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Easy as can be.
(Credit: Solutions.com)I never knew you could get a spatula with what amounts to training wheels, but the more I look at this thing, the more I like it. Think about it: the first actual cooking implement most of us use as we learn to cook is the spatula. I'm going to guess one of the first things many children learn to do in the kitchen is to fry an egg. At least it was in my case (ruining the good egg pan in the process). As hand-eye coordination develops, it can be challenging for a child to do simple tasks in the kitchen, A little help in the form of a raised edge could go a long way.
While the Backstop Spatula seems to be designed with the grill in mind rather than as a helping hand for those new to the kitchen, that only makes it more useful. Grillers can encourage the young ones to participate knowing in confidence that the burger won't end up on the ground. Simply slide, tilt, and flip.
Maybe that's where the true value of this spatula resides: in its ease-of-use for the grill. After all, if you are going to be outside grilling, most likely you are going to have a beer in your hand. After all, sometimes it's not just the young who need help with their motor coordination skills. I'm not saying you are going to need a specialty spatula, but hey, one can never be too careful.
Keeps the party going.
(Credit: Organize.com)If my prediction for beer-can chicken gaining in popularity doesn't come true, I have a backup plan: fondue. The once-popular, and practically mandatory, party accessory seems to be making a comeback. In a world where Internet fads come and go like the dying breeze, I see no reason why the fondue party cannot once again dominate the casual get-together scene. Any planned interaction at a party serves two purposes: first to keep your guests entertained, but more importantly, set activities act as an ice-breaker.
Your guests will certainly be talking upon seeing this Blomus 24 Piece Fondue Set. Accommodating six guests, the set includes 12 dipping utensils and six resting bowls, which orbit around a large 3.9-quart nonstick fondue pot. The striking set is crafted from German-engineered stainless steel and stands 10 inches tall, with a 16.5-inch diameter.
With a fun, immersive (and delicious) activity to capture your guests' attention and imagination, your party is sure to be a hit. You really can't miss if you serve cheese or chocolate, and with the simple addition of a lit sterno can, you can please your guests with melted delights. Of course, at almost $500 for this particular set, one might wish to reconsider just cooking up some beer-can chicken.
I vote for beer-can chicken.
(Credit: Chefs)I'm going to make a bold prediction: bacon may well have been the favorite food obsession of the Internet during 2008, but beer can chicken is going to wrestle the mantle away this year. Of course, we won't know the results of this delicious statement well until mid-summer, but all the signs are there. We have seen a recent explosion of interest in the cooking method, and now we are seeing more products designed to deliver the classic meal. From ceramic cookers looking to mimic the process to simple devices resembling colanders or mesh steamers, the fact is clear that beer-can chicken is here to stay. However, it may be time to up the ante.
The BeeRoaster with Potato Clips builds upon the popular concept by adding the ability to roast up to four potatoes. Designed for both grill and oven use, the BeeRoaster can be used any time of the year. Featuring a simple one-piece construction, the bird slips over the center piece, while added wine or beer flavors the chicken. Additionally, you can simultaneously roast vegetables that will be flavored by the drippings from the bird. Attach four potatoes to really cook a complete meal, all with one device.
Beer-can chicken is an ingenious invention. The bird remains moist and flavorful, while evenly roasting on the outside. Even if beer-can chicken does not become even more famous than it already is, I certainly look forward to some delicious beer-can chicken tasting. Based on the simple truism that everything goes well with bacon, the only food that will ever really be able to share in bacon's glory is chicken; a food that everything tastes like.
If you are of the mind to redecorate your kitchen, you may want to think twice about installing the usual boring old cabinets that are simply designed to just hold stuff. Get yourself one of those hanging pan racks, and free up your cupboard space for more important things, like beer-brewing equipment.
All kitchen counters should have this functionality.
(Credit: Nano Brewing Technologies)The NanoBrewMaster Home Brew Station takes the concept of an all-in-one appliance and brings it into another dimension. Sure, we have combination appliances that can poach an egg while making toast, but I don't see many kitchen items that incorporate the actual kitchen counter.
Housing a complete brewery inside of a 2-foot by 8-foot kitchen counter, the NanoBrewMaster is compact, mobile, and more exciting than your everyday kitchen cupboard. From sterilization on through to beer at the tap, the brewing of beer is handled automatically by the onboard computer system.
In addition to self-cleaning, the system also recognizes when to heat and when to cool, insuring that a cool, refreshing home brew is waiting for you at the other end of the tap. Two 7.5-gallon containers allow for up to 15 gallons of beer per brewing cycle. Experiment with one, and stay traditional with the other.
Not only due to the fact that this is an all-in-one system, this is definitely a beginner-friendly setup. At its heart this is an extract brewing system.
Avoiding the time-consuming steps of mashing and lautering, extract brewing is a traditional starting point for the home brewer. However, it looks like you will have to wait to jump in, as no pricing or availability is out yet.
(Via Gizmodo)
(Credit:
Appliancist)
The Superbowl will be here before you know it, and if you're anything like me, you've been too busy to catch live every game leading up to it. DVRs, of course, let you record and replay programs you've missed, but if you don't have TiVo or a similar device, you often have to rely on low-fidelity videos watched on your home computer.
With inventions like the MicroMatic v-POD Tower, however, replaying your favorite games gets a little more exciting and a lot more high-tech.
The v-POD beer dispenser has a built-in 10-inch LCD screen, and a remotely mounted DiGi viewer (an electronic multimedia interface that typically reads memory cards or routes VGA or video inputs to an external device). In other words, you can watch videos (or slide shows of your last Superbowl party) while you pour from either four or six faucets.
(Credit:
Appliancist)
The v-POD comes in several configurations, like the dual- and single-column varieties seen here, and is available in stainless steel or brass. The stainless steel dual-column versions will set you back around $3,050, and the brass version is slightly more at $3,260.
In other words, something like this is probably best meant for the very serious bartender or sports fanatic (or someone with a few extra bucks to throw into their home bar and a big urge to impress their party guests).
The remote-controlled beer cooler Brian showed you yesterday is one thing, but what if you like to stay inside your house? And what if you want a seemingly endless supply of beer, and opening bottles is just too much work? Well, then you need to get yourself a BrewMaster--Haier's beer dispenser, which holds half, quarter, and mini barrel kegs.
The BrewMaster is freestanding, so there's no kitchen renovation necessary. Of course, you can always build it into a cabinet or a counter for that polished look. The tap is compatible with the most common U.S. systems, and the dispenser comes with a tap system cleaning kit.
The BrewMaster is on casters, so you can roll it right next to your recliner, although there is no remote control. If you can get over that hurdle, you can choose your model in black, stainless steel, or virtual steel. The unit retails for about $600.
Keep the party rolling.
(Credit: Hammacher Schlemmer)I'm not sure exactly who this beverage cooler is designed for. I mean, there's lazy, and then there is lazy. I imagine resting in a lawn chair or hammock, enjoying a nice adult beverage, when suddenly the need for a refill becomes apparent. Luckily, right by my side, there would be a cooler filled with refreshments. Which is what is confusing me--if I'm planning on being super lazy, why would the cooler be anywhere but right beside me? I wouldn't even get a chance to use the remote.
Be that as it may, I suppose there could be instances when I'm relaxing with some friends and I find myself in need of a remote-controlled cooler. For example, I could be socializing (meaning walking around) with friends at a tailgate party. If I found myself out of beer, I could simply dial up my handy remote controlled cooler for a refill.
The Remote Controlled Beverage Cooler is capable of delivering 12 cans or bottles (with ice) up to a range of 40 feet. The remote is simple to operate, with basic controls, including forward, back, left and right. The sides are water resistant vinyl, which allows for the whole cooler to be collapsed into a small size for storage.
Now, if the cooler would just be able to go to the store for a beer run, then I'd be in.
Beer-can chicken, no can required.
(Credit: Solutions)If you've ever had beer can chicken you know how good it can be. Normally made on the grill, the chicken literally rests on top of an open beer can. The steam generated by the heated beer flavors and moistens the chicken, while the fat drips off. Your guests gather round and watch as the whole contraption cooks away. So, it's dinner and a show.
For those times when the whole can process seems like too much, there's an alternative. This deep-dish chicken cooker replicates the method, albeit not the experience. Sometimes the simple and easy way is more than just an elegant solution. This ceramic dish may not provide entertainment for your friends and neighbors, but when the meal is brought to the table, nobody is going to complain.
The chicken rests upon a reservoir, which can be filled with whatever you want (and you may want beer, you traditionalist, you). Wine, water, juice, or even bourbon will flavor your chicken from the inside out as it bakes in the oven. Add broth for an extra kick of chicken goodness. As the chicken roasts, the fat drips away into the surrounding deep dish. Fill the rest of the cooker, surrounding the chicken, up with potatoes (or any other hearty vegetable or fruit), and a delicious side dish will be done with your chicken.
While there may be no substitute for drinking beer while gawking at a chicken sitting on a beer slowly steaming on a BBQ, your friends will never know what they missed when this presentation hits the table.
BeerTender delivers deliciously frothy beer from any countertop in your house.
(Credit: Krups and Heineken)As a solution, Krups and Heineken have partnered up to deliver us the BeerTender, a counter-friendly miniature version of the kegerator. For those of you who wonder what that is, a kegerator is a full-size refrigerator specifically designed to hold a keg, or barrel of beer. The tap, regulator, and CO2 tank in the fridge lets you tap into a keg and drink beer for up to a couple of months without losing the foam or the flavor. Sounds great, right? Well sure, if you have enough room for an extra fridge. But if you don't, then maybe the BeerTender is the way to go.
Weighing only 13.5 pounds (without the DraughtKeg of course), the BeerTender is small enough to move between rooms. It plugs into any 120-volt outlet, and it has three temperature settings, a temperature-ready light, and a volume indicator. In other words, you'll know well in advance if you should be reaching for the backup beer. Not that you'll need to do that all too often, as each Heineken DraughtKeg holds five liters. It retails for $279-to-$299, much less than you'd pay for an expensive full-sized kegerator. And it looks much more classy than those college throwbacks anyhow.
(Credit:
Williams-Sonoma)
Maybe it's because I grew up in Texas, but I always thought the beauty of beer-can chicken was that it used materials you had on hand: a can of whatever beer you're drinking, a rimmed baking sheet or foil cake pan, and a grill. So it was with some amusement I read about this $25 stainless beer-can chicken rack on Kitchen Contraptions.
Turns out, there are plenty of other vertical roasting pans out there, from the simple $15 Cameron Cookware Chicken Beer Roaster to the deluxe Williams-Sonoma Stainless Steel Vertical Chicken Roaster ($30, pictured). Weber makes a $35 nonstick version for use on the grill, and one of my colleagues owns the Chicken Up, which has spikes on the corners of the pan for cooking your sides (corn, bell peppers, etc.) along with the chicken.
According to the user reviews, these vertical roasters are more stable than the traditional beer can, and they have the added advantage of letting you experiment with liquids other than beer. In fact, the more I read about them, the more I kind of want one. But I hesitate to buy and store yet another piece of cooking equipment. What do you think: Are these vertical roasters a handy tool or a waste of space?
