I really enjoy cooking. I mean, I love my food and am fortunate enough to have a mother who is an amazing cook and encouraged all five of us to help in the kitchen, so it's no surprise. But there was something daunting about the thought of weaning Charlie. I guess it took me out of my comfort zone somewhat. Silly, I know, but there it is.
I'm over that now but, I have to admit, it can all be quite labour intensive. The time cooking was one thing, but it was then waiting for it to cool, pureeing it, batching it up and the washing up? Oh my goodness, the washing up seemed endless!
So, when I was offered the chance to try Béaba's Babycook Duo I was keen to see whether it would simplify things for me or whether it was another gadget. I like my work tops tidy (I can't cope with clutter), so I always want to know that any gadget sitting atop them is worth its spot (and price tag).
I have to admit that, before it arrived I wasn't looking forward to the thought of reading all the instructions; it's not my forté and normally a job reserved for the hubs but, eager to get started, I decided to have a go and was pleasantly surprised. It took no time to set up thanks to the simplicity of Béaba's design. First tick. Next up was cooking with it!
It really is very simple: you add the specified amount of water to the chamber (for steaming), pop the food in the container, lock the lid, press the steam button and wait until it lets you know it's finished. The timings and amounts of water vary depending on what you're cooking, so be sure to read the manual. Then you lift the hot container out with the provided implement and, if you're blending, pour the cooked food into the blending chamber (always the righthand compartment if you have the duo) and pulse the dial until you're happy with the consistency. If my list sounds confusing, take a look at the series of images below.
Last Sunday evening the hubs and I had Moroccan lamb (stick with me, it's not a random boast!). It was too chunky for Charlie so I took some out and gave it a quick blitz in the Babycook. The timing of the blender function is controlled by you so you can give a few quick blasts for Stage 2, or fully purée for Stage 1. At 11 months and with another on the way, I'm keen to get Charlie eating our food as much as possible (most recipes can be tweaked to make them baby-friendly at this stage) and love that the Babycook makes that quick and simple.
I've also been using the pasta and rice cooking function. Although pasta takes longer to cook than on the hob, the win here was being able to step away and let it do its thing as it turns off when everything's cooked. No more getting caught up with a last minute nappy change or reflux clear up only to return to over-cooked food and a burnt hob!
I'm really enjoying my duo as it allows me to prepare a dessert at the same time as the main and, as Charlie's a real fruit fan, I've been pureeing apple and the like in it regularly. If workshop space is of a premium, Béaba have a single version on the market too. The Duo is a multi-tasker so I think it's earned its place on our worktops, especially if the yummy noises from Charlie (and reduced time for me) are anything to go by and I love the fact that you can easily order a click and collect from John Lewis to your local Waitrose! Simple.
I only wish I'd tried the Babycook sooner as it would have made Stage 1 much easier. Still, with baby no.2 on the way I know I'll be getting my use out of it when their turn to wean comes.
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