Al Dente

Marcus Samuelsson Cookware Throwdown

Up and coming chef Marcus Samuelsson may have lost to Bobby Flay on the Iron Chef, but he certainly took full honors when it came to his endorsed cookware.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Samuelsson's recent collaboration with Regal Ware has proven to pair classic cookware design with durability and function. And, the professional chefs involved in the test of celebrity-endorsed cookware from Rachael Ray, Emeril, Wolfgang Puck, and Todd English, said Mr. Samuelsson's Regal Ware was "the only one [cookware] that would make it in a commercial kitchen."

Samuelsson's cookware features tri-ply construction, is induction-ready (the next big thing?), and is made in the USA. (The latter point becoming more and more important to consumers these days.)

So, what's the downside? Well, it's a bit expensive compared to the other celebrity-endorsed cookware. But, if you're a serious chef with serious needs in the kitchen, the professionals in The Wall Street Journal test would seem to think that Mr. Samuelsson's cookware should be on your radar.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

The Ebelskiver Pan, the Cookware You Didn't Know You Needed

I first discovered (and blogged about) the ebelskiver pan last fall. Danish filled pancakes, oh my! But, with a small kitchen and too many single-use kitchen products already, I held back on buying one, convincing myself I could live without it. And let me tell you, I could, but that would be such a sad, sad life.

After coming across a few recipes recently, I decided to throw caution to the wind and plunk down $25 for a pan (really not that much, right?). Besides, breakfast has become a big event in our house, now that my one-year-old has got us on a schedule. Plus, he already gobbles down three or four blueberry pancakes in a sitting, so I was sure the ebelskiver would be a hit.

Now, let me tell you, I have only made ebelskiver once, but they are already an obsession in my house. After one bite, my husband maniacally declared: "You MUST make these EVERY DAY." My son had no problem downing four of them. My friend Chris, who didn't even get to try them, declared that I should quit my job and open a shop selling nothing but ebelskiver: "There would be a line around the block!"

My obsession? The infinite possibilities of this "single-use" pan. Sweet or savory? Fruit or chocolate? Plain or with powdered sugar? Pie fillings? International cheeses? Nutella?! For my first round I made a basic pancake batter and baked in a banana-vanilla yogurt filling. Amazingly delicious! With the last bit of batter, I mixed in some cinnamon and blueberries. They came out like little muffin bites!

The nitty gritty on this pan: You don't need any special recipes--you can just make pancake batter (from scratch or a mix) and fill them with fruit or jam, or whatever you have around. You do need butter, and I recommend precutting a bunch of tiny cubes of cold butter, and putting one cube in each indentation for each round. For one of my rounds, I decided to forgo the butter--after all, I'd already used butter, and the pan is nonstick. And while the pan did release the ebelskiver, they stuck just enough to make them a bit touchy to try to turn over. And really, all that butter is good for the soul, right? For turning, I recommend using chopsticks, one in each hand. Don't worry if your turning technique is a little sloppy--they seem to cook up just perfect anyway!

Well, I could go on and on about these fantastic little pancake puffs, but, I will leave you to ponder this delicious ("almost edible!") photo.

--KitchenMaus

Cool New Kitchen Gear: Prepara Neoprene Ice Cream Pint Sleeves

With all the buzz about Seattle ice cream lately, it's inevitable that I'm going to need something fun to insulate my loot as I lug it home to my freezer. And, Prepara's got just what I need.

First up: the neoprene ice cream sleeve. Similar in concept to those fantastic Built NY neoprene bags, the ice cream sleeve fits snugly and protectively over a pint of ice cream. It'll keep my cream cold and fingers warm while indulging straight from the pint. This sleeve is best for those days when I can't be bothered by more than opening just the pint lid itself.

Second: the zippered neoprene ice cream sleeve (pictured above). This is my favorite sleeve. It features a zippered top for full insulation and comes with a built-in spoon holder. This sleeve is really best for transportation from store to home, and for those emergency situations when gluttony takes over and I need to break out the spoon en route from my current favorite ice cream shop!

--Sous-Chef on the Run

I Scream for Ice Cream...Sandwiches!

They beat me to it. Serious Eats always seems to know just what I'm thinking. As a follow-up to my recent popsicle post, I was all set to rave about the cuteness of the Tovolo ice-cream sandwich molds (in farm-animal shapes!). But, Serious Eats got there first.

However, I will leave you with some recipes worthy of the cuteness:

• Rachael Ray's brownie ice-cream sandwiches
• Tom Douglas's triple-chocolate cookie and strawberry ice-cream sandwiches
• Paula Deen's peanut butter and jelly ice-cream sandwiches
• Emeril's mocha ice-cream sandwiches with macadamia-nut chocolate-chunk cookies
• Gourmet's praline ice-cream sandwiches
• Gourmet's gingersnap and lemon ice cream sandwiches

--KitchenMaus

It’s Cold Beer Season: The New Beertender Lets You Have a Draft at Home

Make no mistake, I love the chilled cocktails, the bubbly highballs, and even many blender’d concoctions on a hot day. But being from a small rural town in the Midwest (Lindsborg, Kansas, specifically), I have a serious soft spot in my heart for taking the edge off a hot summer day with a cold beer. And a cold draft beer when the sweat’s starting? A certain kind of barley heaven. Of course, lugging a whole keg around is a bit of a hassle (without turning the afternoon into a full-on hoe-down), which is why I was excited to try out the new (well, new-ish, as it came out in April) Beertender.

Made by two companies, Krups (who create a wide assortment of small appliances), and Heineken (who, as you probably know, make beer), the Beertender is, as you either know or would expect, a home beer-tap system, designed to work with the Heineken DraughtKegs (the mini kegs). I tested it out a week ago with a few friends, and we found it really easy-to-use (even after the second beer), and amazing at delivering chilly results. We were using the B95 model, which has on its LED control panel a couple of temperature settings (36, 39, and 42 degrees Fahrenheit), and a temperature indicator to show the keg’s actual temperature. In addition, it has a keg volume indicator to show how much is left (which is helpful if your one draft beer turns into a larger party and you need to pick up a backup). Oh, there’s also a “freshness” indicator, that gives you a 30 day countdown, in case you’re a really, really slow drinker.

The B90 version (which I didn’t test, but which I’ve researched) doesn’t have the multiple temperature settings, or the countdown, but does have the volume indicator, which is a good thing, because coming home after a hot day at work (or coming into the garage after a hot day working in the yard) and finding out only through the sad and empty glass that your keg’s dry seems like it would be torture. I’d miss the multiple temperature setting’s though, I believe, on this model, because it was nice to have that kind of control. Also, I hope that they’re going to expand the types of beer you can use in the Beertender. Don’t get my wrong, I like Heineken fine (all Blue Velvet quotes aside), but it’d be terrific to be able to have different brews on occasion.

In general though, the Beertender was nice to have around (if you like draft beer, that is), and could even be set up outside for a summer party. I think you could use it to make Summer Beer’s, too (though I suppose the folks at Heineken might frown on this, as well as any overly tight beer purist). To make a Summer Beer, which is a refreshing warm weather cool-down, start with a 24-ounce “big girl” glass. Then add 10 ounces beer, straight from the Beertender tap (don’t let it get too foamy). Carefully add 9 ounces lemonade, and then (really, it takes the edges off the beer and lemonade) 1-1/2 ounces vodka. Stir briefly and smoothly, add one more ounce lemonade and garnish with a lemon slice. Kick back in a lawn chair, relax, and enjoy the rest of the day.

--A.J. Rathbun

Serving Up Summer, One Popsicle at a Time

We here in Seattle, where the current daytime high temperature is 56 degrees F, have heard tales that the rest of the nation (more or less) is experiencing summer. We're told of heat waves and days where people actually see the sun. And while I'd hoped to write this post while lusting after an ice-cold popsicle, I instead dedicate the post to those of you chasing down the ice cream truck in your neighborhood. As for Seattleites, well, we can only dream...

And I do dream--of colorful popsicles in shapes of starbursts and rockets. Check out these super-cute popsicle molds:

• Tovolo shooting stars
• Tovolo rockets
• Cuisipro sailboats

The best part of making your own popsicles? You can make any flavor you want! When the sun does finally come out in Seattle, I think I'll try this recipe, recently featured on YumSugar (visit their site for step-by-step photos!):

Vietnamese-Style Coffee on a Stick

Ingredients:
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1-3/4 cups water
1/4 cup freshly ground espresso

Directions:
1. Brew the coffee to a strong robust flavor, approximately 10 minutes if using a French press.
2. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a separate bowl.
3. Slowly pour the hot coffee into the bowl with the sweetened condense milk. Stir.
4. Chill coffee and sweetened condensed milk mixture in the refrigerator until cool.
5. Strain the coffee, if needed.
6. Fill popsicle mold and place in freezer.
7. Once frozen, pop out of the mold and enjoy.

Makes 4 popsicles, depending on size of mold.

--KitchenMaus

Holy Giant Cupcake, Birthday Boy!

As you may recall, I recently looked into a few novelty cake pans while trying to decide what kind of cake to bake for my son's first birthday. In case you were wondering (I'm sure you were all on the edge of your seats), I decided to go with Wilton's giant cupcake pan.

As I tend to do when purchasing a product, I thoroughly read the Amazon customer reviews for the cupcake pan. This can be especially helpful with baking items since you may discover some great baking tips along the way. Several customers commented that the pan baked one side (the bottom part of the cupcake) faster than the other. I was worried about this, so I did a test run before the actual event. Turns out it did bake the bottom faster, but not so fast that there was any discernible difference in texture or moistness. So, we were good to go!

On my test drive, I frosted just the top, like a real-size cupcake. This was a big disappointment. Although it looked super cute, hello, who wants half the cake to have no frosting?! Is there even a point? So, for the big day, I went the extra mile and did up the bottom half in grand style. I used three frosting colors total! Green and white on the bottom, piped to look like one of those paper cupcake pan liners. On the top I piped a big swirl of blue frosting. I finished the masterpiece (if I do say so myself) with a sprinkling of Necco wafers--perfect for the giant concept. We even had an extra-large birthday candle to complete the effect.

The cake was a huge hit, and I'm glad I did it up right, even if my son will never remember it. I know of course though that next year's cake will have to be even better! I'm already on the hunt for new ideas--and I've got lots of time to make test cakes.

Dear readers--if you've got your own amazing pastry creation you'd like to share, send us a delectable photo and the baking story to go with it. I'll pick the most amazing one and post it on Al Dente for all to see.

--KitchenMaus

Cool New Kitchen Gear: CorningWare SimplyLite

CorningWare just introduced a new line of bakeware to lighten your load. It's called SimplyLite. What's nice about this product is that it bakes and cleans just as well as other nonporous bakeware, and each piece weighs up to 50% less than traditional ceramic bakeware. Although the entire bakeware line is expected to release in July, check out what Amazon.com Vine subscribers already have to say about the line.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

New Knife Set on the Block: Throwzini

You're a super-fast slicer with knives in the kitchen, but are you in control enough for the International Knife Throwers Hall Of Fame? Well, the manufacturers of Throwzini hope you will be some day. Or, at least they want you to look like you are.

This new knife set features five stainless-steel knives, held securely in place by magnets and plastic sheaths. Sorry folks--there's no real knife throwing skills to be honed when you own one of these. Unlike its more serious cousin The Ex, the Throwzini's just for fun.

----Sous-Chef on the Run 

Products to Help Make Your Kitchen Plastic-Free

There has been a lot of talk about plastic lately. Namely the adverse effects it could have on your health. Without getting into the politics of the discussion, I thought I'd suggest a few kitchen brands and products that are plastic-free and can help wean your kitchen off of the synthetic  stuff.

Food Storage:  Pyrex and CorningWare offer plastic-free solutions to storing your food. Whether toting your lunch to work everyday, or simply keeping leftovers in the fridge for reheating, check out these two brands for non-plastic storage and reheating.

Water Bottles: Alfi, Thermos Nissan, and Sigg. Either lined with glass or made completely from stainless steel, these brands will keep you away from plastic drinking bottles.

Kettles: Why plug in a plastic teakettle, when there are alternatives? For example, this popular and affordable glass kettle made by Medelco. Or, check out stainless-steel alternatives.

Cooking Utensils: Head Chef and I are fans of flexible, plastic cooking utensils. But, we're a little concerned about having one of these melt in our food. So, we're starting to replace our plastics with bamboo and stainless steel.

Did I miss any non-plastic brands and products that you love? Let us know what your favorite non-plastic kitchen item is.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

Who Can Say No to Novelty?

Just when I thought things couldn't get any cuter over at Norpro, they now have several baking pans I'm eying (and yet have no practical need for, but that's not really the point...). Check out the:

• Cakesicle pan
• Mini donut pan
• Mini cheesecake pan
• Mini popover pan (!!)

As a lover of all things bundt, and the many fantastic shapes those cake pans come in these days, I'm a sucker for these novelty baking items. Plus, my son's first birthday is coming up soon, and I've got to pick a cute and tasty way to commemorate the event. Do I smell cakesicles...? Or, maybe a giant cupcake?!

Readers, do you have a novelty pan you can't get enough of? Or, is there one you've been wishing a manufacturer like Norpro would produce? Add a comment and let us know!

--KitchenMaus

Cool New Kitchen Gear: The Shun Mandoline

You might get sticker shock when you look at the price on this new mandoline from Shun. But, let me tell you, this is the Mercedes-Benz of mandolines. I saw a demo of this mandoline recently and was amazed by three things: safety, results, and styling.

Safety: The clever design team at Shun deduced that the reason many people don't buy mandolines is because they're afraid. Either they've had a bad experience or heard horror stories. I could tell a first-hand--ahem, no pun intended-- story, but I'll spare you the gory details. Anyway, when using the Shun Pro Mandoline, it's nearly impossible to run your fingers or hand across the blade because the carriage features an offset handle. So, your hand never hovers over the super-sharp blade.

Results: I was amazed at how thin you could slice your produce. Think of the thickness of the ginger you get on the side of your sushi order. This mandoline could slice thinner than the thinnest slice of that ginger. So, what's the benefit in this for you? For starters, I'm thinking potato gratin, maple sweet potatoes, etc. And, how could those not be beneficial?

Styling: This is one pretty piece. The mandoline's legs are made of Pakkawood, which is known for its strength and durability. The black finishing on the wood offers a classy look to match other Shun Pro products. And, the sturdy stainless-steel deck matches more modern kitchen appliances. Overall, this piece is heavy, but that's what you'd expect of the Mercedes-Benz of mandolines, right?

Move over stand mixers, there's a new countertop king in town--the Shun Pro Mandoline.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

Cool New Kitchen Gear: The BeaterBlade

Outfit your KitchenAid, Cuisinart, or Delonghi stand mixer with the new, functional attachment: the BeaterBlade. This nifty little attachment beats, scrapes, folds and mixes your ingredients around the bowl without your constant scraping down the sides with a spatula. And, yes, it works! Check out the side-by-side demo. Available now for pre-order, this nifty gadget will be shipped by June 1.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

The Infrared Turkey Fryer: Your Questions Answered

Our sweepstakes for Char-Broil's Big Easy Oil-less Infrared Turkey Fryer has stirred up a lot of questions in the comments, so we’ve gone out and gotten you some answers. BBQ expert “CB” of Sizzle on the Grill—Char-Broil is a sponsor—dropped us a line with more information about this unique product for cooking a turkey: Q: How do you “fry” without oil? And how is infrared different from microwave and convection?
A: There are three basic methods for heating food—convection, conduction, and radiation. Convection is the act of air heating and rising and circulating around the chamber. A home oven is a perfect example of this. Every home oven is a “convection” oven, but if you add a fan to it you actively circulate the air and essentially speed up the natural process. For backyard BBQs the smoker or grill also uses convection to “roast” meat inside when the lid is closed.

Conduction is the direct transfer of heat from the heat source to the food to be cooked. A frying pan is a perfect example of this.

Radiation is the transfer of electromagnetic waves through the space. Your home microwave uses radiation. Microwaves and infrared waves are at different spots on the spectrum of energy. Microwaves hit food and “excite” water molecules. Infrared hits the food and that starts the heating process.

Now let me blow your mind. Deep frying is a form of convection heating. Instead of hot air, you are using hot oil to transfer the heat. Depending on the oil used in the fryer, the temperature is usually about 375 degrees to keep the food from absorbing a lot of oil.

The Big Easy uses infrared energy to “bathe” food. It excites the proteins, not the water. Thus, you are literally frying it. It’s just like sitting in the sun all day. The infrared energy will “fry” your meat's skin. The Big Easy doesn’t need a lid because it’s better to let the hot air escape. That way your food doesn’t dry out and there’s no basting necessary. Unlike conventional turkey fryers there is also no warm-up period. Just drop your thawed turkey (stuffed or unstuffed, injected or not, sugar-less rubbed or not) into the chamber and turn the Big Easy on. Infrared energy starts cooking it immediately and the cooking time for 12-14-pound turkey will be cut almost in half.

Q: Is the Big Easy hard to clean?
A: The Big Easy has a drain hole at the bottom to allow most of the drippings to collect in tray. If you line that tray with a food-safe liner, you can reuse the drippings for gravy. Any small amounts of fat and drippings that splatter on the sides of the chamber burn off almost immediately. Otherwise, they clean up easily with a scrub brush and soapy water. The wire cooking basket can be cleaned the same way or put in the dishwasher.

Thanks for the info "CB!" Readers, it's your duty to sign up to win this fryer.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

Elizabeth Karmel Coming to Al Dente

During the holiday season, we had several talented culinary professionals share their recipes, gift ideas, and other kitchen-related tips with you in our Celebrity Chef blog. And, it seems you all enjoyed it. So, we're aiming to provide more blog content from celebrity chefs throughout the coming months.

Our February contributor will be Elizabeth Karmel, author of the all-inclusive grilling and barbecue cookbook, Taming the Flame: Secrets for Hot-and-Quick Grilling and Low-and-Slow BBQ. Karmel is also the founder of GirlsattheGrill.com. The website provides backyard cooks (and women who are tired of burnt chicken and shoe-leather steak) with simple easy-to-understand instructions, lifestyle information and recipes for everything from classic cookouts to gourmet grill meals. Look forward to her recipes and tips coming to Al Dente starting this week.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

The Al Dente Blog Sweepstakes. Sign up to Read--Sign up to Win!

Hey Readers,

We've cooked up something special for you this month--our first Al Dente Blog Sweepstakes! Subscribe to Al Dente's  E-mail Digest* starting Tuesday, February 5, and you'll be automatically entered to win our random drawing for Char-Broil's The Big Easy Oil-Less Infrared Turkey Fryer. The daily digest will be delivered to the e-mail address that you provide and will contain our latest post(s). All you have to do is sign up before February 26, 2008. Read the official rules here.

Haven't heard of the oil-less turkey fryer, check out the video.

Good luck!

--Sous-Chef on the Run

*PS. You'll find the E-mail Digest in the upper right corner of our blog page. 

Reader Question: What Are Steak Stones?

Al Dente reader Frank recently wrote:

Years ago while in Nimes, France our USN P-3 crew went out for dinner.  Since most of us didn't read (let alone speak) French, one who had apparently done pretty well with high school French handled the basic translations for ordering.  After a couple glasses of wine, then salad, dinner began arriving.  First up were thick steaks for all....rare ("What the hell did you order for us knucklehead?!?")....soon followed by thick slabs (~7"x7"x1") of very HOT stone mounted in steel frames.  It was then revealed that you cooked your own steak on your very own "hot rock" to your desired degree of "done-ness" while slicing and dining until finished. 

What are these "hot rocks" in steel frames known as, and where can I find them?  Many thanks if you have any other info on this type of table-top cooking.  They were delicious!

Cooking with Stone
These "hot rocks" are made of either soapstone or lava stone and are used in various forms of cookware. Many restaurants in the states offer the form of dining you described. I went to one in Fort Myers, Florida named Tetley's Steak & Stone. Essentially they give you a raw steak, sides, dipping sauces, and a really hot stone to grill the steak on. It's like a fancy version of Cousin Eddie's chicken cookout in Vegas Vacation.

You can purchase soapstone and lava stone cookware from various websites. Here are a few:
- Bucks County Soapstone
- Fante's Kitchen Wares Shop
- The Steak on the Stone Co.
- Hot Rock

Frank, I hope this was helpful and that you invite the Al Dente crew over for dinner.

--Spanno

Your KitchenAid Color Horoscope

Over the holidays I went over to my friend Jill's house for the first time. When I entered her kitchen I immediately exclaimed, "You have a GRAPE KitchenAid mixer!" Yes, I may be a little bit insane, but this was one of the highlights of the holiday season for me. You see, other people go to friends' houses and secretly peek in their medicine cabinets. Me, I stroll into the kitchen and check out the color of KitchenAid mixer the person has. This one detail speaks volumes about a person.

Now a grape KitchenAid mixer is truly extraordinary. Not many people can pull this off. Grape says that the owner is bold, daring, and perhaps a little bit quirky. And most of all, cool. Very, very cool.

I personally lust after the grape KitchenAid mixer. I would probably never have it, but I want it. I want to be that cool. Instead, I have a cobalt KitchenAid mixer, and it is a prized possession, if not a little bit basic. Cobalt is like having a black or white one, but with a little bit more charm. A person with a cobalt mixer wants the splash of color, but is afraid of going too far.

People with black or white mixers have classic sensabilities. They are generally not making a style statement with their mixer. It may blend in with the kitchen, or it may fit a somewhat austere black and white décor. Or, perhaps they just got it as a gift and the gift giver didn't know what color to get!

People with the newer chrome and other metallic models, probably have modern kitchens, filled with stainless-steel appliances. These people tend to be quite stylish, and often clean-cut.

But, it's those people with actual colors, like grape, that really make a commitment to their sense of style. Grape, tangerine, ice, wasabi (!)--these people have it going on.

What's your KitchenAid color profile?

--KitchenMaus

Recapping the Weird and the Wonderful

Not sure if you caught this, but in the Amazon Kitchen Store over the last few weeks we featured some of our most unique products in a series called "The Weird and the Wonderful." In case you missed the series, I thought it was worth recapping on the blog. There's some pretty fun stuff out there! Check these out:

• Fred voodoo toothpick holder
• Animal House utensils
• Lush Life ice luge, ice kebabs, and other icy "essentials"
• Peanut butter and jelly Christmas ornament
• Lush Life bar and wine tools
• Fred Hot Head dog and frog mitts
• Kurt Adler nutcrackers
• Pie bird and plate sets
• Nordic Ware bundt pans in unusual shapes
• Whimsical cookie jars
• Capresso H2O Plus
• Mr. Bento lunch jar
• Built NY bottle carriers

Did we miss any unusual but useful kitchen products? Add a comment and fill us in on your favorites!

--KitchenMaus

Latest Kitchen Gadgetry: The Garlic Zoom by Chef'n

While you can already get this (relatively) new Garlic Zoom at some retailers, I thought I would take the opportunity to tell you about this  little gadget from the good people at Chef'n.

Last week, my cook's tools and cutlery team went to visit the Chef'n folks in their Seattle office--only a few blocks away from ours. They sat down with us to demo their latest and greatest gadgets coming very soon to kitchen retailers near you. And, while I was initially dubious about the effectiveness of the Garlic Zoom, my doubt proved to be completely wrong.

This little chopper is sharp. The Zoom is easier, more effective, and definitely more fun to use than other garlic tools on the market, e.g., the garlic twist, a garlic presses, etc. And, the kind folks at Chef'n indulged us when we got into a brainstorming about custom designed Garlic Zooms. Don't you think it would be fun if you could model the wheels and color of the body to match your favorite cuisine? A hamburger with a bun for wheels? Falafel with green cucumber wheels? Or, even cooler--like your favorite Hot Wheels design? The Zooms could become big time collectibles and develop a cult following, sort of like Zojirushi's Mr. Bento.

Anyway, we'd like to send a big "thank you" to the staff at Chef'n for humoring and entertaining us with their latest kitchen gadgetry. And, if you're looking for a quirky, yet highly effective kitchen gift for that special chef, don't pass up the Garlic Zoom!

--Sous-chef on the Run

PS. Amazon.com will be carrying these within a couple weeks!

PPS. Nov 27 Update: We now have these available for delivery within a few weeks! Tie one on a holiday gifts for the special chef on your list.

Behold...The HDTV Refrigerator

Whenever you watch TV on your non-HD refrigerator, do you think to yourself, "Man, I wish this was in high-def"? I know I do.

Well, LG has anticipated this necessity and introduced a refrigerator with a 15-inch high definition TV. And in case you were thinking, "Man, I wish there were two screens on my fridge"; it also includes a constantly updated 4-inch weather and info screen that's preloaded with 100 recipes, a calendar, and a to-do list.

LG, get out of my head!

--Spanno

Velbekomme!

Perhaps living in Ballard, Washington, has finally gone to my head--or, at least my palate. Or, maybe it's my part-Scandinavian heritage. Either way, I've recently developed a strong longing for an ebelskiver pan. A what, you say?

This pan makes what appear to be stuffed pancakes. Really, it seems like you could use any number of batter types--pancake, cake, muffin, doughnut, etc.--and then just fill them with whatever luscious fillings your culinary heart desires. I'm thinking maybe a light pancake batter filled with tart lemon curd. Or maybe chocolate waffle batter stuffed with seedless raspberry jam. Or, how about going totally nuts and using blini batter with cream cheese and caviar inside?!

OK, that last one may have put me over the edge...this pan may be a real necessity at this point.

--KitchenMaus

Avocado On My Mind

Every now and then, a cook's tool catches my eye, and I just can't stop thinking about it, obsessing about it, and generally thinking I probably HAVE TO HAVE IT. Right now, it's a tie between two really cool looking avocado tools from Rick Bayless.

First up: the silicone avocado scooper. Now, you know what, I do not need this tool. I am perfectly capable of scooping out avocado with a large spoon. But, the design is so intriguing, so cool, so green. I might have to buy it anyway. These cook's tools manufacturers--they've got my number.