February 2007 Archives

  • Advantium Oven

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    Modern life rushes on at such a pace, that cooking is often left to the last minute. Meals are rushed and must be kept simple, but by harnessing the power of halogen light, GE help you cook faster and better. A single unit about the size of a microwave, the Advantium Oven bakes, broils, browns, roasts, microwaves and grills. Fabulous versatility and in a fraction of the time! It has four modes of cooking; Speedcook technology, convection oven, microwave or warming oven. The Advantium Oven is available as a built-in wall model or as an above-countertop model. The sleek modern style is easy to clean and complements most modern appliances. Inside, the rear wall is curved to accommodate a 16 inch turntable! Even a 9"x13" casserole dish turns easily and offers even cooking. For once those of us in the UK seem to have an advantage. The Advantium oven comes in both a 120-volt and a 240-volt model; the 240-volt oven cooks things in half the time of the 120. A batch of cookies takes just 4 minutes! No all we need to do is wait till they sell it here.

    GE Avantium 240-volt Oven (counter model) - $1349-$1599
    GE Avantium 240-volt Oven (built in) - $1899-$2199
    GE Avantium 120-volt Oven (counter model) - $719-$809
    GE Avantium 120-volt Oven (built in) - $1199-$1499

    For American retailers visit: http://www.geappliances.com/products/introductions/advantium/buy.htm

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  • A di Alessi Tigrito – Cat Bowl

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    Fabulous design need not stop at the counter top, even pets can be served in great style. The Tigrito features a cute kitten between two gleaming metal bowls. The kitten’s long tail doubles as a convenient handle that saves you stretching all the way to the floor. Designed my Miriam Mirri, the two tone kitten is engaging and charming. The stainless-steel bowls remove for easy cleaning, and fit snugly in the plastic shell. Available in yellow, blue and black the Tigrito is available for £35 or $80

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  • Beehive Kitchens – Heart Spoons and Scoops

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    With Valentines Day approaching, many of us struggle to find the ideal gift. Beehive Kitchenware creates lovely hand crafted designs perfect for this season. The kitchen is often the heart of the home; where love is poured into every family meal. Beehive Kitchenware captures this devotion in beautiful spoons of rustic vintage style. Using traditional coppersmith techniques and antique tools, Beehive Kitchenware creates practical works of art. The heart shaped spoons with arrow like handles are whimsical and distinctive, while fine details like the simple engraved lettering down the arrow shaft offers a lovely vintage charm. Made of hand-cast and lead-free pewter Beehive Kitchen offers high quality craftsmanship as well as charming warmth. Perfect for passionate cooks, these heart scoops let you show your love and appreciation. Available from Tabula Tua or Beehive Kitchens themselves, these spoons will become family treasures and be passed on for generations.

    Flour Scoop $42
    Coffee Scoop $28
    Spice Spoons $30
    Measuring Spoons $45


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  • Le Creuset - Heart Range

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    For those heading into the kitchen this Valentines Day, Le Creuset offers the prefect presentation for your hard work. Featuring a range of heart shaped dishes, all in their fabulous red Cerise finish, Le Creuset dishes show on the outside all the love and effort invested on the meal inside. Perfect for quiet evenings for two, Le Creuset dishes add old fashioned charm to anniversaries, birthdays, and Valentines Day dinners. The range includes stoneware ramekins perfect for rich individual desserts, a 26cm baking dish for warm apple pies, silicon muffin trays for heart-shaped breakfast treats, and cast iron casserole dishes for the your favourite comfort food. The range also includes matching red utensils and oven mitts. Besides offering the high quality and durability they are renowned for, Le Creuset will donate 50p to the British Heart Foundation for each product purchased. If you go to Amazon you can also get a Stoneware Heart Ramekin and lid free when you spend £30 on Le Creuset Heart Range items. (Our American friends can get the free ramekin when they spend $99.99 on any Le Creuset items.) With all these incentives, now is the perfect time to invest in this fabulous Valentines Day cookware, while also donating to a very good cause.

    Free Ramekin offered:
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  • Hug Salt and Pepper shakers by Alberto Mantilla

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    Not everyone gets into the red rush of the Valentines Day season. For those who prefer a less bold statement, the Hug Salt and Pepper Set offers a charming way to express your self. In simple black and white the Hug Salt and Pepper Set is appropriate for year round use. Comprised of two little figures, the salt and pepper embrace each other to appear as a single unit. Full of character the sleek ghost like figures are sculpted in a ying-yang like form, while the shaker holes form the cute eyes that peak over the others shoulder. Created by Alberto Mantilla, the Hug Salt and Pepper Set encourages us to accept our differences and reminds us how wonderful a simple hug can be. Available in the UK for £14.50 and in the US from Wishingfish.com, Amazon.com, and the MoMA Store for $24.

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  • Typhoon Vintage Chocolate Fondue

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    Valentines Day is for spending with the one you love, and for taking time out to appreciate them and their company. With Typhoon’s new Vintage Chocolate Fondue Set you can partake of the traditional Valentines Day chocolate, but in an unusual fashion. While Chocolate fountains have become all the rage, the simplicity of a flickering candle brings a cosy relaxed air. Prefect for bread, fruit and marshmallows, the Vintage Chocolate Fondue brings a new dynamic to eating; make it a brilliant way to reconnect with your loved one. Despite the name, the Vintage Chocolate Fondue set is perfect for cheese recipes as well. The vintage-style stoneware bowl is available in pink, light green, pastel blue, and warm beige glaze, and comes with a set of four coordinating fondue forks. At just £10 from Typhoon, it’s an affordable treat to make your evening special.

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  • Personalised Mug by Emma Bridgewater

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    As the weather turns cold, it seems this Valentines Day is going to be a snow covered one. While the restaurants are packed and over charging their captive audiences, perhaps it's the year to curl up by the gas fire with a creamy hot chocolate or soy latte. To make the evening even more special, perhaps a personalised mug by Emma Bridgewater will bring a sparkle to someone's eye. Handmade and decorated in England, Emma Bridgewater tableware has a lovely sheen and charming character. Part of her Polka Hearts range, the mug can be personalised with the name or message of your choice. The white pottery mug features a classic rimmed base. Decorated in a random pattern of red and pink hearts, Emma Bridgewater captures the essence and charm of modern England. The half-pint mug starts at £15 while the one-pint mug starts at £20, then its just £1 per letter.

    Personalised Half-pint Mug from £15
    Personalised One-pint Mug from £20

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  • Cillit Bang Universal Degreaser

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    My apology for today’s late posting, although I hope I can provide an acceptable excuse. This weekend Dan and I moved into our new house. For the last week we’ve been excitedly painting, cleaning and making quick repairs before the big day; and in the process we found today’s must have for the kitchen.

    Keys finally in hand, we entered the kitchen to discover we were faced with years and years worth of grease and grime. Over the cupboards, tiles, counters and even walls lay a tacky brown mess. Despite my revulsion to Cillit Bang’s loud shouting commercials and obnoxious viral marketing, I can’t deny that their Universal Degreaser works really well (and is half price at Tesco). A couple of quick sprays and wipe and the brown muck disappears revealing brilliant colour and bright white tiles and cupboards. It can even be used to clean ovens. Unfortunately the Universal Degreaser isn’t suitable for woods, marble, vitroceramic surfaces, or halogen hobs, though we did use it on our wood front cabinets. They may have lost a bit of lustre, but that seems a reasonable price for loosing all that grease as well. As soon as I find the box with the furniture polish I hope they’ll be good as new! Cillit Bang comes in a 750ml trigger bottle for £2.99 at Ocado's and most other online supermarkets. Known as Easy-off BAM for $5.04 in the US.

    Cillit Bang Universal Degreaser - £2.99

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  • IKEA modular IVAR shelving

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    I love the elegant simplicity of the IVAR modular shelving system. One of IKEA’s long standing products, the IVAR shelves offer a flexible storage system that you can continue to develop along with life’s changes. In our new kitchen the lack of space was a real issue, but with this shelving system you can create a unit that makes maximum use of available space. Bought as individual pieces, the end supports are available in four heights and two widths. Even the largest and deepest end piece is just £9. The shelves can also be purchased individually, ensuring you pay for just the pieces you need. With a fabulous packaging design, the shelves conceal two holes in which the supporting rods are hidden. Merely two inches long the steel rods pop into the line of holes along the end piece. The shelf features a steel channel at each end which then rests on the rods. A solid yet simple solution, the IVAR system is easy to adjust at anytime. Unlike many other systems the IVAR offers a clean smooth front free of distracting holes, making it perfect for use in living spaces at a later date. It also offers true freedom as there are no permanent shelves; each once can be set at the exact height you desire whether it needs to accommodate cereal boxes or canned foods. A dependable, solid shelving system IVAR can turn any spare corner into an over flowing larder. The IVAR example shown is available for £27 from IKEA UK or $59 from IKEA US. IVAR is constructed with natural untreated wood and is available with an optional black stain (£38 - $73).

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  • Chalk Storage Jars

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    I’ve been dying to write about these since I discovered them last month, and finally they have appeared in online stores. The Chalk Storage Jars are simple ceramic white jars, each painted with a square of textured blackboard paint. Capped with translucent rubber lids these jars are perfect for storing everything from spices and rice to coffee and sugar. I love the inherent flexibility in the Chalk Storage Jars. They provide a neat and tidy way to organise your personal cooking supplies, while retaining a uniform style. And as your stores and cooking style changes the jars can be wiped clean and relabelled. Perfect for cooks with a wide range of flours or ingredients, the Chalk Storage Jars offer the personalisation and organisation they crave. Dishwasher and microwave safe, the Chalk Storage Jars are available in three sizes and run from £2.50 - £9.00 at Heal's, and $5.99 - $19.99 from Joanne Hudson.

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  • Simplehuman Utensil Holder

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    Better known for their fabulous rubbish bins, Simplehuman also create kitchen accessories that provide wonderful stylish function. The Utensil Holder by Simplehuman makes it easy to organise your kitchen. Featuring three separate compartments, utensils can be grouped by material or use. A small shallow front compartment is ideal for storing those shorter items like pastry brushes. The steel body, also available in cream and red, is detailed with black plastic for a modern form that complements a range of kitchens. A hefty unit, there is no worry of it toppling over under the weight of many utensils; it is as sturdy as it is robust. A black U-shaped detail frames a removable spoon rest. The circular steel rest clips over the edge of the smallest compartment, keeping it close to hand yet out of sight. Well thought out design makes the Simplehuman Utensil Holder a compact stylish unit that keeps everything to hand and within easy reach. Available from Amazon UK for £14.99, Simplehuman have created an elegantly simple design that you'll wonder how you did without.

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  • Cone Egg Holder - Heal’s

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    Been looking for something distinctive and unique to add character to your kitchen? The new Cone Egg Holder uses basic shape and form to create a modern and quirky accent for your kitchen. The wire support twirls up the white ceramic cone, balancing eggs along the way. While the wire ring safely cradles each egg, there is a sense of precarious tension that adds a dramatic flair. The clean uncluttered design complements the natural curve of the eggs, while the simplicity of colour grabs your attention. And when Easter comes around, the Cone Egg Holder will make a fabulous display for all your egg decorations or chocolatey treats. I’ll admit I prefer to keep my eggs in the fridge, but with fabulous egg holders like this I’d be tempted to change my ways. Available from Heal’s for £20.

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  • Spice Boys by Koziol

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    Whether you are watching your blood pressure or love adding a bit of ‘pep’ to your meals, the Spice Boys bring witty charm to the table. Each bullet-shaped shaker features two eyes that look at you innocently, but they give away their true natures with angelic halos and devilish horns. Featuring two simple holes, the shakers are easily interchangeable for salt and pepper. Whether you indulge your wicked side by adding delicious salt or you wish add a bit of fire to your food, the devilish shaker will let you revel in naughtiness. Koziol's Spice Boys are available in three colour sets. The Angel is always white, but the Devil comes in white, black and red. The Koziol Spice Boys are available from Groovy Tek for £13.25.

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  • Great Houmous Shortage of 2007

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    It seems last week a routine test discovered salmonella in Marks & Spenser’s reduced fat houmous. Obviously it has been recalled and they withdrew their normal houmous as an ‘extreme precaution’. It turns out that Bakkavor, the Icelandic manufacturer also produces houmous for Tesco, Sainsburys, Co-op, Somerfield, and Waitrose and thus all of these store brands have been recalled. Now when you eat as much houmous as I do, a recall of this magnitude makes life interesting. Luckily a year ago Dan and I began attempting to duplicate the English Houmous recipe. Like many ethnic foods, what we eat here doesn’t quite follow the traditional recipes. Though it may not be exact, this may help satisfy your houmous cravings in this national crisis.

    English Supermarket Houmous

    English houmous is creamy and lacks the olive flavour of traditional houmous, and due to variations garlic should be adjusted to taste.

    250g dried garbanzo beans (or 2 cans)
    1/2 cup sunflower oil
    1/2 cup water, retain from cooking
    1/2 cup tahini
    1/3 cup lemon juice
    1/3 tsp salt
    1/3 tsp paprika
    1 garlic clove

    1. Night before- If using dried peas bring the peas to a boil in 5 cups of water. Boil for three minutes, then remove from heat and cover. Leave overnight.

    2. Drain and rinse the peas (both dried & canned) in batches and place on a paper towel. Run each batch over with a rolling pin. Then remove any loose skins.

    3. Once the skins are removed, place in pressure cooker with 5 cups of water. Bring to pressure and cook for 25 minutes and let pressure drop naturally.

    4. Drain the chickpeas, but make sure to retain a 1/2 cup of cooking water.

    5. Pour all the chickpeas in the food processor and add all the other ingredients. You want to blend them for about 2 minutes. The longer you blend it the smoother it is. It goes very creamy when you've got it right.

    6. The mixture will be a bit runny, but it firms up as it cools.


    And to make the green spinach houmous shown:

    Remove about half the houmous (500-600 grams) from the food processor. Then to the remaining houmous add the following and blend again until even.

    5 ounces frozen spinach (thaw before blending)
    1 tablespoon chopped onions
    1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley

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  • Guinness Marmite Spread

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    The news is flying around the internet, but what kind of British site can pass up the opportunity to announce the merger of two iconic brands from the British Isles. In honour of St. Patrick’s Day, Marmite are creating a limited edition Guinness Spread. Once a staple of every WWI soldiers ration pack, Marmite is a vegan spread packed full of vitamins. Rather an acquired taste, Marmite is made from the nutritious yeast by-product of beer brewing. For this Limited Edition, a special recipe has been created that uses 30% of the unique Guinness yeast, giving it a wonderful yet subtle stout flavour. For this release the traditional Marmite bottle is dressed up in the black and white Guinness livery and features thick white cap, just like the finest pint. Supposedly available from the 18th of February it’s not yet been seen around here, but with only 300,000 bottles being produced you’d best keep a sharp eye out and snap one up. The 250g jars of Guinness Marmite retail at £2.49 at most major supermarkets.

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  • Luigi Spoon Rest by Koziol

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    Fabulous and charming, the Luigi Spoon Rest brings friendly romance into the kitchen. Luigi proudly stands on his white gondola with arms wide spread. As you busily dash about your kitchen, Luigi cradles your wooden spoon in his boat as if he’s ready to push off to adventure. The adorable figure recalls the magic and love of Venice, and brings cute worldly design to your kitchen. Even better, Luigi won’t mind paddling around the dishwasher either. Simple to use and clean, as well as fun and engaging, the Luigi Spoon Rest by Koziol makes a tidy kitchen easy sailing. Available for £16.50 from Aporto and $14.50 from WellTemperedKitchen.com; Luigi comes in clear, red, blue, green and orange, perfect for adding a splash of vibrant colour to any kitchen.

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  • Habitat Sorbet Tableware – Outdoor Dining

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    As the weather shows hints of warming, the memories of hot summer barbeques and sunny days out have us eagerly anticipating the summer months. With these fabulous and robust melamine plates from the Habitat Sorbet tableware range, any outdoor affairs can be transformed into a sophisticated event. By mixing photographs and art with computer effects, Ibride have created dreamy patterns rich in depth and style. The range includes three coloured patterns in a lovely light green, a bright magenta and a deep sea indigo. The light green pattern offers an eastern exotic ambiance with its dark goldfish and white water lilies clinging to one side. The bright vibrant magenta captures the classic garden with blooming roses and monarch butterflies in flight. And finally the indigo provides the serenity of the deep sea, with elegant sea turtles taking flight. Wonderful dynamic dishes that abound with chic sophistication, Habitat’s Sorbet dishes make outdoor dining an elegant affair. And with a Dinner Plate for just £2.50 and Side Plates for £2, fabulous dining won’t cost you a fortune. Search Habitat for Sorbet.

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  • The Toss & Chop by Prestige and Silvermark

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    Designed for use within a bowl, the Toss & Chop mixes and chops ingredients in a single easy step. Perfect for chopped salads and salsas as well as omelettes and bite sized children's food, these innovative kitchen scissors make a messy fussy task quick and easy. Simply pile everything you want to chop into a bowl and the Toss & Chop' microserrated edges make it quick work. As the pieces get smaller, the rubber wings scoop them up while the rubber ridges between the blades help hold them in place. By preparing your fruit, veg, meat, and even nuts in a single bowl, it is easy to neatly pour the finished results into your pan and allows you to freely move around your kitchen. Easy to clean and never need sharpening, the Toss & Chop makes chopping and dicing fun and easy. Made of heat-treated stainless steel, and with a Dupont Zytel nylon resin body and Santoprene rubber handles, the Toss & Chop is durable dependable kitchen utensil. In the UK the Toss & Chop is made by Prestige and is available for £16 from Debenhams, while in the US it is made by Silvermark and available for $19.95 from Williams-Sonoma.

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