I finally broke down Santa brought me an iPhone for Christmas, so I am now exploring all the iTunes App Store has to offer. Naturally, I am quite interested in the food apps, as there are so many great possibilities. Here are a couple I have downloaded and tried (all free apps, I am cheap like that):
Epicurious has made my mobile life that much easier with the Epicurious Recipes & Shopping List app, and I have to admit, this was one of the reasons I bought the iPhone. One of my big cooking hassles is when I put together a whole menu, and then go shopping, only to find the ingredients I want (usually a meat protein) are not on sale (or in season). Oh, but something else is. And, I feel stuck, since I don’t have a encyclopedic memory for recipes. The Epicurious app allows me to change things on the fly – Lamb Chops are on sale, I want to cook them for dinner in a Mediterranean style. Great, 13 recipes fit that profile. And I am back in business.
My Shopping List Lite, the free version of My List, is a great grocery shopping tool. As I go through my day, I usually run across one or two things that I need at the store, but going every day is a total time sync. So, I use My List to create a shopping list of reminders. The list is set up by Categories, which helps as you cruise through the store. You can even email the list to someone else (spouse, maybe) for pickup on their way home.
Spring, in my mind, is the start of the strawberry season in California. I should know – my birthday is in the spring and my birthday cake growing up was always Angel Food with fresh strawberries and whip cream. Thankfully, spring is right around the corner and the California Strawberry Commission has just released this STRAWBERRIES app offering a collection of more than 50 hand-selected strawberry recipes from some of the most popular food bloggers and chefs from around the web. My friend Lydia, of the Perfect Pantry, has a recipe in there, for Nutella Quesadillas with Strawberries! I can hardly wait for the first berries of the season!
On those days when I am just not interested in cooking, and looking to make a restaurant reservation while waiting for a kid, OpenTable has just the solution. The app is streamlined from the online tool, and allows you to connect easily to restaurants in your local area with open tables for your desired date. You can also do a more detailed search by region, and add refinements based on cuisine and expense.
Aimee of Greeblemonkey turned me onto AroundMe, an app which helps find services in the immediate area, based on your location. Very handy if you find yourself hungry while in the middle of a walk around downtown San Francisco. With a few quick clicks, you can be on your way to a nearby restaurant for a pick-me-up.
What is your favorite food/cooking/grocery shopping app? Please share…
P.S. Things I had to learn for this post include creating a link to an app in the iTunes store and taking a screen shot with my iPhone. The last worked best by holding down the Sleep/Wake button, then clicking on Home. Love a day with learning!
Comments (5) Posted by Kitchen Gadget Girl on Tuesday, January 12th, 2010
After bringing home the Progressive Collapsible Salad Spinner, I wanted to know more about what was new from Progressive. Many of the kitchen tools and gadgets I have seen lately from this line seem to focus on storage and organization, making it easier to keep your kitchen in order. But they also have a couple compact slicers that caught my eye (I am Kitchen Gadget Girl, after all!)
I have an older slicer, which I use when I need thin potatoes or onion slices, but it is large and up high in storage, and difficult to clean (I always worry about slicing off a digit or two). Progressive offers a Julienne and Slicer, which is just the kind of tool I was looking for.
Right off the bat, I notice it has a locking mechanism so you cannot accidentally remove an important body part. In addition, it is dishwasher safe, which makes cleanup easy. And since it is relatively flat, I can store it down among my other kitchen tools and gadgets and access it as often as I want.
With three different thickness settings, for both slicing and julienne, the tool is easy to use. Grip it with the handle, set it over a bowl if you desire, and slice away. Also includes a finger guard for further protection.
The nice folks over at Progressive sent me a Julienne and Slicer to check out, as well as a Julienne and Slicer and Mince ‘n Slice for two lucky Kitchen Gadget Girl winners!
THE CONTEST!!
The contest is easy. One person will win one (1) Progressive Julienne and Slicer and another winner will win one (1) Mince ‘n Slice. That is right, two (2) winners! Deadline to enter is Friday, December 18, 7pm PST. To enter, you have a few options:
Leave a comment (does not require a blog)
Tweet about the contest on Twitter “@kitchengirl is giving away awesome Progressive kitchen tools and gadgets http://ow.ly/KjNs #gadgets”
Post the link to this contest on your Facebook page
Tell a friend by sending them an email
Blog about it on your site with a link back here
For items 2-5, please be sure to leave another comment when they are complete. More chances to win, don’t you know. Only residents of the United States are eligible. Using Random.org, I will chose the two winning comment numbers. Winners will be drawn and notified on Friday, December 18th, so please be sure to leave an email address (in the secret field) when you comment.
Photo Courtesy of Amazon.
Comments (134) Posted by Kitchen Gadget Girl on Wednesday, December 9th, 2009
A few weeks ago, I decided it was time to replace my old salad spinner with something new. The old one was great – 15+ years old and still going strong. No cracks in the bowl, dry lettuce the norm, all good. But, it was feeling a little gunky and had some cracks around the lid. My intention was to replace with exactly the same brand. Off I went to Bed Bath and Beyond with my 20% coupon to buy a new one.
However, when I arrived and looked at the possibilities, I realized I had a new criteria in mind. I needed the salad spinner to dry my greens, but I also needed something easy to store. My old salad spinner was large and bulky, and frankly, a pain to put away.
Fortunately, Progressive International offers a salad spinner almost specifically designed for me!
The feature I love the most on the Collapsible Salad Spinner is the collapsible part. It shrinks down to 50% its original size, which makes storage a breeze. I can now put it inside a big pot, or on top of the waffle iron, and get the cabinet doors closed.
It uses a retracting cord pull, with an integrated brake button to stop the spinning, which allows nice control. Mostly, I am drying lettuce, so I crank it as fast as I can. However, when I want to dry greens for cooking, a little water left on the greens is helpful for steaming, so I don’t pull quite as fast.
The basket is quite big, and holds lots of lettuce and greens. I have also used it as a colander, to wash greens and lettuces before spinning.
A couple downsides – even though the lid is clear, water can still get in between the plastic and is a little difficult to drain. And, at $29.95, it is one of the more expensive salad spinners on the market.
Overall, a well-made product good for space-conscious consumers.
Comments (12) Posted by Kitchen Gadget Girl on Thursday, November 26th, 2009
Not sure how it works at your house, but pancakes and waffles are a big deal around here. I think my kids would probably have them every day of the week, they love them so!
A few years ago, I was introduced to the Danish treat of Aebleskiver, (also written as Ebleskiver) a round puffed-pancake. These pancakes are light and fluffy, similar to a popover, but made in a special pan (wahoo! Another kitchen tool!) on the stove. The pan allows the Aebleskiver to come out round, and traditional Aebleskiver have little nuggets of goodness inside the pancake. Apple is common (Aebleskiver means apple slices in Danish), but my family also enjoys brown berries (chocolate chips). Savory Aebleskiver can include ham and cheese, or any thing else your heart desires.
At Foodbuzz earlier this month, I met Chad Gillard, one of the founders of Aunt Else’s Aebleskiver, from Minnesota. We got to talking and Chad shared with me the reasons Aunt Else’s Aebleskiver pans are so great:
The cast iron pan is made in Minnesota
Their special mix is hand-mixed using organic Minnesota grown flour and organic buttermilk from Wisconsin
The nine-whole square pan allows the home chef to make enough for two (or three) hungry kids!
Chad also shared the Aunt Else’s YouTube video, which makes the process of cooking Aebleskiver so much clearer:
Following these instructions, my kids and I whipped up a batch this afternoon for snack. After a few false starts, and some less than puffy rounds, we got the hang of it and turned out some masterpieces. Heed the instructions about low-medium heat, that is important. And remember, powdered sugar is a perfect disguise for less than perfect pancakes!
If you are interested in an Aunt Else’s Aebleskiver pan of your own, Chad has extended a special offer to readers of Kitchen Gadget Girl! Mention “Kitchen Gadget Girl” in the “Add special instructions to the seller” during the checkout process, and receive 10% off your purchase. And if you follow Aunt Else’s on Twitter, Facebook or Foodbuzz you can also receive 10% off your order. Mention your follow in the same area during checkout. Plus, free shipping on orders over $50!
And if you, like Alton Brown, are worried about the pan being a uni-tasker, check out these pictures for Japanese Takoyaki and a recipe, as well as this recipe for Sand Dollar Cakes with Pork or Shrimp (Vietnamese)! It is possible you could use your Aebleskiver pan to make these tasty treats as well!
And yes, Chad did send me an Aebleskiver pan for review. What does this mean for you? Well, if you live close enough, you are welcome any weekend we are making these delightful Danish pancakes.
Thank you to everyone who participated, and be sure to check back soon for more kitchen gadget review and giveaways.
In my post last week about my favorite Thanksgiving gadgets, I realized that I own quite a few Cuisipro and VacuVan kitchen tools. So, I contacted the public relations company for the two companies to find out what is new for the 2009 holidays. And the good news? There is a giveaway!
The Cuisipro Flour Sifter is easy and smooth to use, and the single hand scoop lets a baker scoop up measured flour right into the sifter with one hand. Many of my recipes for baked goods call for sifting the flour, as it fluffs the flour which allows for easier absorption of liquid, and sifting sugar or cocoa is a great way to garnish finished baked goods.
The curved handle is designed so the flour sifter can hang over the edge of a mixing bowl so a baker can use both hands to add other ingredients. And the angled mesh opening releases the sifted ingredients neatly into the bowl, making cleanup much easier. And with a retail price of $14, it would be a great stocking stuffer or gift for your favorite baker (hint, hint!)
A few years ago, my sister gave me a lovely nutcracker set for Christmas, and it brought back loads of memories of cracking nuts in front of the fireplace during the holidays. The new Vacu Vin Nutcracker is a contemporary take on this old-fashioned tool, providing a stylish update.
You crack whole nuts by pressing the two ergonomically formed handles together and catching the nuts in the base tray. The nice part is, you don’t have to be a body builder to crack the nuts (Brazil nuts spring to mind), the nutcracker requires very little strength even on hard-shelled nuts. Retail price is about $25.
And finally, if the cold, cold winter has you thinking about tropical islands, then the new Pineapple Slicer from Vacu Vin might be just the ticket. I had heard about a tool like this before, and the Vacu Vin model is just as easy as can be. You cut the top off your pineapple, then use the slicer just like a corkscrew to remove the flesh in perfectly formed rings. The core is removed at the same time. All this sounds much easier than opening a can of pineapple pieces!
The Pineapple Slicer retails for $14, another great stocking stuff price. It comes in white or stainless steel. And now….
THE CONTEST!!
The contest is easy. One person will win all three of these exciting new tools. Deadline to enter is Monday, November 23, 7pm PST. To enter, you have a few options:
Leave a comment (does not require a blog)
Tweet about the contest on Twitter “@kitchengirl is giving away awesome Cuisipro and Vacu Vin kitchen tools and gadgets http://ow.ly/CM43″
Post the link to this contest on your Facebook page
Tell a friend by sending them an email
Blog about it on your site with a link back here
For items 2-5, please be sure to leave another comment when they are complete. More chances to win, don’t you know. Only residents of the United States are eligible. A winner will be drawn and notified on Monday, November 23rd, so please be sure to leave an email address (in the secret field) when you comment.
Comments (179) Posted by Kitchen Gadget Girl on Sunday, November 15th, 2009
Oooh, Thanksgiving is right around the corner and already I am counting the days. Is it too early to contact Julie to find out what I can bring? Yeah, probably.
But, I have been thinking, especially after Women’s World Magazine asked, about my favorite kitchen gadgets and tools for Thanksgiving. I compiled my list of 5, based on what my family likes to eat for Thanksgiving. Your list of tools might be different.
Of course, there are certain basics, including a turkey roasting pan, turkey platter, even a can opener. For those of you who are looking for a hostess gift or new addition to your own kitchen, I offer these 5 essential kitchen tools for Thanksgiving:
Turkey Lifters by Cuisinart. I have seen a few different versions of these, chose the ones that are most comfortable in your own hand. Much better than trying to heft the turkey bird out of the pan with a mish-mash of random kitchen tools (I see you reaching for the slotted spoon and pancake spatula!)
Browne Cuisipro Stainless-Steel Potato Ricer. Again, there are a few different manufacturers that make a potato ricer. I have found using this tool the easiest way to ensure consistently fluffy and mashed potatoes. You force a cooked potato (or two) through the chamber, and out the other side comes evenly mashed potatoes. I like this version because it comes with 3 interchangeable disks, to allow you different consistencies of mash. In the off-season (i.e. not Thanksgiving) this ricer is also good for making Spaetzle!
Taylor Digital Instant-Read Thermometer. Taylor has a couple different styles of instant-read thermometers. Last year I was hot on the $10 instant-read from Taylor, which comes in many different colors. This year, Taylor is out with something new, and the waterproof digital thermometer looks good. No matter what you do, or how awesome a cook you are, a thermometer is super handy for ensuring your turkey is cooked to the correct temperature. With loads of food born bacteria around, do yourself (and your guests) a favor and serve a properly cooked bird.
Henckel Four Star Boning Knife. Since Julie cooks the big items for Thanksgiving for our family (turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, oh, and cleans the house!), I asked her what she could not live without. A quality boning knife was on her list for carving and serving the turkey. Using a knife made for the job means your final product will come out nicer – who wants a turkey who looks like it was carved with a hack saw! As usual, most every knife company offers a boning knife, so chose the brand that works best for you.
Hamilton Beach Crock Pot. You might be wondering if I have gone off the deep end – a crock pot for Thanksgiving? Isn’t the holiday all about Cooking. For. Days? All together in the kitchen, with your closest relatives and friends? Well, yes. But, sometimes you run out of space in the oven. Or maybe you only have 4 burners on your stove (can you feel my pain?). A slow cooker can solve many of those problems, especially if you check out the CrockPot Holiday Food at A Year of Slow Cooking. Stephanie has loads of excellent recipes including Cornbread Stuffing and Green Bean Casserole!
I have told you my favorites – what are your I-can’t-possibly-even-begin-to-think-about-Thanksgiving-without-these-kitchen-gadgets gadgets?
Photos courtesy of Amazon.com
Comments (6) Posted by Kitchen Gadget Girl on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
In my mind, no party is complete without a Bundt cake. Really. They are that special.
And Bundt has a fun kitchen gadget that makes the cakes even that much better. The Nordic Ware Tunnel of Bundt, aka, Bundt Tunnel!
The Bundt Tunnel is a handy tool that allows you to bake in a tunnel to your favorite Bundt cake. Then, you can fill the tunnel with whatever your heart desires, making your dessert a true experience.
I used my Bundt Tunnel to make a birthday cake for Christy, and it turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself. I followed the instructions for the cake on the inside of the Bundt Tunnel box. The tunnel works with both a 10-cup and 12-cup Bundt Pans, and the recipes included Chocolate Bundt Tunnel Cake with Peanut Butter Filling and Vanilla Bundt Tunnel Cake with Chocolate Ganache (the one I made). If you don’t have a Bundt Pan, I recommend the Nordic Ware Pro Cast Original Bundt Pan.
Before baking
After baking
Iced Cake
Piece of Cake
Vanilla Bundt Tunnel Cake with Chocolate Ganache original recipe on back of Bundt Tunnel box from Williams Sonoma
10 ounces (315g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick/60g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream
For the Chocolate Glaze:
3 ounces (90g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 Tablespoons (90ml) heavy cream
Preheat oven to 325F. Position rack in the lower third of the oven. Place a wire cooling rack on the oven rack, perpendicular to the oven rack wires, forming a grid. This will allow the cake to bake evenly.
Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan; tap out excess flour.
Prepare the cake: sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Add the sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes (if you use a Beater Blade, you won’t need to stop and scrap down the sides of the bowl!). Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in the vanilla.
Reduce speed and add in the flour, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat each addition until just incorporated.
Spoon batter into prepared pan, spreading batter on the side slightly higher than the center. Position the Bundt tunnel on the center tube of the pan. Set the pan on the wire cooling rack in the oven and bake until cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a cake tester comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool, upright, on wire rack for 15 minutes. Then lift off Bundt tunnel. Let the cake continue to cool upright for 1 hour more.
Invert the pan onto to the rack and lift off the pan. Let cool completely for another hour.
Make ganache filling: In a bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Warm the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, until bubbles form around edges of the pan. Pour the cream over the chocolate and butter. Let stand 2 minutes, then gently whisk until smooth. Cool 5 minutes.
Invert cooled cake onto a large serving plate. Fill the hollow of the cake with the ganache and smooth the top. Refrigerate the cake until the ganache is firm to the touch, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Invert the cake again onto another large serving plate so the ganache is on the bottom.
Make the chocolate glaze: In a bowl, place the chocolate. Warm the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, until bubbles form around edges of the pan. Pour the cream over the chocolate. Let stand 2 minutes, then gently whisk until smooth. Spoon the glaze over the top of the cake. Let the glaze set for 30 minutes before serving.
You might be thinking to yourself that I am off my rocker. Can pizza really be made on the grill? I am pleased to announce that yes, it can!
Last Friday, I felt like pizza for dinner, but wanted to make my own. Using Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes, I whipped up the easy Olive Oil Dough in the morning and got things ready for pizza baking in the evening.
As luck would have it, Friday night was the start of another heat wave in our area, and by dinner time, it was about 90F outside. There was no way I was going to crank up the oven and make pizza.
Fortunately, a little note in Artisan Bread indicated that pizza making on the grill is easy. On the gas grill, they recommend heating your pizza stone for 20 minutes then cooking the pizza like you would in your oven.
My pizza stone has been a little temperamental in my oven, so I was not expecting it to do that well out on the grill. Turns out, the pizza stone needed a change of scenery! It got nice and hot and our pizzas turned out great.
I made two kinds on Friday – pepperoni and caramelized onion/Gorgonzola. We had a lovely Peterson 2003 Sangiovese, which worked well with all those flavors.
Pizza on the Grill
Favorite pizza dough (Trader Joes has a good one, or you can make one from scratch, recipes here, here and here)
20 minutes before you are ready to bake, preheat your pizza stone on your grill. Gas grills work best, IMHO, as you can easily monitor the inside temperature. However, if you are an expert with your charcoal grill, then set your grill up to maintain a heat of 450F-500F.
On a wooden cutting board, stretch and roll your dough until it is 1/8″ thick. You may need to let it rest for a minute and then roll some more.
When you are ready to bake, liberally spread cornmeal on your pizza peel (I mean, liberally), then top your dough with toppings. For pepperoni pizza, I used a 1/4 cup of crushed tomatoes as the base, then mozzarella cheese, then the pepperoni. For the caramelized onion, I sprinkled the onions over the pizza, topped with Gorgonzola cheese, and a little mozzarella. Right before putting on the grill, I drizzled a tablespoon of olive oil over the whole pizza.
With a quick snap of the wrist, propel your pizza off the peel onto the stone in your grill. Close the lid and bake for 10 minutes. Turn pizza and bake 4-6 minutes more, until the desired crispiness is achieved. Remove with peel and allow to sit 3-4 minutes, then slice and serve.
My friend Anna, occasional cycling buddy and neighbor around the corner, is off to grad school this fall and her first apartment by herself. An apartment by herself. Can you even imagine?
On our ride last week, we talked about moving into the apartment and how she was going to be getting hand-me-downs from her brother to stock her new kitchen. That led me to think about what I consider essential kitchen tools for the college student, graduate student, or basically anyone moving into their first apartment.
A great cookbook can go a long way – I would recommend any of the Mark Bittman “How to Cook Everything” series, especially How to Cook Everything: The Basics. And here is my list of 10 must-have kitchen tools for the newly graduated/first-time apartment dweller:
#1. Pressure Cooker
I am sure you saw this coming, I talk about the joys of pressure cookers all. the. time. Seriously though, for a busy grad student, or young career person, a pressure cooker is a huge time saver. For the apartment, I would suggest a fairly straight forward model, such as the Fagor Splendid 6-Quart Pressure Cooker. Not only can you whip up a butternut squash risotto in no time flat, the pressure cooker can also be used to make fluffy rice. Be sure to include Lorna Sass’s Pressure Perfect cookbook, a great introduction and reference book for cooking under pressure.
#2. Tiffin Lunch Box
Anna says she will be taking her lunch to the lab most days, and while she has a nifty lunch bag from her Aunt, not all are as lucky. The tiffin is great – you can put your leftovers from dinner in, or create a new lunch. It is economical and stylish! Don’t forget to pack a reusable utensil kit, like this Bamboo Utensil set from To-Go Wear. I have my eye on the To-Go Ware Two Tier Stainless Tiffin, under $20!
#3. Pots and Pans
A Tiffin Lunch Box does you no good if you cannot cook anything! A good set of pots and pans are an investment (no, not that kind of investment) and spending a little coin on a good set it definitely worth it. Stick with a pan that is durable and functional from stove top to oven, like good-old cast iron. Or, for a complete set, look to anodized-aluminum, such as the Anolon Advanced Hard-Anodized Alumninum 8-piece set. I particularly like this set because of the clear glass lids, which allow you to watch your simmering food.
#4. Wooden spoons
These come in a zillion sizes and shapes, and are not that expensive. Go wild, get a couple for your new grad and send him off in style. Most sets run $10-20, and come with several different size spoons and turners. This six-piece set has all those elements, and includes my favorite flat edge turner.
#5. Ice Cream Scoop
Apparently, ice cream is very popular with your average college student! I love the Wilton ice cream scoop, it can get even the hardest ice cream out the container (Ben and Jerry’s Heath Bar Crunch, I am talking to you!)
#6. Reusable Shopping Bags
As long as you are going to send your favorite student off with a kitchen full of supplies, you might as well make sure they are being green when they shop. BlueAvocado has a great shopping bag system, including the BlueAvocado Starter Kit with a carry all bag, a stuff n’ go bag and a veggie bag, all for $29.99. Until August 15th, use the code goodkarma40 for 40% your purchase.
#7. Oxo Tongs
These are the best – from flipping chicken on the grill to fishing sauerkraut out of the jar to adding ice cubes at the Tiki Bar, Oxo tongs are something that every home cook needs. I have a couple sizes in my kitchen, but for the best all-around model, I would chose the Oxo 9″ tongs with nylon heads.
#8. Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker
I am sure some of you will argue that this is not a necessary piece of equipment, but my Dad would probably disagree. He eats ice cream most every night, and if he knew how easy it is to make your own ice cream, he would probably buy an ice cream maker for his very own. Not only will you save money (it is cheaper to make your own) you can also avoid all those nasty additives. And can you imagine how cool you will look when you show up to your first dinner party with homemade ice cream! Throw in the Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream and Dessert Book for a complete gift.
#9. Brew and Go
For quickly heating up water for tea, coffee or Ramen noodles, look no further than the Black and Decker Brew ‘n Go personal coffee maker. This makes a great gift for the dorm-bound student as well. Save money by making your own coffee or tea every morning, plus this appliance can be used to heat water for oatmeal or soup.
#10. Great knives
Not only will great knives last a long time, they are also safer and better for you in the long run. You want to chose a a set that is comfortable for your recipient, easy to hold with handles that are not too big nor too small. Spring for an 8-piece set with a butcher block, or buy separately (start with an 8″ Chef, 3″ parer, and a serrated knife). I bought Henckels 4 Star, piece by piece, when I moved into my first apartment, and they are still going strong. Throw in a Chef’s Choice Manual Sharpener, or a steel, to make sure your new grad keeps her knives sharp!
As I made this list, I realized there is no way I can include all the things a new apartment dweller needs for the first time, there is just too much to list. Hitting garage sales, asking relatives who are down-sizing, and taking hand-me-downs are a great way to build up your kitchen. Plus, you get to test drive the tools before you make your own serious investment.
Are you sending your child off to their own apartment this year? What kitchen tools and gadgets do you recommend for the first apartment?
Comments (2) Posted by Kitchen Gadget Girl on Wednesday, August 5th, 2009
And, I needed a pitter. I borrowed one from Anne a few weeks ago to make a cherry pie for July 4th, and the little pitter part kept coming loose, so I ended up with very purple fingers. She mentioned to me that folks rarely make a cherry pie from fresh cherries more than once, because pitting them is so onerous.
I was determined to see if I could find a solution.
A brief visit to Sur La Table took care of my problem – I picked up the Oxo Cherry Pitter and the minute I held it in my hands, I was amazed. The weight is just right, the handle is comfortable and the the pitter part stayed put. What a great kitchen tool!
Good thing too, as cherries were on sale last week. This weekend, my daughter and I pitted about 6 pounds. I am saving aside about 9 cups for 3 cherry pies later in the season. And with the rest, I will make a cherry relish for Thanksgiving.
If you are looking to take advantage of the beautiful cherries from the Pacific Northwest, pick up an Oxo Cherry Pitter to make the cleanup task that much easier!
I have an older slicer, which I use when I need thin potatoes or onion slices, but it is large and up high in storage, and difficult to clean (I always worry about slicing off a digit or two). Progressive offers a 
The feature I love the most on the 
Ableskiver Pan
The 
A few years ago, my sister gave me a lovely nutcracker set for Christmas, and it brought back loads of memories of cracking nuts in front of the fireplace during the holidays. The new 
And finally, if the cold, cold winter has you thinking about tropical islands, then the new 
#9. Brew and Go
