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Food and Cookery

Electric, Gas or Oil Aga? Aga Cookers for Every Situation

April 5th 2011 Posted at General
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Will an electric Aga, gas Aga or oil Aga be best for you and your home? It depends entirely on your needs. But it’s always best to get an expert on the case.

The newest addition to the range is their 13amp electric model. There’s an amazing new remote control management system too, called AIMS, which is fitted automatically to the new-style electric Aga. In effect it’s actually ‘intelligent’, in that you can set it to come on and off to suit the way you run your home. And it’s wonderfully easy to install. A two-oven Aga without water heating will probably consume around 165 KW per week. A three oven model without hot water consumes about 190 KW a week and the version with 4 ovens, also without heated water, consumes around 200 KW of electricity per week.

There’s also the traditional off peak electric Aga, the good old 30amp model that’s been a valuable and well loved member of the Aga family for more than two decades. It’s remarkably energy efficient because it acts like a massive battery, storing low cost, off peak power for you to use any time you like. You can expect to use around 224 KW per week if you fit a two oven model without water heating, around 273 KW per week for a four-oven version that doesn’t heat water.

You can also buy a gas Aga or Propane Aga. Gas Agas are famous for burning extremely cleanly. You can fit a conventional flue, a powered flue or a balanced flue, which gives amazing flexibility when installing into limited or odd-shaped spaces. Some gas Agas come with the new remote control AIMS system, via which you’ll save up to 20% on energy costs. An Aga with a couple of ovens, that doesn’t heat your water, uses about 340 KW per week, or 48L or Propane, including AIMS savings. With water heating the energy use increases to about 601 KW or 84L of Propane. A three oven no-hot-water Aga uses about 340 KW a week, 48L of Propane. The four oven family favourite uses around 422 KW a week without heating the water, 60L of Propane. With water heating included it uses roughly 718 KW a week, 101 litres of Propane.

The oil fired Aga is very similar to the original oil Aga from the ’50s, first released in 1959. Obviously they’ve tinkered with the design and technical stuff to make sure it’s as good as it can be. But otherwise it’s the same well loved oil burning Aga as ever. The oil Aga’s vaporising burner is regulated by state of the art thermostats so it’s known for energy efficiency. An Aga with two ovens, that doesn’t provide hot water, consumes around 40L oil per week. The same model with heated water uses around 60L a week. A model with 4 ovens and no hot water consumes around 51L a week, rising to 68L a week when hot water’s included.

For comprehensive information on Aga cookers, call Edwards & Godding on 01189 939 046

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Aga Cookers – The S Series – Unconventionally Beautiful!

April 5th 2011 Posted at General
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There’s an Aga cooker for every kitchen. And one for every cook. The S series is causing an ongoing stir with its unconventional angle on conventional cooking. There’s the gorgeous Aga Masterchef series, a joy for foodies everywhere. And there’s AGA Modules, a nifty solution that delivers complete cooking flexibility.

If you’re after a classic heat storage cooker, you can’t go far wrong. There’s a choice of two, three and four oven models, all of which run just as cleanly and efficiently on natural gas, propane or oil – either Kerosene or diesel. Aga’s conventional cooker, the S series, has made a big splash in the media for exceeding people’s expectations on reliability, performance and style. And the Aga Integrated Module and Freestanding Module – previously called the ‘Companion’ – offers the same superb cooking versatility as ever. Reliable good looks. A clever mix of conventional electric oven, integral grill and electric fan oven. Plus a choice of either a free standing or attached hot plate.

If you’re concerned with green issues, you’ll find Aga is hot on the heels of the latest developments in greener cooking technologies. But there’s more. On a simple, practical level once you have an Aga cooker you’ll be able to get rid of a whole load of other gadgets and save even more cash on energy. Aga cookers make lovely, crunchy toast and succulent toasted sandwiches, so you can ditch your toaster and bury your Breville! There’s no need for an electric kettle – a range cooker will boil your kettle much faster. You won’t need a bulky, ugly electric bread making machine because Agas are renowned worldwide for turning out mouth-wateringly fragrant hand baked breads and cakes. Your tumble drier becomes redundant and there’s no more need for radiators in your kitchen… or in the surrounding rooms.

How many miles does an Aga travel? The Aga cooker is made right here in the UK so although it’s heavy, it doesn’t have to travel far. As well as employing a whole load of highly skilled people in otherwise sleepy Shropshire, the company has shelled out a grand £7 million so far to ensure carbon and other emissions from the foundry are cut to the bone. In fact it’s so important to the local area and the nation’s industrial history that the Aga cookers factory has been named a UN World Heritage site!

If you are seeking advice about Aga cookers, or what just like to find out more about how an Aga could transform your kitchen, call Edwards & Godding on 01189 393 046.

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Aga Cooker – Cooking Christmas Dinner On An Aga Cooker

April 5th 2011 Posted at General
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An Aga Cooker is an amazing cooker at the best of times, however when Christmas comes around it really comes into it’s own. Just imagine; it’s Christmas Eve and you have made your list of Christmas food, possibly prepared vegetables and got all the pans ready for the Christmas day cooking marathon to come.

If you were to use a normal cooker or even a range cooker the chances are that you will have to slave over it for most of Christmas morning, however, if you were to be lucky enough to own an Aga cooker the chances are that most of the hard work will happen in the background whilst you are free to enjoy Christmas morning with the family.

Once you have prepared the turkey all you want to do is get it into the oven and cook it, however to do that and still be able to eat it hot, without the dreaded re-heat, can be a problem. The other struggle you will face when cooking it on Christmas morning is oven space, or should I say, the lack of it. Assuming you will be cooking roast potatoes, sage and onion stuffing and possibly three other vegetables it is likely that unless you have at least two ovens it will be difficult to cook them at the same time.

Working with an Aga cooker is simply a breeze as the four ovens are all continuously at temperature, so there is no waiting for them to heat up, and as they are all at different temperatures you can move food around making sure that it is not overcooked but is always kept warm.

The secret ingredient when cooking Christmas dinner on the Aga cooker is the warming oven, this is where you would normally warm plates or cook food as you would in a slow cooker. If you are looking to reduce the stress of cooking the turkey on Christmas morning use the warming oven, as it operates at a low temperature, you put the turkey into a tray and slip it into the oven before retiring to bed; it will gently cook for around eight hours and then in the morning you will be amazed to see that it is cooked perfectly. You will simply have to brown it a little and it will be ready to serve.

Cooking it this way will also free up space in the roasting oven for the roast potatoes and other vegetables. The trick is planning ahead and you manage your precious time and lessen the stress of cooking the Christmas dinner. The Aga cooker also has the added benefit that no matter how much spillage you have you won’t have to clean it up as the constant heat burns it off.

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Aga Cooking Demonstrations

April 5th 2011 Posted at General
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Some people are fortunate to buy a new home with one already installed, others invest in a brand new one while some will inherit one from family or friends – however you’ve come to be the proud owner of an Aga, you’ll be itching to make use of the greatest cooker ever built. To be sure that you’re getting the full benefits of your oven, book a place at an Aga cookery demonstration.

The original design for a stored heat stove and cooker is now over 80 years-old and while the technology behind it has moved with the times, the original idea for how it works remains the same and experts believe it is still the best way to cook food. Still an integral part of country living, the Aga oven has also become a desirable object for style conscious urban-dwellers with the average age of buyers now under-35.

With this new generation of purchasers there is high demand to learn the basics as well as the finer techniques of cooking with a range cooker. From baking to grilling, roasting to stir-fries, modern cooking embraces recipes and cuisines from across the globe and there really is no cooker more adaptable than the Aga range cooker.

A demonstration will give you all the information, techniques and tips you’ll need to create delicious meals. If you’re used to a conventional oven or have a collection of favourite recipes, the session will give you the opportunity to find out how to adapt your cooking.

Here’s just a taster of the basic techniques you’ll pick up during a demonstration:

Baking – Learn how to use the all-round radiant heat to create moist breads, cakes and light pastries.

Frying – The unique hotplates provide intense heat to lock in the natural flavours of your favourite meats so you can produce steaks or pork chops that are beautifully tender.

Grilling – Find out how to grill a great British breakfast in your oven for a healthy and delicious start to your day.

Toasting – Ditch your toaster because you’ll learn how to create perfect toast, waffles and toasted sandwiches just the way you like them.

Stewing – The Aga is the master of slow-cooking due to all-round radiant heat inside the oven. No need to worry about hot-spots or even constant stirring of your stews.

Steaming – One of the most healthiest ways to cook food is to steam it. From fresh fish to vegetables, the simmering oven will steam food to perfection.

Roasting – When it comes to a classic Sunday roast or the big family Christmas dinner, you’ll wonder how you coped pre-Aga. Learn how your oven can cook a roast quickly, evenly and without drying out your meat.

Stir-fry – The intense heat from the hotplates performs perfectly when it comes to creating authentic stir-fried food.

Contact your local dealer and book a place on the next available demonstration. And don’t forget you don’t just have to go the once, some sessions are tailored around a specific technique such as cooking for a large dinner party so expand your culinary expertise and get to know your Aga properly.

Whether you are thinking about buying an Aga cooker,or would just like to see one in action at an Aga cookery demonstration, visit Edwards & Godding for more information.

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Seasonal And Festive Foods – Cooked To Perfection In An Aga!

April 4th 2011 Posted at General
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The Aga is famous for cooking wonderfully moist food. But can you cook your entire Christmas feast on your Aga cooker? Yes, you can!

Baking with Aga cookers is a real treat. The Aga works like an old fashioned baker’s oven, giving a light, professional touch to delicate pastries, buns, cakes and bread. People love the mouthwatering, unmistakeable aroma of ‘proper’ baking. Frying on the Aga’s intensely hot hotplate is easy, searing steaks and other red meats beautifully to seal in the flavour, juice and moisture before cooking through efficiently and quickly. The Aga’s heat levels are easy to control so cooking to suit different tastes is a simple matter.

Range cookers are also excellent for grilling. Whether it’s a brace of gorgeous pork chops or a full-on British breakfast complete with all the trimmings, the Aga cooker’s roasting oven turns out food that’s crisp on the outside, succulent and perfectly cooked inside. Aga and Rayburn cookers also make perfect toast, one of the UK’s most popular snacks. The Aga toaster is a popular added extra, with a load of tasty toast variations on tap from 100% crisp to lightly toasted with a fluffy centre or toasted on one side.

Hearty stews are big, especially this year as the severe winter weather bites. The Aga’s excellent simmering oven lets you make mouthwatering goulashes, stews and soups. The oven radiates gentle all round heat and because there are no hot spots you can leave your masterpiece safely without having to stir it. No burnt bits! With Aga cookers you can happily leave a meal to slow cook for hours with no problems. Or use the simmering oven for steaming. It’s perfect for steaming anything steamable, from delicate, fragrant fish to crisp, crunchy veg. The kitchen doesn’t steam up because the steam is safely contained within the oven. And the end results are extremely healthy.

Great roasts are crucial for a winning Christmas lunch. Aga cookers don’t have a flame so roast turkey, duck, chicken and ham turns out moist on the inside, crisp on the outside, with all the goodness held in. The Aga’s famous radiant heat is ideal for evenly cooked foods and the time it takes to cook can be speeded up if necessary without the risk of the food drying out. Last but not least, you get exactly the right kind of intense, focused heat required for tasty stir fry dishes via the Aga hotplate. For unforgettable Christmas meals and great food all year round, the verdict is in: Aga cookers win hands down!

Edwards & Godding can provide the perfect range cooker kitchen solution. From Aga cookers to the fabulous Rayburn cookers, you’ll find the ideal kitchen appliance.

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Rayburn or Aga – Which Range Cooker Is Best for Your Home?

April 3rd 2011 Posted at General
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Aga and Rayburn cookers are hugely popular, especially amongst people looking for a more energy efficient solution. Both look absolutely stunning, creating a wonderful homely ambience in your kitchen. Both come in a suite of gorgeous colours. And both do a great job of cooking mouthwatering food. So what’s the difference?

Opinions differ. Aga cookers appear to pip the post when it comes to cooking, but some people prefer the Rayburn. The Aga has the biggest hot plates and most spacious ovens, and the oven is always up to heat. So you can cook a quiche at four in the morning if you like! If you’re a committed foodie and regularly have ten or more people round for dinner parties, you might find you need a four oven Aga. Both Aga cookers and Rayburn cookers feature sturdy, efficient cast iron ovens, perfect for slow-cooking low cost meat joints into a veritable feast of tenderness.

If you live in a terraced house you might find an Aga range is a bit too efficient, providing much more heat than you need. If you don’t like to waste perfectly good appliances, your heating system is just fine and your boiler is less than ten years old, you might find it’s best to fit an oil or gas Aga or ‘dry’ Rayburn – one that doesn’t heat your water.

Space is important too. Agas and Rayburns are generously sized. Provided you have a space measuring at least a metre wide by 67cm depth – that’s around 39 x 27 inches – you should be able to fit a two oven Aga in. You can add a flue to your Aga as long as you have an unused chimney handy. The size of your family counts too. If you have kids, the Aga might be your best bet. If you’re a couple who both work, the Rayburn may suit you best because you can set the heating with a timer.

Rayburns are popular with people who need loads of hot water on a regular basis. If you’ve got a huge kitchen and want your range cooker to function as a back-up cooker first, a heater second, a Rayburn will heat the room above the kitchen too! The Aga oven is four inches deeper, which suits some cooking fans. You can adjust the cooking temperature quicker with a Rayburn, so it’s easier to control. And unlike Rayburns, Agas don’t heat radiators unless you bolt on a separate boiler.

Obviously it’s horses for courses! But there’s a lot to consider before making a decision. It’s vital to consult an expert before buying an Aga or Rayburn range cooker. Whatever your decision, it’s good to know that fitting one usually increases the value of your home, so you’re onto a winner either way.

For the best advice on whether to choose an Aga or Rayburn cooker, call Edwards & Godding on 01189 393 046.

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The Myths About AGA Ovens – Part Two

April 2nd 2011 Posted at General
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When making a purchase the buyer should investigate all the options available and gen up on the pros and cons. The same goes for buying an Aga cooker although an Aga should be considered more of an investment than a purchase because it’s likely to be in your possession for a lifetime. As a range cooker it is quite simply second to none and any current owner will tell you they can’t live without it.

While researching which model to buy – whether it be a heat storage gas range cooker or a a duel-fuel – you’ll find plenty of positive reviews, but also a few negative ones. The fact is, not everyone will extol the virtues of an Aga but a lot of the opinions you’ll read are based on misinformation or from poor operation of the appliance. Many myths can be dispelled by learning how to operate the cooker correctly and the best way to learn is to book yourself on an Aga demonstration.

Some of the common misconceptions about Agas are listed, and answered, below.

“They’re dangerous if you’ve got kids. The hotplates are always on and give no indication or warning so horrible burns can occur.”

It’s true they’re always on but you’re aware of that because it gives off heat. The same goes for the hotplate so if a child lifts the lid they will feel the heat from it. If your child is tall enough to lift the lid, chances are they’re at an age when they know hot things can burn.

“You’ll have to throw out all your old pots and pans. Agas need flat-bottomed, thick base cookware and will ruin anything that isn’t.”

This isn’t true. Aluminium and stainless steel pans work fine and don’t have to have a thick base. Most pans these days are flat-bottomed anyway but if yours aren’t they’ll still be okay. Of course, if you’re buying a quality oven it’s a good idea to include some quality Aga cookware.

“The hotplates are so large but you can only really get one pan on satisfactorily. What if you need to put more pans on?”

Owning an Aga does require you to learn new ways of cooking and that includes relying less on the hotplates and more on the ovens. An Aga cookery demonstration will teach you how to do this. However, if you prefer cooking with pans there are other models available that will provide up to six gas burners.

“You can’t control the temperature so all your old cookbooks become redundant. You have to buy Aga cookery books.”

Not at all. You’ll learn where to find the different temperatures of the ovens. For example, slow cooking is done in the simmering oven, pie crusts are best on the floor of the top oven and the roasting oven changes temperature from top to bottom. Once you know where to put things, you can use your old cookbooks as well as your new ones.

“There’s no timer. What if you want to have something ready for when you return home?”

That’s true about the timer, but you can slow cook your dinner so it’s ready when you get in. And don’t forget, the oven will already be up to temperature so when you come in from work there’s no pre-heat waiting times and you can start cooking immediately.

If you are one of the many people who aspire to owning an AGA cooker, or would like to view one in action at an AGA cookery demonstration, pay a visit to Edwards and Godding, the UK Aga specialists.

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The Myths About AGA Ovens – Part One

April 1st 2011 Posted at General
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Many people aspire to owing an AGA oven and with the range of models now available it’s possible to have an iconic range cooker from one of the world’s most famous manufacturers. Whether you’re looking for a classic heat storage cooker or a duel-fuel option, there’s an ideal oven for you. For those opting for the simplicity of a traditional AGA you may have come across a few doubters as to the benefits.

First of all, owners will tell you there’s no better way of cooking food and the background warmth from the oven keeps much of the home warm for seven or more months of the year. And who could resist leaning against the towel rail on a cold winter’s day? However, many doubts surrounding these cookers still remain and some stem from a lack of knowledge about how to operate them. If that’s the case then time at an AGA demonstration is well spent.

Below is part one in a list of common myths about AGAs and the facts that should put your mind at ease if you’re considering making a purchase.

“AGAs are expensive to buy, you can get a decent range cooker for much less.”

Yes, you can get a range cooker for far less but an AGA lasts for decades and will probably outlive you. And they have more uses than just cooking such as a way to dry clothes, heat the house and dry out herbs.

“If you get a gas AGA you need to install a flue, the majority of gas ranges don’t need one.”

With a balanced flue it’s pretty easy to put a hole into a wall and it doesn’t cost much more to do during installation. Qualified AGA installers will do this for you.

“They’re expensive to run because they’re always on whether you need it or not.”

Yes, they are always on but you’ll save money on central heating because you won’t need heating until much later in the year. The latest models have slumber modes and will pre-heat the oven as and when you need it. You won’t need to run other kitchen appliances such as kettles, toasters or tumble dryers. If you buy an 30amp electric model and run Economy 7 electricity, the cooker will only draw power at night – some owners estimate a £12 per week running cost.

“If you switch your AGA off, it takes days to heat up again.”

Not so. Most ovens will heat up overnight and if you’re away for a few days and want to turn it off just put it into slumber mode.

“They need servicing every six months. It’s costly and it’s more time without an oven because you have to switch it off for the service.”

Well, we’ve already addressed the point about heating up again after being turned off, however only the oil burning models need six month AGA servicing. Gas options need a yearly service (as every gas appliance should) and some electric models only need servicing every 5 years.

“New models have ceramic insulation but what happens if you buy an older oven. They’ve got asbestos in them!”

The old models did indeed have asbestos rope insulation in the lids but the likelihood is that when buying an old AGA it will be reconditioned and hence the asbestos has been removed and replaced with ceramic. If your old oven hasn’t had this work done, it will only cost around £20 to sort the problem out.

If you are one of the many people who aspire to owning an AGA cooker, or would like to view one in action at an AGA cookery demonstration, pay a visit to Edwards and Godding, the UK Aga specialists.

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Hello world!

February 26th 2011 Posted at Uncategorized
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Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

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