THE PERFECT CHEESE GRATER

I haven't posted a Kitchen Tool I love in a while, so I thought I would share one of my more recent kitchen gadget purchases with you! I always get so fed up with cheese graters , they never sit properly, they are always tipping over if you apply to much pressure, the handle never quite fits well in your hand...the list is never ending! But, I have finally found an erganomical, perfet cheese grater! I found mine at Kitchen Stuff Plus, but I am sure this type of grater is all around.

The Counseltron Pyramid Tower Grater is a three side grater, with a easy grip top, and grips on the bottom so that it stays sturdy and doesn't move during the grating process. With this extra balance and stability, it allows for perfectly grated cheese every time!

And the best part is - it's only ten bucks! Cheap and great - what more could you ask for?

Buy online or in stores @ Kitchen Stuff Plus
http://www.kitchenstuffplus.com/shop/product.php?d=&sd=&pid=W002752

photo credit: kitchenstuffplus.com

FOOD&DRINK FINDS

So as many of you probably know, FOOD&DRINK (Ontario LCBO's magazine) is one of my all-time favourite food magazines. The recipes, wine, writing, pictures - it's all top notch. But one of my favourite things about the magazine is that they are always on the lookout for cool products that you can actually use around your kitchen or in everday life. I was reading the sprind 2010 issue this morning and came across some great finds which I thought I would share with you.

The "URGE TO SUBMERGE"

This kitchen gadget may look strange - but it is such a great tool. It is a little basket that is submersible and made of flexible food-safe silicone. The "foodpod" takes away all of your anxieties when boiling food. You can now boil eggs without cranking them, easily blanch broccoli and then shock them right away in cold water, steam a pound of mussels, coo potatoes and then lift to drain, or even submerge whole spices and herbs into soup stock. This foodpod is available at www.dansecoinc.com or call 1-877-DANESCO to find where this product is sold near you! (price: $22.99)

WINE SKINS

What a genius invention! These bottle enclosures (for $3.50) are the perfect leak-proof solution for any traveler with a bottle that because of travel restrictions are prohibited from putting the liquid into their carry-on. Instead of rolling your breakable bottles in your clothes and risking the chance of it breaking and then spilling all of your stuff, wineskins provide you with the ability to prevent the bottle from breaking. Reinforced bubble wrap and the shape is designed to prevent all liquid travel problems. Perfect for wine, spirits, olive oil or even shampoos! Call 1-877-AGE-WINE to find a retailer nearest you! HAPPY TRAVELS!

photo credit: google images & my own pictures

CAKE CUTTER

Cutting a cake means there is always one bad slice at the beginning. There is rarely a "perfect" slice cut right off the bat, unfortunately. But with this new product called the "Main Squeeze," Magisso's "clasp-and-lift cake slicer oops-proofs the serving process." (Toronto Life) Cake cutting made easy! And with this cool design you can probably imagine why! This interesting kitchen tool is available at Studio Brillantine in Toronto. 

Studio Brillantine specializes in presenting new designs that are exciting and different. According to Studio Brillantine, "the designers, architects and artists have enriched our culture showing us a new way to experience the everyday creating products for us to enjoy and experience in our lives connecting us to their world. " The Studio Brillantine collection are objects that are chosen because of their historical significance, quality, function, emotional and visual impact, innovation, humour and vision! Check out the arry of interesting and crazy products Studio Brillantine has to offer - including the main squeeze cake cutter! This product definitely fits Studio Brillantine's collection to a tee!

Studio Brillantine

1518 Queen St. W.
Toronto, Ontario
416‑536-6521
http://www.studiobrillantine.com/

photo credit: torontolife.com & google images

POPSICLES

Making popsicles was one of the best things about summer when I was younger. We would always make our own popsicles using different juices or yogurt and a mold. They were always so fun, and waiting for them to freeze always felt too long!

We used to just use molds with popsicle sticks - which worked great, but now they are so many more options out there, making it even more fun for kids!

LAKELAND (creative kitchenware) has a great line of popsicle (lollipop as this British company says) molds. Check them out!

The strawberry molds are my favourite! But the twist holders and the rubber ones that you squeeze make it very easy for kids to get their popsicles!

Buy LAKELAND products online HERE !! Have fun with your kids this summer and spice up your popsicle making!


photo credit: lakeland.co.uk

NIGELLA'S KITCHENWARE

Nigella Lawson - a domestic goddess! I first came across her kitchenware while visiting family in London. At the end of one of the streets I walked each day was a kitchen store with Nigella's famous robin egg blue oval bowls in the window. That colour just drew me in and since then I have been a fan of her products. They are so elegant and the colours are so simple and fresh. The oval bowls are fabulous, as is her knife/chopper...the two handed one! Just lovely. Here are a few examples of what Nigella has to offer - and they are available just about everywhere across the globe now!

Vegetable and Salad Dishes

Mixing Dishes

Salt Pig

Salt and Pepper Piglets

Egg Cup and Saucer

Mezzaluna Herb Chopper

For information on where to purchase Nigella products online or at a store near you click HERE for her website's product guide and listings.



photo credit: nigella lawson.com & interior-tides.co.uk

PORTABLE BBQ

Ok so Bodum is a kitchen tool company known for their cool kitchen tools in Popsicle colours. They have just come out with a barbeque - one that would be perfect for a father's day gift! It is a charcoal-burning bbq - great for picnics or terraces and porches, also fitting perfectly into the back of your car, making it super easy to take the bbq with you whenever you feel like it! The bbq is called the FYRKAT Picnic charcoal grill and is easily portable, with a lid that fastens and silicone handles. (meaning no oven mitts required!) It is over a foot wide, making it round and large enough for burgers, sausages, hot dogs and of course veggies! It is $60 - so a pretty decent price for a great kitchen tool! I can't wait to buy one of these when I live in an appartment - because I don't think I can live without a BBQ - they are too fantastic to give up! 

photo credit: toronto life & bodum.com

MESH CHEF'S PAN

With summer quickly approaching, I know that I am always on the lookout for great kitchen appliances that will help me cook on the barbecue in order to get those great summer flavours into my food. William Sonoma has just redesigned their Mesh Chef's Pan. This pan is now even bigger making it even easier to cook a wide range of foods on an outdoor grill or barbecue. The deep sided pan expands, allowing any type of food to fit inside of it without losing it to the fire. The detachable lid makes it easy to add and stir in ingredients. A perfect tool for barbecue cooking this summer!

Buy online at HERE !!


photo credit: william sonoma

PIZZA - AT HOME

A Swissmar Raclette is the perfect kitchen tool for a great family night or even with friends for a dinner party. Family friends introduced this tool to our family, and the other night was the first time I tried it out - for a make your own pizza night with the family. There are about 8 raclette dishes which each person uses to make their customized pizza, the grill atop the raclette is needed for slightly cooking the dough first. I had never been at home for these kind of family pizza nights but Sunday was my first. I cannot express to you how fun it truly was! It is great to make your own, and put whatever you like on it! My little siblings loved it because they chose what they wanted to eat - for once!

The individual raclette dishes are hot once they are finished, but there are little stands to rest them on so not to burn the table, and the raclette scraper makes it easy to slip your pizza out from the dish.

It is up to you to decide what toppings you want for your pizza! We went with pepperoni, mozzarella, fresh tomato, basil, sun dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, pesto, tomato sauce and a vegetable antipasto.

I love oils on my pizza, this quintessence pizza oil is delicious, but I also love a chili oil, a great accompaniment to any pizza. Puff pastry is a perfect pastry to use for the dough of the pizza, it is light and quick to cook. To organize a pizza night, slice the pastry into squares that will fit into the raclette dish. Give the pastry and quick flash of heat on the top part of the grill before piling it high with pizza toppings.

This Swissmar Raclette is fantastic, and can clearly be used for anything - not just pizza. It is great to roast vegetables on and you could even make a mini veggie bake on each raclette dish depending on what you like. It is a great kitchen tool as it lets everyone be creative and eat what they want and the flavours they like!

Here is a picture of the Swissmar Raclette. You can buy them online at Kitchen Niche.

Give this Swissmar Raclette a try! It is a perfect kitchen tool to invest in and I guarantee you a lot of family fun and creativity!

photo credit: my images & kitchen niche

BRIE CHEESE

Who doesn't love brie cheese? Nothing better then the soft cow's cheese which when heated up just melts in your mouth. Brie usually comes in a wheel, or as a segment of the wheel. A "Brie Baker" which I found at Chapters is a great ceramic pot in which you can "bake your brie" in order to get that oozing cheese effect. A Brie Baker is a great kitchen tool to have, perfect for appetizers at a dinner party. My step-mom and godmother make warmed Brie wheels all the time, and I have to say, they are delicious. To use the Brie Baker, you would simply put a Brie wheel into the pot and follow the directions to heat it up. To add flavour or variety to the Brie, you can put any type of chutney on top (we often use apricot) or even dried cranberries work nicely. I'm sure the Brie Baker's are available from a variety of kitchen stores, but right now they are at Chapters, check them out!

KITCHEN TOOL - PEELER

This utensil is one of my favourites in the kitchen, and any kitchen should be equipped with a "Y" shaped vegetable peeler. Not only are they great on vegetables but they work well with a variety of other foods. I use mine all the time - and I am sure you will find good uses too. They are great for peeling apples or hard fruits like that. But I especially love them to make "shavings" or "curls" of either chocolate or cheese. The chocolate shavings are great to put on top of desserts to fancy them up, they are decorative and pretty! For cheese shavings, I often use the peeler for parmesan cheese when I am adding it into a salad and want it to look extra nice, or when I just want thin shavings in my salad. It is also great for cutting slabs of any type of brick cheese! Try one out of new things and I guarantee you it will become one of your new favourite tools!

KITCHEN AID MIXER

This mixer is something that I cannot live with out while cooking. It is a must in every kitchen! I was given one by my mamma a few years ago and I am constantly using it. They are great for making desserts, but they come with a variety of tools that let you make pasta dough, bread dough, pastries, cakes etc. I would highly recommend for any of you cooking enthusiasts out there to pick one of these up for your kitchen. You will be amazed at how often you use this! They now come in so many different colours, so you can pick one to match your kitchen. I will be using mine tonight to make Pavlova  (a meringue cake) stay tuned!!