Keep your melon cool

As I’m sure anyone reading the blog or listening to the podcast knows by now, I’m a bit of a Japanophile. I’m constantly amazed by the gadgets and tools that are available in that country including this little beauty… the Watermelon Cooler!

From Picnics Not Weird Enough? via Switched.com

Apparently, enjoying a fresh slice of watermelon isn’t a strictly American experience; just check out this Japanese-made watermelon cooler. According to Crunch Gear, it also has the ability to warm your melon (for whatever reason), or anything else you put under its plastic dome. For about $230, you can wheel your watermelon right up to the beach and bask in your lack of frugality.

Read the rest of the story at From Switched.com

It is crazy and expensive and reminds me of the Fisher Price Push Popper toys of my childhoold (which of course has been updated! (amazon link)

Essential Kitchen Tools: Microplane Grater

Hey everybody,
I thought I’d pick up where JJ kinda left off.
Today I’m going to discuss one of my all time favorite kitchen tools, the Microplane.

image from Amazon.com
This little tool has an interesting past. It started off basically as a wooden rasp, commonly known as a surform, or surface forming tool, and made from sheet metal that has been chemically etched and each hole has been sharpened. Originally designed to take little shavings off of wood, helping to shape the wood. Then some ingenious cook, in seeing this, bought one and moved it to the kitchen. There it has replaced the fine detail work that was in the past done by first using a clumsy box grater and then finished off with a knife.
I tend to use mine pretty regularly in my household cooking. It is unsurpassed when it comes to zesting citrus fruits. Be it limes, oranges or lemons, the Microplane will shave off the right amount of zest, bringing with it the essential oil and flavors of the fruit and leaving behind the coarse and bitter pith. At work, it makes small work of limes for our Shrimp Mango Salad; zesting oranges for our Orange Rice Pudding; and lemons in this month’s Polenta that is served alongside Ratatouille.
I also love it to shave hard cheeses overtop of pasta. I keep a block of Parmesan in the fridge, and my Microplane goes right through it, adding it’s cheesy goodness to my pasta bowl.

image by tokyofoodcast via flickr.com
Also in a pinch, it makes a great garlic press. I usually choose a large clove, put it on the end of a fork and glide it back and forth over the Microplane’s surface and give it a firm rap over the food getting the garlic.

Care couldn’t be simpler. At work, it goes straight through the dishwasher and meets up with it’s cover to go back into the knife drawer. At home, if I catch myself quick enough, just a rinse under hot water does the trick. It might need a soaking if the cheese or garlic dries on, still easy. Also, store with the guard on. I have nicked myself on it before.

Links:

For more information go to: www.microplane.com
To purchase the Micropalane shown above go to: Microplane Grater/Zester

How to re-charge your iPhone in the Produce isle: from SeriousEats.com

As I was waiting for my co-worker on Sunday morning, I did my usual SeriousEats.com blog reading on my iPhone and thought that this was a cool entry.
Being an iPhone and iPod Touch owner, I have faced the dreaded 10% battery remaining warning as well as running out during the middle of a song or while using it for directions. And knowing that several of my fellow Dammit… Let’s Eat bloggers are iPhone users I thought this would be a good link to post to keep in mind when their batteries run low and are in the produce isle.  So Click below for a link to read more.

Video: How Many Orange Slices Does It Take to Charge an iPhone?

The SousVide Supreme has arrived

Just passing this on while looking at Gizmodo at the full color Iron Man decal for the Mac Book.

I have been intested in this method of cooking since seeing it on Top Chef and the like.

Read the full article here.

(Read about the Iron Man Mac Book decal here!)

Self Stirring Mug – Thinkgeek.com

One of my favorite sites to browse for geeky gadgetry is Think Geek. They have all kinds of fun stuff for the geek in your life including some pretty neat kitchen gadgets. From an R2-D2 Peppermill to the Precision Spoon Scale there is some seriously cool stuff there and today while I was perusing I came across this… the “Self Stirring Mug”.

image courtesy of Think Geek

A stainless steel mug with a top to keep your drink warm and a blade assembly of sorts in the base that when you press the button on the handle will mix what ever is in your mug…. brilliant!

image courtesy of Think Geek

It’s pretty cool and I could totally see myself using it every day. I mean seriously, I hate having to wash the spoon and a stainless steel mug is gonna be super easy to clean! At $18.99 I think it’s a pretty good deal. I was so ready to order until I noticed it was sold out !

Zoku

I’m a big fan of popsicles, in fact there is always a box in the freezer at my house, usually sugar free Popsicle brand, but I remember being a child and having my mom make us fruit laden popsicles, frozen orange juice pops or even pudding pops. It used to be so hard to make them with her and then wait for them to freeze, but in this go go world of instant gratification that we live in, today’s kids don’t even need to do that… may I introduce the Zoku…

Available at Williams-Sonoma it’s a popsicle maker that can freeze pops in a scant 7 minutes. It comes with 9 plastic reusable sticks and deep non stick wells for adding what ever your foodie mind can think of! The other amazing thing is that it uses no electricity. Simply keep the Zoku in your freezer, pop it out, add your ingredients and sticks and viola! Popsicles! I’m seriously thinking of adding this to my kitchen. Click the link below for more information and a cool video on the product!

Zoku Quick Pop Maker, $49.95 at Williams Sonoma.