Serving

Slicing salad spinner serves speedy salads

Salads are greater than the sum of their parts. Much more is involved than simply chopping up some stuff and throwing it into a bowl; the construction of a salad depends not only on ingredients, but also proportions, preparation, and a knack for understanding collective tastes. No matter what salad you may be serving, before it goes in the big serving bowl, it all has to start with the prep work.

While salad preparation can consist of mixes and dressings and scrubbing and peeling, at its simplest form, salad is basically cleaned vegetables cut into a bowl. The Slice 'n Spin Salad Spinner with Built-in Mandolin … Read more

Portable food warmer for warm food on the go

Everybody likes food on the go. From street food to fast food, portable food always hits the spot. The allure of an always hot, ready-to-eat dish waiting just beyond your fingertips can be enough to make your mouth water. Sometimes, it's a matter of getting what you want when and where you want it, and other times it's a matter of bringing along your own dishes--literally.

No matter what your reason is for wanting warm food on the go, the Salter Portable Food Warmer can help. Not only is the collapsible unit powered by a standard wall jack, … Read more

Which came first: Round or square eggs?

Some kitchen gadgets are completely unnecessary. You cannot possibly justify these purchases as something you need; however, it's precisely those gadgets that can wind up being the most valuable ones in your kitchen.

Such is the Egg Cuber. Really, do you need square eggs? Of course not, but once you know that square eggs are a possibility, don't you just have to have them? Can you imagine a buffet table featuring a tower of poached eggs? That, my friends, is power.

Snag your Egg Cuber online for just a few dollars. Trust me, this is money well spent. … Read more

Pour some Zucch-er on me

No, it's not a crystal ball that will help you see your future. What it will help you do, however, it add a little sweetness to your tea or coffee.

The Zucch Sugar Pourer is a stunning way to hold one of my favorite spices, made of thick, double-walled glass. The visual effect is that of an orb floating in midair. The sugar isn't included, but there are plenty of pretty varieties that would look great, like raw sugar or lightly colored varieties. Sugar is poured from a small hole at the top, and the pourer is refilled … Read more

Sweet solution for your sour fruit

I have to blog about the Lemon Run, because, according to its Web site, using it a "smile starts running down on your face." And whom, my friends, can pass that up?

The Lemon Run solves a problem that many of us face. But let's let them explain it to us:

"Do you hesitate to pick up a piece of lemon from the plate before serving it to a dish of delicacy? Worry about spurting juice all over place, onto people's face or clothes? Spoil the enjoyment for everyone around you."

I don't … Read more

Grow your greens, and eat them, too

Somehow, with the birth of my fifth child two and a half weeks ago, I have neglected my garden a bit. But when I sent the bigger children outside to gather up the bounty yesterday, they managed to haul in the makings of at least a few salads.

Salad fresh from the garden is a real treat. And what better way to serve it than with these garden salad tools from Fred and Friends? The fork and spoon are styled to look like a gardening rake and trowel.

The tools are crafted from bamboo in a natural finish, so they'… Read more

You're set for sushi

While making sushi at home doesn't actually require that much in the way of equipment, not every household has the dishes necessary to do freshly made sushi justice. The Japanese Sushi Set, from Stash, brings the necessary elements together. The set includes two ginkgo-leaf-shaped plates, measuring 5 inches by 7 inches, as well as matching sauce dishes, measuring 3 inches by 3.5 inches. You'll find that the plates, while shaped similarly, are different color: one is a light brown while the other is a dark gray. The sauce dishes match. The set also comes with two sets … Read more

Environmentally friendly toaster saves planet and breakfast

It's not always that the hottest trends in design coincide with the most efficient. When it comes to many modern appliances, however, energy efficiency has become a key criterion in comparing one to the next. Consumers have spoken, and what they're asking for are appliances that use their energy more effectively and reduce waste.

The trend has expanded to include even the simplest kitchen gadgets. Take this toaster by Morphy Richards, for instance: dubbed the 'Ecolectric," it promises an evenly browned slice of toast every time for an energy cost of 35 percent less.

The secret to … Read more

Slice your bagels, not your fingers

As much as I love eating bagels for breakfast, I hate to buy the kind that aren't already sliced. Because slicing bagels is such tricky business, I either visit the corner store to buy a prepared breakfast bagel, or I buy packs of bagels that are already cut and decorate them at home.

The problem with this method is twofold: first of all, the packages of presliced bagels are never nearly as flavorful as the bigger varieties that they sell down the street from my apartment (I live in New York, land of the amazing bagel); second, if I … Read more