November 20, 2009
Posted by Nikki Goldstein, November 19, 2009 at 11:15 AM
[Photo: Amazon.com]
Marinade injectors always perplexed me a little bit: Marinades are made to be absorbed into meat without fancy tools, and that's much of their appeal. But Progressive International's 4-in-1 Flavor Injector($12.59 at Amazon.com) features multiple tips that fulfill different purposes, and we've learned by now that I can't say no to multi-tasking kitchen tools.
Though I'm still unsure about the fourth function, I know I have three of them down pat: without a special tip, you can inject herbs or small solids, while two tips are included for liquids and chunks. Between the packaging and extensive research, it would seem that the fourth function is purely a storage system that lets you stick each tip into the next, all attaching into the plunger. If you ask me, that's not much of a fourth function.
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Posted by Nikki Goldstein, November 12, 2009 at 8:30 AM
[Photo: josephjoseph.com]
For years, my mom and I made our Thanksgiving mashed potatoes with two forks as our smashing tools. I always figured that the amount of work we put into them was what resulted in them being ridiculously delicious, but I now know otherwise. And the good news is that I've found the best masher to get the perfect taters in minutes flat—no elbow grease necessary.
The Joseph Joseph Pump-Action Potato Smasher ($15.95 at amazon.com) starts out by having an awesome name and the brand's signature cool aesthetic, which give it automatic kudos in my book. But it actually boasts a really innovative design that out-performs its rivals. The biggest difference is in how the thing works: Rather than a metal squiggle that attacks spuds by brute force, this one uses a clever spring and trap design instead. The round bottom functions as the trap, locking chunks in place and allowing the pump action to quickly and effectively smash the potatoes into smooth, smooth oblivion.
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Posted by Nikki Goldstein, November 5, 2009 at 8:30 AM
[Photograph: Amazon.com]
Gadgets that perform multiple functions can be really hit or miss: Either they do a great job of saving space and consolidating expenses, or they under-perform and disappoint. Oddly enough, the Kalorik 4-in-1 Combi Mixer falls somewhere in between. Its four functions—electric whisk, frother, chopper, and immersion blender—all work well enough, but having independent appliances would probably be a better bet for most cooks.
The Kalorik Combi Mixer's spine, so to speak, is the stick that plugs into the wall and connects to the various tools. Though all the attachments have a clear spot on the nicely designed carry-all tray, the stick itself doesn't, which seems like a strange oversight. It takes away from the sleek look and creates clutter, which are two significant cons. My other main gripe is how awkward it was to connect it to the chopper—the parts don't all click into place, so it's almost a balancing act to get everything to line up properly. With that in mind, loading the chopper cup for several consecutive uses gets to be a bit of a chore.
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Posted by Nikki Goldstein, October 29, 2009 at 10:30 AM
[Photograph: Macys.com]
I've always felt limited in my ability to carve jack-o'-lanterns due to a narrow range of tools. Let's face it—a thumbtack and steak knife can only yield so much detail, and cheap plastic tools always seem to break with the first incision. Though I questioned whether it would be worth it to invest in a more serious set, I put my money on a kit from Martha Stewart ($34.99 at Macy's in-store; unavailable online), who, unsurprisingly, is able to create beauties like these lace-patterned gourds featured on her site last year.
Smitten by these non-traditional, ultra-delicate styles, my intrepid carving companion and I set out to accomplish some super-technical pumpkins with the aid of Martha's kit. We eagerly unwrapped more than a half-dozen wood-handled tools, picked our patterns, and pinned them down to be traced through, only to find that we each preferred using our ordinary thumbtacks to Martha's fancy pin pen. Not a good sign.
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Posted by Nikki Goldstein, October 22, 2009 at 11:00 AM
[Photo: Williams Sonoma]
Until I joined the ranks of the working world, I really believed that a good cup of coffee isn't something that you have on the go. Instead, it should be a relaxing part of the day and ideally be kept as something special to be savored as a treat. It's not always that easy though, and in those moments, coffee should be an effortless (and still wholly delicious) pick-me-up. Unexpectedly, I found that the new Nespresso CitiZ was just what I needed to live out my modern-day coffee philosophy.
Yes, there are certain drawbacks to Nespresso's newest machine, though they generally extend to capsule coffee in general. Arguably, the individual packaging makes it a bit more wasteful than other espresso machines, and you don't get the ability to fine tune your brew. But if you ask me, a Nespresso a day is far less wasteful than a regular helping of Starbucks, where cup, cap, and sleeve wind up in the dumpster. As for taste, I'll admit that I'm no expert, but I do come from a Colombian family with high standards for fresh coffee, and frankly, there were few Nespresso blends that I wasn't impressed by.
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