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What's New in Kitchen Gadgets?


Kerry Beal

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Something I almost posted in the unusual or unknown kitchen gadgets topic...prevents sticking flesh and burns when making methode rotuts:

 

https://www.isi.com/us/culinary/products/isi-accessories/heat-protection/

 

 

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

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  • 2 weeks later...
4 hours ago, Doofa said:

Please, what is this?

D

 

 

Methode Rotuts

 
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~Martin :)

I just don't want to look back and think "I could have eaten that."

Unsupervised, rebellious, radical agrarian experimenter, minimalist penny-pincher, and adventurous cook. Crotchety, cantankerous, terse curmudgeon, non-conformist, and contrarian who questions everything!

The best thing about a vegetable garden is all the meat you can hunt and trap out of it!

 

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Not exactly a 'gadget' nor new — but extremely handy!

Stainless steel badge clips from Craft, Inc. in MA.

I use them for numerous purposes around the kitchen as well as clothespins, etc. 

They're stainless steel — so they don't rust.

I've bought dozens of them.

 

FWIW, they're listed as "Badge Clips -2211-SS - Stainless Steel - (10 pcs.) "FREE SHIPPING"" on eBay — price $5.50

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~Martin :)

I just don't want to look back and think "I could have eaten that."

Unsupervised, rebellious, radical agrarian experimenter, minimalist penny-pincher, and adventurous cook. Crotchety, cantankerous, terse curmudgeon, non-conformist, and contrarian who questions everything!

The best thing about a vegetable garden is all the meat you can hunt and trap out of it!

 

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23 hours ago, DiggingDogFarm said:

FWIW, they're listed as "Badge Clips -2211-SS - Stainless Steel - (10 pcs.) "FREE SHIPPING"" on eBay — price $5.50

 

I suspect you posted about them last year because I ordered those exact clips last June.  I am ready to order another pack, but only because the first 10 are all in use.  They are strong enough to replace much bigger clips.  At this point I may not have any other clips in my kitchen.  Thanks!

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These stainless clothespins from Lee Valley are my favourites. Got a package missing a couple for a few bucks in their 'as-is' section.

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3 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

These stainless clothespins from Lee Valley are my favourites. Got a package missing a couple for a few bucks in their 'as-is' section.

Heck. Now you can hang your bloomers (the bread of course) and scruff your cat!  

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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Last week's issue of The Economist featured a fascinating and exhaustive article on the history of clothespins.  Too bad they missed the culinary applications.

 

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Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

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5 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

These stainless clothespins from Lee Valley are my favourites. Got a package missing a couple for a few bucks in their 'as-is' section.

And they don't rust the way bindery clips will.

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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This will NOT be making itself at home in my kitchen. Sheesh. 

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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Wow. $11.99 for that?  Now if they threw in one of those goofy deals that lets you make square hard boiled eggs, it might be worth it.

Nah, not even then. That thing is not drawer worthy in my kitchen!

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Anybody ever use this stuff?

 

beeswrap.jpg

 

It's a beeswax-impregnated cotton cloth, allegedly designed to replace plastic wrap over containers, etc. I was intrigued enough to try it (well, with an endorsement from a cooking friend whose opinions I respect greatly). My first samples came in earlier this week, and I used one to cover a batch of proofing bread dough. Off the top, I can see my customary "cold hands" syndrome will make it more difficult for my body heat to make the wrap conform to a bowl shape; guess I'll have to rinse them in hot water first! But I do like the idea.

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Don't ask. Eat it.

www.kayatthekeyboard.wordpress.com

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 @andiesenji  discussed making very similar material when she was growing up. I can't remember which thread that was on but it's quite recent. Perhaps she will pop in and discuss it.

 

Edited to add

 

Here's the post. 

Edited by Anna N (log)
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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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44 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 @andiesenji  discussed making very similar material when she was growing up. I can't remember which thread that was on but it's quite recent. Perhaps she will pop in and discuss it.

 

Edited to add

 

Here's the post. 

 

Pretty sure I've got some beeswax around here somewhere - this is something I've been thinking I wanted to try - but I'll need to pick up a cheap iron from a thrift store.

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8 hours ago, Beth Wilson said:

A tool I did not know there was a need for.  :blink:

 

I have to confess my latest guilty pleasure has been watching You tube videos of demos of tools I did not know there was a need for. 

 

This one is for vintage tools but there are lots out there for the "As seen on TV" ones.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MelBWO2ZNmg

 

Thanks!  I really enjoyed this and learned something to boot. 

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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14 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Pretty sure I've got some beeswax around here somewhere - this is something I've been thinking I wanted to try - but I'll need to pick up a cheap iron from a thrift store.

You also need a frame on which to stretch the muslin - which has to be washed before to remove the sizing, otherwise the beeswax won't stick well and will pop off in spots.

I use "butter muslin"  since I have a goodly supply from when I ordered a bunch back in the '90s when I was making cheeses.  I was a bit over ambitious and ordered far more than I could use back then.  It comes in handy for lots of things, including this.  

Otherwise, fine, unbleached, 100% cotton muslin is good.  

I have canvas stretchers which fit together without tools, although you can use screws to permanently construct them.  They are cheap and the wood is soft enough to use thumbtacks (on the outside edges, in case you have never used them before.  

The friction of rubbing the beeswax into the material is usually enough to soften it or you can dip it in warm water.  

I use a sheet pan turned upside down on which to iron it.  

 

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"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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39 minutes ago, andiesenji said:

You also need a frame on which to stretch the muslin - which has to be washed before to remove the sizing, otherwise the beeswax won't stick well and will pop off in spots.

I use "butter muslin"  since I have a goodly supply from when I ordered a bunch back in the '90s when I was making cheeses.  I was a bit over ambitious and ordered far more than I could use back then.  It comes in handy for lots of things, including this.  

Otherwise, fine, unbleached, 100% cotton muslin is good.  

I have canvas stretchers which fit together without tools, although you can use screws to permanently construct them.  They are cheap and the wood is soft enough to use thumbtacks (on the outside edges, in case you have never used them before.  

The friction of rubbing the beeswax into the material is usually enough to soften it or you can dip it in warm water.  

I use a sheet pan turned upside down on which to iron it.  

 

Just out of curiosity could one use large embroidery hoops?

  • Like 1

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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3 hours ago, andiesenji said:

You also need a frame on which to stretch the muslin - which has to be washed before to remove the sizing, otherwise the beeswax won't stick well and will pop off in spots.

I use "butter muslin"  since I have a goodly supply from when I ordered a bunch back in the '90s when I was making cheeses.  I was a bit over ambitious and ordered far more than I could use back then.  It comes in handy for lots of things, including this.  

Otherwise, fine, unbleached, 100% cotton muslin is good.  

I have canvas stretchers which fit together without tools, although you can use screws to permanently construct them.  They are cheap and the wood is soft enough to use thumbtacks (on the outside edges, in case you have never used them before.  

The friction of rubbing the beeswax into the material is usually enough to soften it or you can dip it in warm water.  

I use a sheet pan turned upside down on which to iron it.  

 

Thanks for the heads up.

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7 hours ago, Anna N said:

Just out of curiosity could one use large embroidery hoops?

Sure.

 

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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New to me but probably not exactly new, I just bought a WMF potato masher:

 

http://www.wmf.com/en/potato-masher-0610809990.html

 

Looks like an overgrown garlic press on steroids.  The funny thing is I cannot determine the country of origin.  Neither from the tool itself, the manufacturer's website, the packaging materials, nor amazon.  Does anybody have a clue?

 

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Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

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