitive calibration comes with a full range of settings including a variety of simmer options as well as a full 17,000 BTU wok flame.

Website: www.gaggenau.com

GRILL, GIRDLE AND GAS COOKTOP
Besides the multifunctionality of the KGCU484VSS, it comes in porcelain with matte black cast iron, which we approve of. And it claims to have the industry’s most powerful burner from 20,000 to 1,300 BTUs, and a registered Even Heat feature.

Website: www.whirlpoolindia.com

ELEGANT GLASS AND STAINLESS STEEL
Fusion GB 465 SSP is more of a showpiece, one that you would want to use in your open kitchen as you entertain guests. But that doesn’t mean it does not come with your standard s tate-of-the-art features available today. All Faber hobs are fitted with the best Italian burners.

Website: www.faberheatkraft.in

DIGITAL INDUCTION SYSTEM FOR THE ECO CONSCIOUS
Single person or beginner cook, Metro Ortem along with European company Sogo has just launched this eye catcher. It comes fully loaded – we’re talking timer control, LED display, 10 power options and temperature adjustments (60 to 270°C), and seven cooking functions. And it is energy and cost efficient.

Website: www.metrogroupindia.com