Well, having decided on how to transport all our kit around we are now looking at what we're going to cook on and with when we get there. We've decided to invest in a proper camp kitchen and stove. The alternative is a simple cheap single burner stove so we can have a cuppa. That means we're kind of limited to cereal or croissants for breakfast and a mix of eating out, take away and sandwiches the rest of the time. That would get expensive and it doesn't really enter into the spirit of camping.
We could dispense with the camp kitchen and put the stove on a table but at that lower height it's a) not very comfortable to cook on as you are bent over it and b) a bit too easily accessible for the kids.
On past trips we've used a cheap single burner stove like the one (pictured on the left). They are nicely self contained (with the gas canister inside), stable and were great for making a cuppa but not really suitable for making a proper meal for five. So we're considering the CampingGaz double bur
ner (pictured top right), it gets a good reviews, including one here and has all the functionality we need. I am a little disappointed that the grill is not wide enough for 2 slices of bread though so we might go for a different make, but probably the same configuration (2 burners and a grill).
Ca
mp kitchens seem to start with a single 'tower' design where the stove sits on the top and the there are 1 or 2 shelves below (like the one on the right) and then they expand sideways adding more storage space and work surface up to the larger ones that have 3 sections (like the one on the left). I think we're going to plump for one with 2 sections. This is mainly to give us some preparation space rather than for the additional storage, although that will be handy too obviously. So the front-runner currently is the Royal Aluminium Kitchen Stand with Windshield and Larder 
(pictured bottom right). It has some preparation space and looks quite sturdy and folds down nice and flat. The larder looks to be about the right size for the amount of food we're likely to keep at anytime and the shelf should hold all the pots and pans we'll need. It would be nice if there were more shelves under the cooker but I guess the cross-bracing at the bottom makes it more sturdy.
One unresolved issue is where to position the kitchen? Do we put it inside the tent, outside under the open porch of the tent or outside away from the tent?
Cooking inside v's outside
We tried inside the tent on our older tent, and it marked the tent despite being away from the side. So caution if inside. we are now opting for outside under the canopy. On the stoe side, we have two. the double burner and small single that fits on the gas canister for the gas lamp. we packup at night to prepare for leaving in the morning. and leave the smaller one out for morning tea. but then we often leave early so this works for us. :) you can toast 2 slices you just need to rotate a little if you want even toasting.