DIY Soft Serve Ice Cream
Could it get any hotter? I don’t even want to know. We could all use a way to cool off this summer. And is there anything that gets the job done better than ice cream? There’s something comforting about a crunchy cone filled with the creamy goodness that traditional hard ice cream can’t replace. Sure, you can find a Mister Softee truck (or a copycat) on almost any city block right about now, but some times it’s just too hot to leave the house. The only problem is we just can’t seem to get soft serve right in our own kitchen. That is, until we stumbled upon the “Mix It In Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker” from Cuisinart. This countertop gizmo makes 1 1/2 quarts of soft serve in 20 minutes, which means the kids (…or just...
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Curly French Fries at Home
“Curly fries, or regular?” Whether it was at a fast food joint or a 24-hour diner, we’ve all been asked. There’s something about the deep-fried, spiral potato that makes it just a little more fun to eat than a regular french fry. Don’t get us wrong: We love straight fries, but it’s good to change things up and why should we only get to eat them when we’re dining out? The Curly Fry Cutter from Sur La Table can help you bring curly fries to your own table as often as you’d like. Just place the potato in the top, turn the handle a few times, and out comes a serving of perfectly cut curly fries ready for frying (or baking, if you’re looking to make the snack a little healthier). The fries fall to the bottom of the...
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Smokehouse BBQ At Home
Summer is without a doubt high barbecue season, and while we obviously love all of the bbq joints New York has to offer, sometimes our smoked favorites are served best at home. And not everyone can grill in their backyard or even have a backyard, for that matter. As any aficionado can tell you, barbecue isn’t just about brushing some sauce or a dry rub on ribs and calling it a day. True barbecue has deep flavor that can only be achieved with a smoker. Which is why we fell for Brinkmann Gourmet Charcoal Smoker and Grill. This double smoker has a heat indicator, so you can carefully monitor your meats, and it even doubles as a grill in case you’re just looking for a quick burger or frank. The two grills can hold up to 50 pounds of...
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The Perfectly Chilled Wine
Don’t you hate when you order a glass of wine and it’s too warm to drink or too cold to even taste? We’ve all had that glass of wine that just wasn’t the right temperature.
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Fruit Infusion Pitcher
So you’ve fired up the grill, the chips and dip are set out, and your guests have arrived. But sometimes the perfect closer for a BBQ bash is the refreshing beverage you sip (or gulp) to wash down that burger. That’s why we love this innovative Fruit Infusion Pitcher from Prodyne (pictured right). You can naturally flavor a liquid of your choice by placing fresh-cut fruit in the removable infuser rod that screws right into the lid. The open slots allow you to brighten water or club soda with wedges of lemon and lime, or give a delicious kick to iced tea or lemonade with classic choices, like mint, strawberries, or raspberries. You can even come up with your own flavor combinations, like kiwi and mango or raspberries and basil for unique summer drinks. And for the after-hours party,...
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Mini Ice Cream Sandwich Fun
Let’s face it: Ice cream sandwiches never get old no matter what age you are. There’s something about a perfect bite of ice cream sandwiched in between two cookies that makes us all feel like a kid again. Of course, we’re older and we have a more sophisticated palate beyond good humor bars. We want something more creative, something homemade. While it may seem like a simple snack, they can get pretty difficult to make on your own. Ever tried to smash a scoop of ice cream in between two homemade cookies? We have, and most of the time it ends up in a bowl looking more like a sundae with cookie crumble on top. This Mini Ice Cream Sandwich Press makes creating these summer treats a little easier (and a lot more fun). And, they’re mini, so you...
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Foolproof Quesadilla Grill Basket
Memorial Day is the official launch of grilling season. That means hot dogs, hamburgers, steak, corn, and even peaches come dessert. This summer, we plan to up our grill game, which is why we love this Quesadilla Grill Basket (pictured right). See the problem with making quesadillas at home is that it’s nearly impossible to recreate that crispy, charred exterior they produce in restaurants. Try it on a barbecue and you’re likely to lose all your ingredients to the barbecue in the process. But with this basket, you get the smoke and char of the grill as well as properly gooey cheese without losing any ingredients in the process. You can make everything from a breakfast quesadilla with eggs, guacamole and salsa to a steak, lobster or fresh fish quesadilla in your backyard. Quesadilla Grill Basket...
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Bacon-Stuffed Burger Anyone?
Shaping the perfect burger is an art that chefs work on perfecting their entire lives. First, there’s the blend of meat, then the burger to bun ratio, and of course, the toppings, which could launch a thousand debates. But we’re always looking for some new form of inspiration, some new tool to experiment with, but we didn’t see this one coming. Bacon-stuffed hamburger anyone? We’re in. This Stuffed Hamburger Press, exclusively from William Sonoma, makes it easy to stuff your burger with anything you can dream up — from cheese to jalapenos to pickles and vegetables. With summer right around the corner, you can impress guests with homemade stuffed burgers in no time, or even let them pick their fillings themselves! We love the simple three-piece design. Just fill it with meat, add your fillings, and close it....
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Martini Rim
Ever notice how your bartender swirls a little gin (or vodka) around the glass before pouring your martini be it dirty or dry? Well, now you can play the part at home. Instead of the customary rinse of liquor around the edge of your martini glass, which often leads to waste (and who wants that?), this little martini atomizer lets you spritz instead. Open the top and fill the funnel inside the stainless steel tube with gin or vodka. One spritz adds the perfect dose of spirits to the inside rim of the cocktail glass. The subtle notes of flavor foreshadow that much needed cocktail you’re about to enjoy as opposed to overpowering the senses with just one sip. Drink up! Martini Atomizer...
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Gizmo Girl’s Wine Aerator
Exposing wine to just the right amount of oxygen not only brings out more flavor, but also enhances an effortlessly smooth finish and aroma. What we love about the Vinturi Tower Deluxe Wine Aerator Set is its sophisticated design and ability to enhance your vino in the time it takes to pour a glass. There are no crazy contraptions, no transferring of wine from one container to another, and reduced risk of spillage (we wouldn’t want that!). This 6-piece set includes the Vinturi red wine aerator (you can also purchase one designed for white wine), tower arm, tower base, no-splash grate, and sediment filter and actually looks impressively presentable on your countertop or home bar. The glass aerator securely hangs at the top of the tower for a simple hands-free process as you simply pour your glass of wine...
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Mother’s Day DIY Cheese Kit
Last minute shopping has never been our strong suit, so we figured we’d better get a jump start on Mother’s Day gifts. If you’re mother’s a chef, an aspiring chef, or just a foodie, this may be the perfect gift. We’ve always loved Do-It-Yourself gadgets to experiment and experience things for ourselves, but we’re a little intimidated by the notion of making our own cheese. That is, until we stumbled upon William Sonoma’s Cheese Kits (pictured right). We’ve seen and tried our hand at making cheese before, but these are almost too easy. And you can make cheese in less than an hour. (Yes, really.) Each kit comes with all-natural ingredients to churn out homespun cheese, including a thermometer, cheese cloths and bacteria. Your mom can make ricotta, mozzarella or goat cheese for pizza toppings, pastas, salad, grilled cheese...
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Gizmo Girl’s Sweet Tea Brewer
Winter… what winter? Which is fine with us as we happily gear up for spring and summer. One of our favorite warm weather pastimes is brewing authentic southern sweet tea. But it’s not quite warm enough to set a pitcher of water and tea bags outside to brew in the sun, so we thought we’d seek out a little assistance. What we found is this Sweet Tea Brewer (pictured right) that brews up to two quarts of tea in ten minutes. We’re just getting started. It lets you adjust the strength of the tea to your liking as well as the amount of sugar and even brews your tea at the perfect tea brewing temperature (which is 204 degrees in case you’re interested). This Southern Sweet Tea Brewer works with both bagged and loose leaf tea, making up two...
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Easy Holiday Entertaining
Holiday entertaining just got a lot easier with this dual purpose Crockpot and Food Warmer (pictured right). If you’ve ever cooked for a large crowd, you know the biggest challenge is finding enough counter and cooking space. A kitchen only has so many burners and city apartments are often more challenged. Then, there’s the issue of saute pans, pots and slow cookers. Whether you’re cooking for Easter or Passover, you’re going to need as many kitchen tools and you can get your hands on. This Crockpot-cum-food warmer exceeded our wildest expectations. There’s not one but three removable stone crocks, each with their own temperature dials so you can cook three different dishes at different temperatures at the same time. It also comes with three serving containers that you can use for anything from dips to crudite as well as...
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Spice Infuser
Seasoning food is an art. Overseason and you overpower the centerpiece of the dish. Underseason and it can fall flat. This stainless steel and silicone spice infuser by Gabriele Dorfler (pictured right) injects flavor without overdoing it. The silicone handle grips easily to the side of the pot or pan, so you don’t end up having to fish the infuser out, and even better, it’s heat resistant up to 240 degrees. This sleek infuser adds a little style to any kitchen and also doubles as a loose leaf tea infuser for an after dinner drink. Moma Store...
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Foolproof Fondue
I know we haven’t had the coldest winter, but it’s chilly enough to crave comfort foods and the perfect excuse to exercise your right to fondue. Or even throw a fondue party. Unfortunately, traditional fondue requires a sterno and flame, and while this method will never go out of style, an electric fondue pot is much more convenient for parties, tailgates, and even dinner for two at home. There’s plenty to choose from, but we’re sold on this Cuisinart Electric Fondue Set, which works for sweet and savory. The adjustable built-in thermostat heats everything from chocolate to cheese, and even broths, and oils for fondue evenly and without the risk of burning your fondue. There’s no fussing with an open flame and easy clean up thanks to a sleek, non-stick finish. This brushed stainless steel set includes 8...
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Nespresso’s Aeroccino Frother
If you’re a latte drinker, cappuccinos, macchiatos or even cocoa, you’re going to need frothy milk. Which is why so many people throw on their coat and head to the nearest coffee shop. After all, it’s hard to achieve respectable froth or steam without scalding the pot, burning the milk, or just failing altogether. Not anymore. We discovered this good-looking chrome frother (pictured right). It’s compact and a seriously great find. It comes with two whisk attachments, so you can froth two cups of milk at a time and it’s just as good at steaming milk, too. The pitcher lifts off the base for easy pouring and its non-stick interior makes cleanup simple — no rigorous scrubbing involved. The automatic turn-off feature is also great for busy mornings when the last thing on your mind is turning everything...
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On the Go Tea Infuser Mug
While we’ve been longtime drinkers of loose leaf tea, we admit it’s not the quickest or the cleanest way to make yourself a cup. Now, you have no excuse. We recently discovered these colorful tea mugs from David’s Tea (pictured right). Each one comes with its own infuser, which fits right into the mug itself. The lid keeps the flavor in while it’s steeping, and when it’s done, you can use the lid as a coaster for the infuser. It’s dishwasher safe and comes in plenty of colors. While you’re at David’s Tea, pick up a few of their unique and tasty flavors, like Chocolate rocket, Oh Canada, or our personal favorite, Forever Nuts. Tea time! David’s Tea...
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The Perfect Omelet
Cooking the perfect egg is an art and there are so many forms to perfect – from coddled eggs to poached and beyond. One of the most popular is the omelet, which can be tricky. Cook it on high heat and you’ll get rubbery eggs. Cook it too low and you’ll get runny. And then, there’s folding your omelet, which is the hardest of all, unless you have this Over Easy Omelet Express (pictured left). It might be a little too easy. Just add your eggs (up to 3 at a time) and whatever you like in your omelet, like mushrooms, spinach and cheese, then close the lid. No fuss with flipping or folding. There’s a hinge to flip your eggs and the surface is non-stick, so your eggs slide right out. This Kitchen Selectives Cooker works just as well...
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Ultimate Valentine’s Day Gift For BBQ Fanatics
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we found the perfect gadget for barbecue and tech geeks. Yes, the iGrill (pictured right) is a thermometer, but it also links to your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, so you don’t need to hover over the grill or even the oven, making sure you’re meat doesn’t overcook. Nope. Talk with your guests and monitor the roast’s internal temperature from your phone wherever you are. It has an alarm that goes off when the desired internal temperature is reached. Plus, it’s Bluetooth-enabled, with a range of 200 feet. This stand-alone thermometer also has a built-in probe storage space, and an easy-to-read, lighted display, which comes in very handy for outdoor barbecues long after the sun’s set. The iGrill has a touch display, and comes with two probes, which means it can actually monitor...
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Rosie Cell Phone Holder
Apparently, not all kitchen essentials are for cooking, Especially not in this day and age when cell phones have virtually replaced landlines and you can pull up a recipe on your ipad or iphone. That’s why we love this practical, new kitchen tool, the Rosie Cell Phone holder (pictured right). This sleek, stainless steel holder fits onto any rail or shelf and is big enough to hold anything from a cell phone to a tried-and-true cordless phone. There’s prongs on the back to wrap loose cords to keep them out of harm’s way and even holes in the bottom of the holder to put your cords through. Let’s face it: The kitchen’s a messy place and no one wants to lose a phone to a pot that runneth over over an oil spill. And, because it’s kitchen friendly, it’s...
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