-
Misc Blogging Stuff
Oct
23
Testing Stand Mixers
Filed Under Kitchen Gear | Leave a Comment
For the home baker, a standing mixer can make mixing and kneading tasks so much easier and faster. When I bought my standing mixer in 1995, there weren’t many choices of models, but that has changed and the range of choices can be downright bewildering.
Enter America’s Test Kitchen and their newly updated test and reviews of standing mixers.
“How much mixer does a home cook need? To test the field thoroughly, we bought 18 different mixers of every shape, size, and price–from a budget $100 model up to the $1,500 Hobart. Our lineup included Bosch (two models), DeLonghi (two), Electrolux, Farberware, Hamilton Beach (two), Hobart, Jenn-Air, KitchenAid (four), Sunbeam (two), and Viking (two).”
Read the full review and download the test results at America’s Test Kitchen - Mix Masters - Standing Mixers - Updated.
Note: ATK’s review available for free only for a limited time.
Oct
19
Swift Mop
Filed Under Green Products, Household Gear | Leave a Comment
No, it can’t bake a loaf of bread, whip up a pot of soup, or make a killer lasagna, but it sure does a great job of cleaning up the messes we make in our kitchen. My mother gave me a complete Swift Mop set as a housewarming gift when we moved in last spring, and I have to say that I’m a total convert. In the past I’ve used the mops with disposable cloths as well as regular squeeze mops and buckets for cleaning. The cost of using disposable cloths adds up over time and isn’t good for the environment, and the buckets of water just make a big mess with the water getting progressively more dirty. My kids generate enough dirt and goo for me to clean up without the mop adding to it!
Enter the Swift Mop and clean up is a whole lot cleaner and easier now. (Gosh, I hate sounding like a commercial!) Anyway, the mop is simple to use. The microfiber cloths cling to the wide Velcro strips on the bottom of the mop head and they don’t come loose like other mopping cloths. Just wet and wring the microfiber cloth, lay it on the floor and press down with the mop, then start mopping. For mopping the hardwood, I just use water on the cloth, but for the the kitchen tile I use a mixture of white vinegar and water that I keep in a spray bottle (about 2 tablespoons white vinegar + water to fill). For the particularly sticky spots that my boys seem to create every hour, I just squirt some of the vinegar solution directly on the spot, let it sit for a few seconds, then mop up. Read more
Oct
17
Amazon’s Deal of the Day
Filed Under Shopping Tips | Leave a Comment
For you cast iron fans, Amazon has the Lodge Pro-Logic 7-quart Dutch Oven on sale today in the Gold Box for just $39.99, a savings of 43%. The Logic and Pro-Logic product lines all come pre-seasoned and ready to use. Free Super Saver Shipping with this one, too. Offer expires October 18.
Oct
14
Ball Plastic Freezer Jars
Filed Under Kitchen Gear | Leave a Comment
This week I tried a new canning tool, some plastic freezer jars from Ball. Boiling water canning is my usual preferred method, but I was in a hurry and it was 90° F on the day I was working on my apple butter, and even though I wasn’t pregnant this time (which adds about 30° to your core temperature) like I was the last few times I canned, I still had no desire to steam up my kitchen any further. So I just scooped the finished apple butter into a large Rubbermaid container, put it in the frig, and decided to look around the stores for other options. I found these jars at a local discount department store and thought they would be worth a try.
The jars are durable plastic with twist-on lids that are deep enough to allow you to stack the jars neatly without them slipping around, a big plus over glass canning jars or plastic freezer bags. They come in two sizes, 8 ounce and 16 ounce, and have a fill line to allow for food expansion. The 8 ounce size is perfect for jams and jellies, while the 16 ounce jars are good for salsas and tomato sauce and juice. My only wish is that these came in a 32 ounce size for my stocks, soups, and chilis! (Anyone at Ball listening?) They also have a space for labeling, but I just use masking tape and a Sharpie for a cheap and quick solution.
I found them very easy to use and durable. The plastic seems appropriately thick and the twist on tops stay on well. They clean easily and don’t seem to stain.
Important note to remember: The jars are plastic, but are not unbreakable. They will break if dropped while full of frozen food, but the good news is they don’t shatter like glass, thus making them safer for freezer storage.
The bottom line:
Pros: Easy to use, top-rack dishwasher safe, stain resistant, stacks easily.
Cons: Not for microwave use. Not for shelf storage (use only in refrigerator or freezer).
Sizes Available: 8 ounce, 16 ounce
Where to buy: available nationwide at discount department stores and grocery stores, also online
Company Website: Freshpreserving.com
Oct
12
The focus is on fresh, local food, and Shelburne Farms does it beautifully. The working farm, which started out as a model agricultural estate built by Dr. William Seward Webb and Eliza Vanderbilt Webb in 1886, is a National Historic Landmark and environmental education center. They raise a herd of Brown Swiss dairy cows for making award-winning cheeses, a flock of English sheep for sheering and eating, and they have a sugarhouse for making their own maple syrup for use at the Inn. In keeping with their educational goals, they offer programs for children and adults designed to teach about the workings of the natural world and sustainable agriculture.
Recently Shelburne Farms released a new cookbook, Cooking with Shelburne Farms: Food and Stories from Vermont, and in an interesting twist, co-authors Melissa Pasanen and Rick Gencarelli structured the cookbook in a way that highlights the local agriculture of Vermont rather than focusing on meal courses. Chapters focus on Savory Milk and Cheese, Savory Maple, Early Spring and Summer Greens, Lamb, Wild Mushrooms, Game and Fish, Pork, Root-Cellar Vegetables, Apples, Sweet Milk, and Sweet Maple, and all of these ingredients are available either on the farm or locally. Each chapter has a story or two about local food production that gives the reader a sense of Vermont agriculture. For example, in “Listening to the Land,” the reader learns about wildcrafters Les Hook and Nova Kim, who seek out wild mushrooms and edible and medicinal plants and have done so for 27 years.
The very first recipe is for churned butter Read more