Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Sweet sassy molassy! Ugh, my first experience with Coke Plus did not impress. A very nasty after-taste coupled with a less-than-refreshing during-taste. I did like the San Francisco-licious rainbow branding, but I don't think I'll be getting my daily vitamin supplement from this drink. I'm sticking to my regular regimen of Coke Zero and Flintstones Chewables....

An immersion blender is a great tool, I agree. Crucial for blending soups to a creamy consistency. But, of course, I have to weigh in with the best kitchen gadget of all time: the butter dispenser. http://www.medianugget.com/2004/07/butter_dispense.html

Jenny is a big fan of the turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes combo that is most often presented as an open-faced turkey sandwich. We've tried some saloons and a few chain diners, but we really haven't found "the place" to enjoy this delicasy. Usually, for comfort food, it's Blue Plate or Chow or Home, but in this case, we're not sure. Is the open-faced turkey sandwich bound for oblivion????

I too love Veselka for their Ukranian/Polish foods... in my opinion they have the best borscht in the city. But their burger just didn't do it... it wasn't horible or anything, but definitly not top 10. I haven't been to Blue 9 in like over a year, but the more burgers I eat at all the other joints in the city, the thought of Blue 9 having a top 10 burger also now seems slim. I didn't mean to lump my comment about Burger joint and Goodburger with Blue 9... those two have a good product, I think Blue 9 is good if you're in the area, but that's about it. How about Roll-n-Roster? anyone tried that place down the street from Blue 9?

Interestingly enough, when I was in Amsterdam 2 years ago, since I was in a hurry, I did pop into a McDonald's, and the Quarter pounder is a Royale with Cheese over there too

Wooden toast tongs - used every day - great for getting mini-bagels out of the toaster.

Also, thick rubber bands and clothes pins for closing all those vegie bags, cereal bags, etc.

Nonstick egg skillet.

It definitely reminded me of Pepsi One or flat, slightly more metallic coke zero. The amount of vitamins and minerals added to the drink definitely doesn't contribute significantly to a healthy diet (if you eat like a normal person, you're not missing out on anything that this would help with) and it doesn't taste as good as diet coke...not worth it at all for this diet coke addict...

Tried only one sample bottle---tasted like Coke Zero--or like Pepsi One---won't buy again.

Ten years ago, a week after I moved into my apartment, I had a salted fish on the stove. The alarm went off, my next door neighbor called 911, the next thing I heard was a thump on my door. When I opened the door, three over six foot firemen towering over me.
"Everything is okay, maam?"

My toaster. Clearly, I am not a master cook. But when I lived in China, I bought a toaster for my hotel room that I lived in because I cannot eat untoasted bread. Everything else you can do by hand.

I think my parents and grandmother would say rice cooker, and I have like three of them, because every time I move and I don't have one, my family gets very disturbed and buys me one. They are useful, though.

About the butter comment--have you tried a butter bell? my old roommate had one, and at first we laughed at it, but then we realized it was GENIUS! Basically, the butter is kept in water, outside (not refrigerated) and it is always spreadable. It seems like a weird hick thing, but it is great. Definitely a must if you use butter a lot: www.butterbell.com