Fondue from one room to another.
(Credit: Williams-Sonoma)It's not hard to throw together a fondue party. All you need are a few friends, some easy-melting ingredients, and bread, fruit, or something of the like to dip in it. Oh, there's one more thing that would make the evening go down as easy as a vat of melted cheese or chocolate: the fondue pot. Even if you have such a device, creating the velvety centerpiece would probably require the use of a saucepan on the stovetop. That is, unless you have a fondue pot that does double duty.
The All-Clad Fondue Pot with Cast Aluminum Insert saves a step in the fondue-making process by including a stovetop-safe cast-aluminum insert. Made from 18/10 stainless steel with an aluminum base, the set includes eight color-coded stainless-steel dipping forks. For additional versatility beyond just cheese and chocolate, the fondue pot is capable of cooking meat in hot oil; just remove the insert.
What makes this fondue pot really shine is the fact that it goes from stovetop to tabletop with ease. While the presentation of a good-looking fondue pot bubbling away over a flame is most comforting, the convenience of quickly setting the mood cannot be beat. Except, of course, the entrance you make at your own party, carrying in the fondue from the stove.
Grill, griddle, and press your way to an uncluttered kitchen.
(Credit: Williams-Sonoma)Convenience in the kitchen is never farther away than the nearest appliance. Specialized contraptions of all shapes and sizes rest on our countertops waiting to be called upon for specific purposes. What can come as no surprise to anyone is that these countertops can become quite cluttered--and quite quickly, as we add to our arsenal of cookery. However, this maze of gadgetry doesn't have to be inescapable; one or two overachieving appliances with multitasking capabilities are all that is needed to create a sense of order into the kitchen.
If you find that you cannot live without an indoor grill, panini press, or electric griddle, Breville has the Smart Grill & Griddle, which combines these popular appliances into one convenient unit. Featuring removable plates and a design that opens a full 180 degrees, the countertop appliance can either be used as a press or as an electric grill or griddle. Additionally, the unit features the ability to lock into place, effectively turning it into a broiler. Most clamshell-style grills or griddles simply press down on the food, making it impossible, for example, to brown the top of an open-faced sandwich.
Just because this combination grill/griddle/press can accommodate a variety of cooking tasks doesn't mean that more familiar functions get left behind. The machine features an adjustable center angle, meaning that fat and grease can be channeled away from foods, and collected into a drip tray. For additional efficiency, the heating elements are embedded directly into the plates, and automatically adjust when new food is introduced. As a final measure of convenience, the removable plates are dishwasher safe, allowing for easy cleanup, no matter what you decide to cook.
It's easy to get caught up in fun kitchen gadgets and overlook the things that are most important--like kitchen safety. Do you own a fire extinguisher? Do you know where it is and how to use it? A fire extinguisher can be somewhat unwieldy, and many kitchen extinguishers are only good for a single use. You should still have one in your kitchen, but a backup plan isn't a bad idea.
That's where the Kitchen Fire Mat comes in. The mats are made from amorphous silica cloths and felts, which are absolutely fire proof, impervious to direct flame contact and cannot melt until temperatures exceed 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The blanket smothers the flame without smoke emission or toxic gases, and you can reuse it several times if you're dealing with minor flames.
The blanket is 36 inches by 36 inches and has handles at one end. Plus, it comes packaged in a cute red ceramic fire-hydrant-shaped canister that you can keep on your counter so it's there--accessible--when you need it.
The mat costs about $50. But your peace of mind? Priceless.
Good looks and it cooks, too.
(Credit: Dacor)Certain appliances are used so frequently they just blend into the background. This is a good thing. When heavy-use appliances integrate seamlessly into our lives, that means they are working as they should. It's best not to notice them, because that usually means something is wrong. But just because they blend into our surroundings, that doesn't mean we don't want them to be attractive when we do look at them. Considering how central the oven is to daily life, efficiency and design go hand in hand.
The new Dacor Distinctive 30-inch Single Wall Oven is an eye-catching centerpiece in the kitchen. Featuring contemporary styling that includes a handle design that sits flush with the wall oven door and a stainless steel finish, the oven offers the good looks that makes any kitchen feel complete. The inside features hidden bake and recessed broil elements, creating not only a smooth appearance, but also more workable area in the interior. The 3.8-cubic-foot capacity oven also features an innovative baffling system that channels consistent heat throughout the oven.
With six cooking modes (Convection Bake, Convection Broil, Convection Roast, Pure Convection, Bake, and Broil), the features make it easy to achieve desired results when cooking. The electronic touch-control panel offers cooking functions (Start Time, Cooking Time, Stop Time, and Temperature Hold) that facilitate meal planning. There's even an integrated meat probe thermometer, assuring that you get the most out of your oven.
Every time I have to carve a roast, slice some bread, or generally take a knife to any part of dinner, I wind up with pieces that vary in thickness. It seems like the Victorinox Precise Slice Knife was made with me in mind. The knife has an adjustable guide that helps you to slice just about any type of food into pieces of even thickness. You can adjust the guide from a thickness of 1/16 inch to 1/2 inch. With the Victorinox Precise Slice Knife, you can cut meat thinly enough to easily use it for sandwiches.
The Victorinox Precise Slice Knife includes a precision-stamped, high carbon, stainless steel blade with a serrated edge that will help you to easily slice everything from bread to vegetables. The blade is conically ground and goes through a special tempering process, creating a blade that will hold its razor-sharpness. The blade measures 8 1/4 inches long, with the whole knife measuring 13 3/4 inches long. You can run the knife through the dishwasher, although the maker recommends hand washing in order to extend the life of the knife. The Victorinox Precise Slice Knife is priced at $80.
Keep the good times rolling.
(Credit: Bed Bath & Beyond)The World Series may have come and gone (for some reason earlier this month), but that doesn't mean the real national pastime has to roll over. In fact, "rolling over" is exactly what this particular pastime excels at. While baseball may not be the same without hot dogs, you can take them away from the game and enjoy them throughout the long cold winter. Of course, if you want that authentic flavor that can only be had from uncountable revolutions on the heat source, you are going to need something special.
The Nostalgia Electrics Retro Series 50s Style Hot Dog Roller keeps the good times rolling all year 'round. Featuring classic styling reminiscent of a bygone era, the candy-red 15-inch-by-9.5-inch (it measures 15 inches tall) roller is sure to elicit interesting conversations (and demands for demonstrations). The two large dials on the front of the machine are for power and an adjustable heat control. For easy cleaning, the rollers are removable, as is an included drip tray.
With five nonstick stainless-steel rollers, perpetually cooking eight hot dogs (or 12 breakfast sausages) at a time, the hot dog cooker is sure to keep the party going. Hot dogs may be the flavor of baseball, but they taste just as good during football season--as long as you don't use the same ones, that is.
(Credit:
Bed Bath & Beyond)
Those hot dog buns you buy at the supermarket have been traveling for awhile. They may be a little flattened out by the time you get them home and will definitely taste a little bland. This isn't necessarily a problem, until you realize it is easy to make your own and they taste much, much better.
There are many recipes for whipping up a batch of hot dog buns; the only hard part about any of those recipes is making sure you have the right pan. The Americoat Nonstick Hot Dog Bun Pan is ideal for turning out a whole batch of buns at once. Even better, you can make just the number of buns you need at any given time, avoiding superfluous buns.
The Hot Dog Bun Pan is made of aluminized steel, which allows an even distribution of heat, and is coated in Americoat, an environmentally friendly nonstick formula. The pan measures 15 inches long by 6 inches wide, separated into 10 sections by raised ridges. When you pull your buns out of the oven, you can separate them with barely a touch. You can safely use the pan in ovens up to 450 degrees. You should wash it by hand. The Hot Dog Bun Pan costs $41.99.
Professional kitchens, like the ones found in restaurants, usually have a prep station. A person can stand at a particular part of the counter, chop vegetables, and push the scraps directly into a bin. The prep area is clean in seconds, letting the cooks focus on cooking instead of cleaning. While your kitchen may not be big enough for a dedicated prep area, you can temporarily convert some counter space into a prep center in seconds. The Scrap Trap hangs over the edge of a drawer or cabinet door underneath your prep area, letting you push your scraps into the trap without having to mess with major cleanup.
The Scrap Trap holds up to 2 quarts of scraps so that you aren't constantly running back and forth between your prep area and your trash can. It comes with a scraper, which you can keep in the front pocket on the trap when you aren't using it. It also has a stiff-bristled brush to help you clean up your prep area as needed. The Scrap Trap is made from plastic and can go through the dishwasher in between uses.
Hot edamame with just a little bit of salt is one of my favorite appetizers. When I go out for sushi, one of the first things I order is a basket of edamame. You can pick up frozen edamame at some Asian markets, but you now also have the option of growing your own at home with the Edamame Growing Kit. The kit is meant for a sunny window, meaning that you can have fresh edamame all year round. The kit includes a container, seeds, a wicker basket, and a growing medium. All you need to add is water.
Your plant will grow to about 16 inches tall, sprouting the pea pods known as edamame. The plant itself is actually a soybean plant--the edamame are actually soybean seeds. When the pea pods have rounded out and the peas pop out when you gently squeeze on the pods, they're ready to eat. Cooking them is as simple as boiling the pea pods whole, sprinkling salt over them and eating them as if you were at the local sushi restaurant. The kit comes with more in-depth directions, if needed. It is made in Japan. The Edamame Growing Kit is $15.
In order to eat healthily, we have to keep the oil to a minimum. But to make our food taste good, we still need at least a bit of oil. The Misto Olive Oil Sprayer makes it easier to find a compromise between the two positions. By using the sprayer to add a touch of oil to dishes, we can still cook meals that taste right--and don't stick to the pan--without having to try to figure out how to pour just enough oil into a pan. The Misto Olive Oil Sprayer is 7 5/8 inches tall and can be pumped up to spray any vegetable oil. It holds about a third of a cup of oil at a time.
The Misto Olive Oil Sprayer is not dishwasher-safe, but can be cleaned easily: fill the sprayer with hot water and a drop of mild detergent. Then pump it up as you would normally, and spray. The sprayer looks a bit more elegant on your counters than your typical can of baking spray. It's made from satin-finish aluminum and comes with a cap that makes it look downright elegant. While it will fit in a cupboard just fine, the Misto Olive Oil Sprayer will look just as good anywhere else. It's priced at $9.99.
