Pour and chill.
(Credit: Sur La Table)Wine never seems to be at the correct temperature when you want it to be. Oh, sure, there are wine refrigeration systems and chillers galore, but the fact of the matter is that when it's time to pour, quite often the bottle isn't as ready as you are. The result is usually an open bottle of wine getting progressively colder as it rests in the fridge. The end of the bottle might make it to an ideal temperature, but the same respect should be reserved for the first sip, too.
For those times when the wine you want to drink just isn't ready, you can speed along the process with the Ravi Wine Chiller. The simple device easily fits on to the neck of the wine bottle. The wine is funneled through the gadget and chills as you pour. To prepare for use, place the wine chiller in a freezer for 6 hours. The stainless steel interior is designed to not alter the taste of your wine and reduce the temperature of your wine as it comes in contact with the chilled surface.
Last-minute wine preparation never seems to work out quite right, but for knocking down the temperature a few degrees this wine chiller might be where it's at. Also a main benefit to consider is the portability factor: The gadget chills a bottle of opened wine poured within an hour--perfect for enjoying wine outdoors. Of course, you'll have to remember to actually keep one of these in your freezer, but that's probably easier than remembering to chill the actual wine.
At least once a week, I pull my wooden rolling pin out of the drawer and use it to roll out dough. Then I have to wash it. And I really hate that, because it reminds me every week that I want a new plastic rolling pin. The wooden one warps over time, and it's just plain hard to clean. It's not really supposed to go in the dishwasher, and I guess I really wasn't supposed to soak it in the sink overnight either.
Progressive International offers a cute rolling pin with extras that are smart--and useful. First, it stores 9 cookie cutters inside. The cutters come in fun colors--red, orange, and yellow--and shapes, including a boy, a girl, a heart, and a butterfly. Pop off the pin's handles to get to the cookie cutters. And at the same time, fill the rolling pin with ice to prevent dough from sticking to it. Clever!
It's also dishwasher-safe, which is music to my ears. You can find it online for about $20.
While there are plenty of great doughnuts shops out there, sometimes I just have a craving for plain, old-fashioned doughnuts--and none of the shops really have something that tastes just right. That can mean making my own, which is a process I don't mind making easier. That's where the Norpro Donut Maker comes in. I can mix up a batch of batter, pour it in to the doughnut maker and push the plunger. Perfectly shaped doughnuts are released; you can drop them straight into hot oil, or make up a whole batch to drop in at once. The resulting doughnuts have a professional appearance and a homemade taste. It doesn't hurt that I can actually adjust the recipe and get a healthier doughnut for my troubles, either.
The Norpro Donut Maker is useful for more than just making doughnuts, though. You can use it with pancake or waffle batter, dropping the batter straight into the pan without having to mess with measuring cups or other utensils. You can get pretty evenly sized pancakes by using the doughnut maker. It is made of aluminum, with a plastic plunger. The combination does make handwashing a better idea than dropping this particular utensil in the dishwasher. It's priced at $12.
Bertazzoni 36-inch Master Series XE Range
(Credit: Bertazzoni)Fans of Bertazzoni products will be pleased to note that the Italian company is expanding its product line with the addition of the Master Series. Joining the Heritage Series and Professional Series, Bertazzoni has been supplying customers with ranges for generations.
Paolo Bertazzoni, the company's fifth generation president said:
"For this particular series, we have taken the traditional styling of a commercial range and infused it with Italian finesse. The result is a proud and meticulous, yet practical design that will be the focal point in every kitchen, completing any decor from the traditional to the contemporary."
The strong styling of the ranges is evident in features such as the large round knobs to the circular temperature gauge on the control panel. The stainless-steel ranges have heavy-duty cast iron grates and a wok adapter and simmer plate are available. The ranges use a triple-glaze door to retain heat while a uniquely balanced airflow fan allows for even heat distribution.
The all-gas ranges will be available in 30-inch and 36-inch configurations. The larger of the two will have an extra burner to bring the total to five. Additionally, the sealed triple ring burners all have separately controlled flames, allowing for precision control that generates up to 15,000 BTU. The seamless one-piece cooktop makes for quick and easy cleanup.
The Master Series will be available August 2009. Suggested retail pricing ranges from $2,299 to $3,349 for the products within the Master Series.
Every summer, I eat box after box of Popsicles in an effort to keep cool, but many of them don't taste so great. I have a few favorite flavors and making my own frozen pops just makes sense. The Orka 4-Ice Pops mold set is ideal for the purpose. They keep budgets to a minimum and can turn just about anything, from lemonade and juice to yogurt and smoothies, into a frozen treat with the help of the freezer. The mold is actually easier to use than comparable sets: both the mold and the ice-pop holders are silicone, making it easier to remove dessert from the mold.
Using the 4-Ice Pops is simple--just pour ingredients into the mold and stick it in the freezer--and cleanup is equally easy. Each part of the mold is dishwasher-safe. The mold's base is cup-shaped, catching drips and protecting your freezer. Even the holders, which replace traditional Popsicle sticks, offer a wider base to reduce drips as you eat your pops. The only drawback is that the mold can only turn out four treats at a time--and with my family, that won't last long. The Orka 4-Ice Pops mold is priced at $12.
(Credit: Eva Solo)It's a hot summer day, and you're out shopping. You've got your look together and your accessories are perfect. With the minor exception of the plastic water bottle in your hand.
In addition to the environmental faux pas, it just looks...cheap. Dress up your outfit instead with a stainless steel water flask from Eva Solo.
The flask, which costs $75, will keep your water cool and refreshing all day long. Yes, you can freeze your plastic water bottle for the same effect. But it'll sweat all over everything in your bag, and depending on just how hot it is, you may be quenching your thirst with a block of ice you can't break up.
The Eva Solo water flask is available both in matte and polished stainless steel, and the lid features a smart strap, which means you can carry the flask around your wrist. The matte thermos water flask has a black strap; the polished flask has a red strap. And it's functional: the mouthpiece is easy to take off and put on, without spilling a drop.
(Credit: MoMA Store)It wasn't until I began to peruse the MoMA Store's Web site last year that I learned a valuable lesson about hors d'oeuvre: presentation is everything!
I'm no stranger to creating pretty presentations. In fact, many of my friends for whom I've cooked a meal will tell you that I care almost as much about how a plate looks as how it tastes. What I don't do, however, is spend much time thinking about how to serve predinner snacks, and so most of these end up gracing the coffee table in the same bowls that I use for my Cheerios.
And so, as I sifted through the various dishes and kitchen gadgets that make up the MoMA's store collection, I began to find bowls for appetizers like this Babyboop five chamber hors d'oeuvre that are just as ready to serve as sculptural centerpieces as they are to serve olives and nuts. Even though they may only be associated with the foods that come as a precursor to the meal or outside of mealtimes entirely, they make a surprisingly beautiful first impression.
The Babyboop bowl was designed by Ron Arad as part of a series of "large, blow-molded aluminum furniture-as-sculpture pieces" for Alessi. It's made from mirror-polished stainless steel that curves into four bubble shapes. What you put in it is up to you, but one thing is for certain: your guests won't be forgetting your hors d'oeuvre course anytime soon.
Chilled and ready to go.
(Credit: Hamilton Beach)Nothing beats a cool drink on a hot day. As summer heats up, we all consume a ton of drinks. As we spend more time outside enjoying the sun, it might be nice to mix it up once in a while with a nice blended drink. While most blenders aren't very portable, there is at least one that is designed to let you take the fun with you.
The Hamilton Beach Thermal Cooler Blender combines a blender and a thermos into one convenient unit. Featuring the capability to blend drinks right in the cooler, the appliance makes it easy to create your drinks and then head out the door. The cooler keeps drinks chilled for up to eight hours and is perfect for taking to summer hot spots like the beach or the park. Available in either red or blue, the unit also comes with a traditional blender jar.
Whether you're blending drinks for home or on the go, this combination appliance makes it easy to save time. With the summer season off and running, that means more time outside actually having fun. Having a cool blended drink anywhere you go certainly adds to the experience. Margaritas anyone?
I love garlic. Mincing it, I'm not so much a fan of. But eating it? Yeah, I like that. I add minced garlic to nearly everything I cook. But you know what I hate even more than mincing garlic with a knife and a cutting board? Cleaning out the ridiculously tiny holes in a garlic press.
I know, they give you that little plastic tool to help, but it really doesn't. At least, mine doesn't. And there I am, hunched over the sink with a toothpick, going tiny square by tiny square, trying to get rid of garlic bits.
Eva Solo, a Danish company that launched in 1997, has a potential solution. The company says that each project it releases is "created as the center of its own universe." The company's garlic press is a beautiful piece made of stainless steel, with an integrated glass jar for storing extra cloves. But the truly brilliant part is that the press itself eschews the typical holes in favor of open slits, making it much easier to remove those bits and clean the press.
Both the garlic press and the glass jar are dishwasher safe, and the entire contraption is striking enough to serve as a centerpiece--or at least to live in plain sight on your kitchen counter.
At around $100, this tool is about $95 more than your typical garlic press, but think of the hours--and the backaches--you'll save.
Classy and stylish.
(Credit: Williams-Sonoma)Stand mixers, being the workhorses of the kitchen, get put through the paces. I suppose it is this connection that inspires the home chef to decorate his or her stand mixer such that it is their own. From Alton Brown's flame hot-rod mixer to cow spot decals you can purchase yourself, the mixer has become an extension of personality in the kitchen. It certainly makes sense, since the stand mixer is the one doing all the work for us.
The KitchenAid 90th Anniversary Stand Mixer with Glass Bowl celebrates the longevity of the ubiquitous kitchen appliance. Complete with all the essential features one would expect from a KitchenAid stand mixer, the 90th anniversary model gets its vintage feel from the candy-apple red coating and the inclusion of a tempered glass bowl. The 10-speed mixer has the familiar tilt-back head and comes with a flat beater, a dough hook, a wire whip and a pouring shield.
Much like automobiles, stand mixers tend to reflect their owners' personalities. Unlike cars, however, KitchenAid stand mixers feature impressive compatibility through its product line. An attachment such as a pasta roller or food grinder that connects to the front hub will work with any KitchenAid stand mixer ever made. With so many accessories and features, the stand mixer is not only versatile and convenient, but is also handy tool for expressing your personal creativity in the kitchen.
