And a Thermomix or KitchenAid doesn’t hurt either.

A popular part of each column is the section where the cook decides on their culinary priorities, be they an ingredient, appliance, utensil or spice.

But humans often feature in a variety of roles – cleaning, tasting or moral support.

“My mum on speed dial,” Kate Schilg said at the end of a list that included salt and pepper, garlic, chopping board, oil and a good knife.

Several times husbands have been required to wash dishes or just generally provide assistance while a few “little helpers” also make an appearance.

Someone to cook for remains a common theme for enthusiastic cooks like Kate Lewis.

”Good company, I love cooking for people,” she said.

A good cup of coffee figured in her selection as well while a glass of wine accompanied more than one Casual Cook around a kitchen.

Natalie Thompson can’t do without her weekly meal schedule.

“If I don't have that plan I find it a struggle to cook,” she said.

Sarah Quast relied on her handwritten book full of all the family recipes and Nicky Bruce owned up to possessing many cookbooks.

Nicky, who has since turned her passion for bread making into a business, cannot cook without her sourdough starter.

“Named Chad after a sourdough baker who inspired and helped me,” she said.

Men continue to be greatly outnumbered among the Casual Cook ranks – something the column would be happy to redress – and Lavington’s Chris Stern was one of few males in the class of 2015.

“I would be nowhere without my stand mixer,” he said.

A number of cooks wished for room to move and time to enhance their creations.

“Play School because it gives me 25 minutes of food preparation and cooking time to get dinner ready,” Karen McKenzie, a busy mother, said.

Joan Spinelli always had to have music playing in the background.

“I like ABBA or Dixie Chicks, but anything that’s going,” she said.

For her six things, Jacqualene Kamber Haysom kept things simple.

“Garlic, garlic, garlic, garlic, garlic,” she said.

“And Vegeta gourmet stock.”