Together at last.
(Credit: Amazon)A bowl of freshly popped popcorn is close to being the perfect snack. Healthy, delicious, and versatile, the fluffy treat can take on any flavor you decide to impart upon it. The same can be said about nuts. Although high in fat, in moderation, nuts are essential eating. Nuts and popcorn together is like a secret combination of the universe. Snack makers long ago discovered the power of the popcorn and nut combination, but that doesn't mean you have to enjoy the mixture on their terms.
Nuts, like popcorn, are best served hot. Easy enough task when it comes to popcorn; there are many ways to make corn pop. From the stovetop to the microwave to the air popper, freshly popped popcorn is rarely more than a few steps away. But what of fresh roasted nuts? That is a bit trickier. With the West Bend Kettle Krazy Popcorn Popper and Nut Roaster you can easily do both.
The combination appliance uses a motorized stir rod and a nonstick temperature-controlled heating plate to keep the nuts from burning as they cook. You won't be able to make both nuts and popcorn at the same time--a simple control knob switches from "nuts" to "popcorn"--but when you are ready, the lid flips over and becomes a 6-quart serving bowl. Just like popcorn and nuts, this all-in-one snack maker makes perfect sense.
Kitchen scale or shelf?
(Credit: Cookware.com)Having a scale in your kitchen gadget repertoire is useful to the point of being essential; just ask any baker. Flour can be one of the most inconsistent ingredients to work with, due to its volume-changing tendencies. A cup of hard-packed flour contains much more actual flour than a cup of sifted flour. So, we use scales to accurately measure our ingredients. With such utility comes options, with designs ranging from the ornate to the sparse. Some even focus on where you store the scale.
The Terraillon Wall Mount Kitchen Scale, as the name suggests, is a kitchen scale for your wall. Measuring 1.5 inches tall, with a width of 10.8 inches and a depth of 8.7 inches, the scale is a convenient way for the home cook to keep a useful gadget always at the ready. Flipping up and out of the way when not in use, the scale also incorporates a clock and timer function. The scale has a load capacity of five pounds, which is perfect for most home uses.
Even if you tend to overlook the scale in your own kitchen, having one on hand is useful. With contemporary design and classic styling, the glass and silver-colored scale will look great in any kitchen--even if you only end up using it as a shelf for houseplants.
A cookbook doesn't seem a likely choice to feature here at the blog, but I'll make an exception for 101 Recipes for Microwave Mug Cakes by Stacey J. Miller because it's got a slightly tech-y angle to it.
Although Miller didn't invent the microwave mug cake (MMC), she really likes them--enough that she spent time creating and testing all the recipes featured in the book. The beauty of the MMC, she says, is that it lets you make a single serving of a snack in under 10 minutes. No leftovers to tempt you, one mixing bowl and one mug to clean--it's all good.
MMCs also offer kids a way to try out their cooking skills--but supervision is critical. Baking in the microwave is not without risk, and Miller cautions readers to pay close attention to her instructions if they'd like to continue using their kitchen appliances.
The variety of flavors in the recipes provided means you'll probably find something you like. If the peanut butter and jelly doesn't excite you, maybe spicy squash, honey walnut, chocolate blueberry, or pizza is more your speed. Check out a sample recipe online, and snag your copy at your favorite online bookseller.
There for you in the morning.
(Credit: Williams-Sonoma)The neverending search for the perfect cup of coffee is a well-traveled quest. Sometimes the journey takes us to the perfectly hot cup of coffee, other times to a place with full-bodied flavor. Perhaps the occasional espresso brewed to perfection makes an appearance. But one thing matters most when that coffee first hits your lips in the morning: you should know what you're getting.
The corner coffee shop may deliver a consistent brew, but for those who cannot wait, a home brewing machine is the only answer. The Krups Power Brew Coffeemaker is a solid alternative to the corner cafe. Featuring 1,400 watts of power, the coffeemaker belts out a pot of coffee fast and hot, delivering it between 195 degrees F and 205 degrees F. A showerhead-type nozzle gives full coverage of the grounds, assuring a brew that is well-rounded with full coffee flavor.
The stylish coffeemaker is decked out in a piano-black finish and features an easy-to-read angled LCD control panel. Programming options exist for weekday and weekend cycles, along with a small-batch setting. The glass carafe holds up to 60 ounces and is easily accessible at any time during the cycle, due to a brew-pause feature that lets you sneak out a cup before brewing is complete. Save yourself a trip to the coffee shop; even though getting there may be half the fun, it is more fun to have a well-brewed cup of coffee waiting for you in the morning.
Ever sit around with your friends talking about how great the world would be if only someone would invent your supercool and totally useful widget? The community at quirky is based on the idea that everyone has a product idea. It's a social product development company. Would-be inventors submit ideas, the community works on them, voting, making suggestions, and so on, and one product each week is chosen to move onto development.
During the development phase, community members continue to exert their influence, and eventually products are offered for presale. When a product has a certain number of committed buyers, it's moved into production, credit cards are charged, and the product ships.
The latest community collaboration is the StashCan, a kitchen garbage bin with a built-in storage compartment that holds a supply of trash bags.
Step on the foot pedal to open the lid, and toss your trash. When the bag is full, remove it--along with the lightweight, plastic liner if necessary. Then--and this is the part you're paying the big bucks for--replace the bag from a spare located in the separate (but attached) trash bag compartment.
How much would you pay for such a bin? $8? $10? Well, if you order it from quirky, you can pay $54--and maybe the design will go into production and you'll actually get one. You won't be charged unless the product is built and shipped, but I think I'll just stick to my under-the-sink bag storage solution.
Fun for kids and parents alike.
(Credit: Williams-Sonoma)The leaves may be turning and the clocks fallen back, but that doesn't mean good frozen treats have to go away. Especially frozen pops that are homemade. When you make them yourself, you can control exactly what goes in there, allowing you to make them as healthy (or not) as you desire. All you need is a mold of some sort, your favorite juice, and a freezer. Except now, you don't even need a freezer.
OK, a freezer is still necessary to make frozen pops, but you don't need to make them in the freezer. The Zoku Quick Pop Maker is a handy little device that makes frozen treats right on the countertop. Without using electricity, ingredients freeze in the cast-aluminum molds, as a proprietary solution sealed inside the base does its magic. The contraption needs to be prechilled for about 24-hours to do its thing, but once put to use, it can make several rounds of frozen pops at a time.
The whole process is perfect for kids, especially those with a mad scientist streak in them. Parents should like that they have complete control over the ingredients. From juices to yogurt and even fruits, the homemade pops are a clever way to keep celebrating summer all year round.
A hallmark of smart kitchen design is a properly calibrated work triangle--that's your sink, your fridge, and your cooktop. The idea is to minimize the steps you need to take to move between these three areas to make you as efficient as possible.
In a small kitchen, creating an effective work triangle can be tricky. In my galley kitchen back in L.A., we couldn't open the fridge and the dishwasher at the same time, which is more of a problem than you'd think.
But what if you could move the legs of your triangle around? Why be locked into a cooktop that's fixed in one location? Why not give yourself the freedom and flexibility to cook right next to the sink one night, and near the open window the next?
Designers David Barry and Laurence Finnegan have come up with a concept design for Lotus, "a wireless cooking system that offers an elegant alternative to the conventional static hob." The various pieces in the set are designed for different cooking styles, such as grilling, wok-style sauteing, induction heating, and so on. Power comes from resonant induction via transmission coils in the counter tops and receiving coils in each piece. When the cooking is done, each piece can go straight to a sink full of water for simple cleanup.
The pieces are also cool to the touch, so you'll have far fewer kitchen safety issues than with a traditional hob. It's a cool concept, and one I'd like to see realized. According to designer David Barry, "the only new technology applied is the wireless power." Even though the system seems to be "powered by pixie dust...it is actually quite feasible," he says.
Stylish and timely.
(Credit: Barriviera)During this time of year, I'm never quite sure if I believe the various clocks scattered around my house. The alarm clock says one thing, the computer says another, the cell phone another, and the television can't agree with anything. It is of course, all part of this 'spring forward, fall back' messing with the clocks tradition we have, but at times, I just want one timepiece to stand up and assert itself. And then I saw this range hood.
The Ora from Barriviera is a kitchen range hood that Flavor Flav would be proud to call his own. Making up the bulk of the hood is an oversized clock face. The concept is so well executed that it may take a second glance to discern that it is a usable wall decoration. But usable it is; the range hood features a multispeed extraction fan, halogen lighting and push button control. Two washable metal grease filters round out the utility of the machine.
Kitchen range hoods may be easy to overlook, but with a strong design, there is no reason one cannot become an important part of your kitchen décor. While the Ora may feature a timely design, the Barriviera collection is stunning in its depth and diversity. Be sure to check out its Web site for additional range hoods to complement any aesthetic.
(Via Appliancist)
While there are some fancy wine bottles out there, decanting your wine into the right carafe can make a statement. The Rocking Carafe, made by Sagaform, definitely falls into that category: it's a hand-blown glass carafe that can rock back and forth while you appreciate you wine. As long as the carafe is set on its accompanying silicone stand, it won't tip over or roll away. There's a reason behind the style incorporating a unique, rounded base, rather than a flat base, though. The large base allows for maximum wine oxygenation, while the neck is designed to make pouring wine simple.
The Rocking Carafe can hold up to three wine bottles' worth of wine (more than half a gallon), making it a good option for a dinner with several friends or another get together. It doesn't hurt that the movement of the Rocking Carafe can make for an interesting discussion. Luckily, this carafe isn't so different from a Weeble Wobble: it will wobble, but it won't fall over. Your guests can safely pour their own drinks. The Rocking Carafe is available for around $35. It is available in a gift box and can make for a good present for a wine aficionado.
Can't decide? Have both.
(Credit: Sanyo)Indecision can be a wonderful thing. When choices present themselves, there are times when it seems impossible to make a decision. In the kitchen, sometimes this waffling creates inspiration. Craving for more than one type of food can lead to experimentation when the answer is simply to have both. Spectacular combinations can be formed out of this alliance, from peanut butter and chocolate to fried chicken and waffles.
The Sanyo Indoor Barbecue Grill and Griddle combines two great cooking appliances and merges them into one. With 200 square inches of cooktop real estate, the combination appliance has ample room to cook up new creations from your imagination. The 1,300-watt device has an adjustable temperature range from 200 degrees F to 425 degrees F. The grill features a grease channel, for fat and grease to drain away, while the griddle has a convenient integrated lid.
Perfect for all-in-one cooking, the cooktop makes it easy to plan complete meals with just one appliance. Classic combinations such as steak with eggs and burgers covered in melted cheese are easily made using the features of this gadget. And of course, the design encourages experimentation. It may not be capable of cooking fried chicken and waffles, but that doesn't mean you can't give steak and pancakes a try. Let your imagination run wild.
