From Scratch

As you probably know, Linens ‘n’ Things is going out of business with significant discounts on remaining merchandise. Their website is still offering Cuisinart stand mixers, which have surpassed KitchenAid in Cook’s Illustrated’s equipment tests and are rated #1. I fell in love with these the moment I saw them.
The 7-quart model in the photo […]

I’m still incredulous.
I saw this about a week ago and have been shaking my head ever since. A 6-quart KitchenAid stand mixer for $899. What’s special about it? The finish. You have your choice of a copper or nickel alloy.
To me, this is not a tool for a serious baker. It’s a prop to be […]

I love trying new products and while I never hesitate to have a laugh over those I think are overpriced, useless or in the realm of more money than common sense, I’m also happy to share products that do what they promise and give me my money’s worth. That’s what we have today.
First up is […]

You might have a kitchen cabinet like one of mine: under-counter, storing heavy things such as cast iron cookware, bulky things such as a lobster pot, and small things that don’t get used very often. My hand mixer fell into that latter category and it was tucked in the back, requiring me to move at […]

In the food section of today’s Washington Post, Jane Black test-drives the Knork and other new utensils, including a clever one called a ramen spoon, for eating foods with noodles and broth, and Curvware, an ergonomic take on the humble knife and fork. She gave all of them a test-drive and the increasingly multi-media Post allows us to watch. [embedded video]

For decades foodies turned their noses up at the slow cooker, one of the most popular countertop appliances in America. Some of the disdain was justified, when so many recipes were nothing more than a hunk of protein topped by a couple cans of cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup — or both. […]

Perhaps I don’t pay enough attention to commercials, but I was aware of a store brand of microwave steamer bags long before I knew about the national brands. It was about a year ago and I thought they were so clever, but I didn’t remember to buy any till recently.
The concept is the same as […]

The current issue of Consumer Reports can help us to save some money in the kitchen, whether it’s appliances we’re in the market for or some remodeling.
It has published a list of the top ten things it thinks are overhyped, from turbo-charged dishwashers to trendy, beautiful countertops that might not be worth their considerable expense. Top […]

Handling dough for pies and tarts, as well as biscuit, pizza, bread and cookie doughs, doesn’t require a lot of equipment; I once rolled out pie dough with a wine bottle at a friend’s sparsely-furnished summer rental. At home, though, I prefer more proper tools. The list of must-haves is short but browse any kitchen […]

Sometimes the old ways are perfect. I’ve mentioned that I’m a sucker for kitchen toys and that includes tools as well. This long-handled old tool is a favorite when I’m making something small, as I did today — six dark chocolate cupcakes, which I’ll post tomorrow. I got it many years ago in New York […]

Kitchen toys are my weakness. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a gadget, a small appliance or a re-invention of the wheel, if it can make life easier or more fun, it calls out to me. Take Saturday. I was in the gizmos aisle at the supermarket and spotted a set of six brightly-colored jumbo silicone muffin cups. Combine […]

If you’re going to use parchment in cake pans, there’s no need to buy expensive parchment rounds, nor do you have to go to the bother of tracing and cutting. Here’s the quick and simple way. Tear about a foot of parchment off the roll and fold it four times, until you have a small […]