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A 12-pack ready to enjoy.
(Credit: EuroCave)Wine is best enjoyed when it is shared among family and friends. However, the wine experience itself can be improved upon simply by having a bottle (or more) at the ready. After all, nobody is going to want to go on a wine run when the fun is just starting. Add to that the fact that chances are the wine will need to be chilled, and suddenly it becomes apparent that a little forethought goes a long way. However, having wine chilled and ready to drink can be bothersome, clumsy, ineffective and most importantly, space-challenged. That is, unless you have a small dedicated appliance for the task.
The EuroCave La Petite Wine Cabinet is a diminutive compressor-driven wine refrigerator. The small chill chest, which measures less than 12 inches across with a depth of about 18 inches and a height of about 32 inches, stands ready no matter the occasion. With two temperature zones, and a capacity for 12 bottles of wine, the wine cabinet keeps the party going whether your guests prefer red wine or white wine.
The small size is definitely a positive feature for this wine storage option, but the best part is that it has the capability to store two open bottles of wine. By extracting oxygen from open bottles, the wine stays good for up to seven days. The system even monitors the seal to ensure the vacuum is preserved. Perfect for wine fans or for those who just enjoy the occasional glass, this dedicated wine refrigerator makes it easy to enjoy wine at the best time: when you're ready to drink it.
Together, forever.
(Credit: Amazon)Salt and pepper seem to have a lot of superstition attached to their existence. For example, there's that whole thing about throwing salt over one's shoulder after spilling it. Another one is that apparently, salt and pepper need to be kept together at all times. What happens if your throwing arm goes out, or if you are on a salt-reduced diet, I'll leave for other brave souls to test out, but when it comes to the world's most common spices, there is no end to how we keep them at the ready.
Not only is it important where and how we keep the salt and pepper, but what we do with them, too. The Cuisinart SP-2 Stainless-Steel Rechargeable Salt and Pepper Mills answers all these questions. The pair of mills stand atop of a base station, silently recharging in place as they wait to be put into use. When the time comes, the mills can each be adjusted to a fine or course grind, while equipped LED lights illuminate the target food.
The low-profile recharging station assures the pair are kept together. With the ability to grind out 15-20 minutes of continuous use, the mills offer a long-lasting charge, capable of getting through even the longest of dinners--just be sure to keep them together while passing them around the table.
Cook where you want to.
(Credit: Chef's Catalog)Sometimes one stove isn't enough. That's not to say an additional stove is always necessary, but sometimes you just need a little more. Or, perhaps even more importantly, you need your cooktop to just move over there. Whether it is a matter of space or convenience, a portable cooktop is an excellent way to expand your options.
The Fissler CookStar Induction Pro Cooktop, PROX61 features 1,500 watts of power and nine heating levels to ensure quality results no matter what or where you need to cook. A boost function and a keep-warm setting provide precision control, either while preparing foods, or while serving them at the table. The easy-to-use touch-sensitive controls are intuitive, and at the end of the meal, the frameless glass-ceramic surface is easy to clean.
The most energy-efficient method of cooking is via induction, and considering safety issues (portable open-flame appliances even sound not-so-safe), the lack of surface heat makes induction cooktops desirable. Of course, induction-friendly cookware is needed, but considering the rising popularity of induction cooktops--both portable and not--finding quality cookware is not so much of a chore. Certainly expanding options and easy convenience are worth it in the end.
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.
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.
When I have people over, I find that a cheese tray is the easiest way to prepare a tasty treat without having to put in a lot of effort. The Butcher Block End Grain Board just made that task even easier. Not only does it include four cheese knives that will allow guests to help themselves without having to touch the cheese with their bare hands, but it also offers a stainless-steel cutting wire, mounted on the board with a built-in chrome arm, that makes slicing cheese very easy. The cutting wire is replaceable, if need be, although the board comes with a lifetime warranty against breakage. The knives are held in place by a magnetic fence.
The Butcher Block End Grain Board is essentially a one-stop station for cheese aficionados, making it a useful item for your holiday entertaining. The board measures 14 inches by 10 inches, with enough room for several different types of cheese. It's also very attractively designed, with contrasting wood grains and polished handles for each knife. You will need to clean the board and the knives by hand--the pieces of the Butcher Block End Grain Board are not dishwasher-safe. The cheese board is priced at $38.99.
Set it, but don't forget it.
(Credit: Rüegg)Backyard parties are always a lot of fun. Friends and family get together to eat and drink and share talltales and gossip. But, mostly eat. Plans have to be made for the grill, what to put on it, how to marinate it, and finally how to cook it. Which means, somebody has to be in charge of the grill. While it may be rewarding to oversee a landscape of cooking meats and vegetables, the reality is with responsibility, sacrifices must be made. While all your friends are over there laughing and having fun, you're stuck making sure their food doesn't burn.
What could end up being a bitter tasting barbecue can be avoided if the meats and vegetables would just cook themselves. At least when it comes to shish kabobs, the Valigrill by Ruegg lets that happen. The electrically operated grill features a set of automatically rotating skewers to keep meat slowly spinning over the fire without burning. A combustion bar feeds oxygen to the charcoal grill, ensuring even and continual burning. The grill is mounted on wheels for easy portability. For good old-fashioned grilling, a standard grill grate is included, that is if you want to stand over a hot fire while all your friends are having fun.
(Via Appliancist)
The Honey Jar with Silicone Spoon from Blomus combines an old-fashioned design with new materials. While the jar is similar to just about every other jar out there, the spoon is silicone. It's molded into the beehive shape used in many honey jars, but the material is enough to make drizzling honey on to your favorite foods much easier. The honey doesn't stick as well to the silicone. The stainless steel handle of the spoon is attached to the stopper that serves to seal the honey jar. Over all, the Honey Jar with Silicone Spoon is designed with use in mind, although it also looks pretty good sitting on a counter and works just as well to serve honey on the table.
You can pour honey straight from the jars you buy at the store into the Honey Jar with Silicone Spoon. It can be used to store honey, although it's probably best to clean it out by hand every once in a while. Depending on the quantity in which you buy honey, however, it may not be big enough to hold the entire jar. The stopper guarantees that leaving this honey jar on your shelf won't result in a sticky mess. The Honey Jar with Silicone Spoon is $25.
Packing lunch for your kids--or yourself--every day can get a little boring. But you can spice things up a bit and have some fun with these atomic food containers.
You probably won't convince anyone that your lunch is truly radioactive, but you'll at least have the most recognizable containers in the office, so Kevin from accounting can't claim he "accidentally" grabbed your leftover pad thai.
And despite the warnings emblazoned on the bowls, they're dishwasher- and microwave-safe. They even include a built-in air vent and date timer, so you probably won't poison yourself with your leftovers. Snag a set of three differently sized bowls for under $10.
Anamorphosis refers to a distorted image that only appears normal when reflected from a special device--generally a cylinder with a highly reflective surface placed the in the center of a painting lying face up. This visual play, popular in 18th century Europe, has been modernized in the Anamorphic Cup, created by American-born designer Ross McBride, now living in Tokyo.
The cup is stainless steel with a polished mirror finish. Its porcelain saucer is printed with a distorted image. Separately, the cup and saucer are ordinary--an unlikely match, even. But put them together, and that indecipherable graphic is suddenly reflected in the surface of the cup to reveal a word--coffee, tea, his, hers, and so on.
The cups are great conversation pieces--but a little hard to track down in the States. You can, however, find them abroad, or contact the manufacturer directly for a special order.
