Kirsty 15 June 2017
Anxious about cooking on an AGA? There really is no need to be!
From quick stir-fries through to elaborate soufflés, the AGA excels at every style of cooking. AGA cakes are lighter, roasts are more succulent, chips crunchier. Yorkshire puddings rise more, steaks are juicier and pizzas are always crisped to perfection. There is nothing the AGA cannot do, and everything it does, it does better. It’s even a whizz at ready meals for those more hectic days!
With these expectations set by Aga experts Rangemaster, we asked the owner of Millbrook, a unique historic holiday cottage in Wales, nestled at the foot of the Brecon Beacons near Abergavenny, to share her experience of cooking on the Aga that is in her kitchen...
When I saw the AGA in our wonderful old house, I felt apprehensive. Oh dear! I am not a hugely relaxed cook and I was anticipating difficulties. Lots of my friends had AGAs and loved them but I thought I might find it hard to get used to. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I now enjoy cooking on it and feel more relaxed with it than I do with a regular cooker. I actually want to bake, especially Welsh cakes!
It is the most straightforward, responsive, forgiving cooker you will ever use – and it cooks beautifully too! Just think of the AGA as a normal cooker, with two hot plates and four ovens, which just happen to be on constantly, with the ovens set at constant temperatures suitable for all types of cooking.
Facing the AGA, the left-hand hot plate is a boiling plate and the right-hand hot plate a simmering plate. The top right oven is a roasting oven – 200 degrees; the bottom-right oven is a baking oven – 150 degrees; the top-left oven is a simmering oven -100 degrees; and the bottom – left oven is a warming oven – 50 degrees. There is a thermometer which you can place in any oven to check the temperature. The main control for the AGA we have at Millbrook is the flow of oil, controlled by a simple valve. In the unlikely event that the ovens are not hot enough, it is simply a case of turning the control valve slightly(!) to the left until you get the required temperature. If the temperature is too high, turn the control valve slightly to the right – it really is that easy.
If you enjoy slow-cooked food, just leave your favourite dish in the appropriate oven, head off for a long hill walk, visit a Border castle, an atmospheric ancient church or a bustling market town and when you get back... Cooked to perfection!
When you have finished using a hot plate or oven, close the lid or door to prevent heat loss.
I hope that my conversion will help others overcome any AGA anxiety they may have. For those new to an AGA, my advice is to remember it is a normal cooker that just happens to be on constantly. Keep this in mind and you will be fine – and your family even more appreciative of your cooking!
If you are still cautious, trust in Mary Berry – I did and in the kitchen at Millbrook you will find one of her cookbooks – a Stress Free Kitchen – including tips for cooking each recipe on an AGA, plus a guide to AGA cooking.
My AGA is now a great friend! It’s the first thing I go to when I enter the house - especially in the winter!
Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of writing, please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.
