Kitchen Gadgets - "stocking stuffers"

[andiesenji]

I should have mentioned that when you check the Trudeau nutcracker, notice it does not list Brazil nuts as one of the nuts it will handle.

The only nut that the rocket has a little trouble with is the Macadamia nut.

However all nutcrackers, except a specialty product, made just for the mac, have trouble with the super hard shells.

[fifi]

Get one of these Rocket nutcrackers

and you will never look for another.

I have tried them all, and this one works.

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Now that brings back memories. My dad bought one a lot like that many years ago. He was like a kid with a new toy. He used to shell most of the pecans for my great aunt's pecan pies around the holidays. We always got the little native pecans from the Brazos River bottom. They are the devil to shell. I think I learned most of my colorful language from helping him with the pecans.

[andiesenji]

I have used mine on hickory nuts which are almost as difficult to crack as a mac nut and there is less meat inside for the effort.

I have given them as gifts and they are always very popular, especially with the guys.

I think the mechanical look of the thing is what attracts them. either that, or the name!!

[ladyyoung98]

i think we all know how are men when it comes to gadgets...NEW TOY......

Edited December 4, 2004 by ladyyoung98 (log)

[andiesenji]

This site has the cheaper than Vermont country store.

This site has it also for 19.99 and also has a different nut cracker that looks like it would shell anything.

here.

[Jensen]

I completely agree. I would love to have an olive oil sprayer. One that actually WORKS!!! I think my last one was a Misto or something like that. You would pump and pump, get a couple of sprays then . . . drizzle. I got replacements at Bed Bath & Beyond twice and finally gave up.

I'm lucky in that my oil mister has continued to function, even though I use unfiltered olive oil. I like the idea of the fake butter sprayer thing (btw, I have a friend who uses the same container for hair spray...it doesn't gum up for that either).

Another kitchen "gadget" that is great to have is a foaming soap dispenser. I had one from Pampered Chef that just gave up the ghost and I really miss it.

[fifi]

I'm lucky in that my oil mister has continued to function, even though I use unfiltered olive oil. I like the idea of the fake butter sprayer thing (btw, I have a friend who uses the same container for hair spray...it doesn't gum up for that either).

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Soooo . . . Who makes this wonder and where can I find one? (If you said so earlier, please pardon my laziness. It is Friday night. )

[Jensen]

I'm lucky in that my oil mister has continued to function, even though I use unfiltered olive oil. I like the idea of the fake butter sprayer thing (btw, I have a friend who uses the same container for hair spray...it doesn't gum up for that either).

Soooo . . . Who makes this wonder and where can I find one? (If you said so earlier, please pardon my laziness. It is Friday night. )

I must clarify that the hair spray goes in the "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Because I'm Delusional Anyway" container.

My unfiltered olive oil goes in a container that calls itself "Mist of Oil". It's made by Ekco (no, that's not a typo!) and the address under the Ekco corporate logo is:

World Kitchen, Inc.

1 Pyrex Place

Elmira, NY 14902-155

I googled "mist of oil" and "ekco" and got nothing but then googled "ekco world kitchen" and "oil" and "mister" and got a whole whack of returns (none of which I investigated because I'm lazier than you are... )

[fifi]

I googled "mist of oil" and "ekco" and got nothing but then googled "ekco world kitchen" and "oil" and "mister" and got a whole whack of returns (none of which I investigated because I'm lazier than you are... )

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That is my eGullet laugh of the day. As soon as I get up off the floor, I will go a-googling.

[andiesenji]

This one works much better than the more expensive SS one.

And it isn't so expensive.

[ladyyoung98]

got my laugh for the day too....

good luck on the google hunt fifi...right now im just both lazy and way too tire d to pursue the links...no matter hwo good they may look...i could be looking around all night but what i really need is sleep and lots of it....let me know what u find ...

[The Hersch]

These simple vegetable peelers from Kuhn-Rikon. Their size, weight and configuration are all perfect, and at $3.50 ea. they're practically disposable. I keep a supply on hand so that I can give one to every visitor who tries and falls in love with them. And lots of them do.

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Everyone I know who has ever used one of the Westmark "Pomfix" vegetable peelers has fallen in love with them. Unfortunately, they're kind of expensive and kind of hard to find, at least in the US (Westmark is a German brand). You can get them online at Jensco.

Simply the best peeler I've ever used. (The Messermeister is great for peeling things like raw tomatoes and bell peppers, though.)

[hillbill]

Get one of these Rocket nutcrackers

and you will never look for another.

I have tried them all, and this one works.

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Thank you for the suggestions (I read all your follow-up messages also.) I'm wondering if this nutcracker would be overkill for my purposes; not hardcore, frequent nutcracking, but rather occasional sitting-on-the-couch-watching-TV kinda nutcracking. Something that I can hold in my hand and crack a nut wthout excessive muss or fuss (the Rocket looks like it needs to be placed on a sturdy table and is designed for cracking large quantities quickly, no?)

[andiesenji]

Sorry, your original post said you wanted a nutcracker that was better than the cheapo V-shape crackers, that are hand held.

Any hand-held nutcracker has the same inherent problems, only as good as your grip. I have arthritis in my hands and so do many of my friends. The rocket works on the arm of a recliner because I have used it while sitting in mine. I have also used it on a tray held on my lap and my friend's husband uses it at the dining table when we are sitting around it playing Rummycube.

It does a good job on one nut or a bunch. It also cracks them so you get less broken meats.

However, you have to settle on something that satisfies you.

Maybe this one will be more in your line.

Edited December 4, 2004 by andiesenji (log)

[andiesenji]

This wouldn't fit in a stocking.

However isn't it a neat knife block? Much smaller footprint than the slanted ones and it even holds two steels (or a steel and a diamond hone)...

Not a bad price for someone special.............

And it even goes into the dishwasher!!!!!

Edited December 5, 2004 by andiesenji (log)

[fifi]

This wouldn't fit in a stocking.

However isn't it a neat knife block?  Much smaller footprint than the slanted ones and it even holds two steels (or a steel and a diamond hone)...

Not a bad price for someone special.............

And it even goes into the dishwasher!!!!!

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Heh . . . heh . . . heh . . . The significance of andie's mention of the dishwasher safe properties is in reference to a recognized problem that we discussed starting here on Dave the Cook's kitchen remodel thread. I will never be the same.

[snowangel]

Heh . . . heh . . . heh . . . The significance of andie's mention of the dishwasher safe properties is in reference to a recognized problem that we discussed starting [url=http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=53138&view=findpost&p=745043'>here on Dave the Cook's kitchen remodel thread. I will never be the same.

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The gunk queen reports from here that she loves her magnetic knife holder more than you can imagine. No more gunk to worry about. One less thing cluttering up her kitchen counters (what little she has). She wonders "why didn't I do this years ago?"

A magnetic knife holder (gunk free) would fit into a stocking or a box...

[fifi]

I agree with you on the magnetic strip, Susan. Unfortunately, the new kitchen doesn't have any logical place to put it. I know that sounds strange but I, for the most part, don't have upper cabinets with the splash space in between. I have windows. And, the knives should really be near the prep area on the island. After that little discussion that I linked to, that dishwasher safe thing is starting to look good.

Oops. Edit to provide an update: Today I made the trip to the restaurant supply. I was able to score everything on my list for the goody boxes with only one dissappointment. They no longer carry the cooling racks for the half sheet pans. But I did find racks for the quarter sheet pans. I got those for the kids and two for myself. I guess that is some compensation. I picked up those wine pouring thingies when I stopped at Spec's for some wine to bring to a friend's tomorrow so they have another little goody. I have the proper sized boxes and packing bubbles in house courtesy of my last purchases of wine glasses from Amazon. Now I just have to get wrapping.

Edited December 5, 2004 by fifi (log)

[hillbill]

Maybe this one will be more in your line.

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Thank you, that one looks like it might fit the bill nicely. I'm going to check out what they have in the local stores like Linens 'n Things, I never thought about this before, that there might actually be various nutcracker designs, in my mind nutcracker and those "V" things were always synonymous!

[ladyyoung98]

i have to agree ...ive got a magnetic knife strip as well and i love mine..my regret right now is that i dont have another one...i have a small kitchen with very little drawer space..(what do they think about when drawing up kitchen plans on an apartment complex?... ).....so i dont have much backsplash area and with the way the kitchen is set up...very little wall space.... i had to find a way to creativley use the space i do haveso my fiance not only put a magnetic knife strip on my wall but also hung a pot rack for me.... i dont know what i ever did before i had either one of these things .....

fifi as to the half sheet cake cooling racks did you also try looking at cake supply places?... they seem to carry that sort of stuff in the ones we have in the dalla s /fort worth area...perhaps they may do so in the houston area as well...can t hurt to look

Edited December 5, 2004 by ladyyoung98 (log)

[Chris Amirault]

squadle: a square-shaped ladle, which for some geometric reason I can't explain gets out every last bit from a round pot

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Oh that's so cool. I can completely envision how it works. The sides and bottom of pots are straight, usually at a right angle, the part where they come together is curved. The Squadle will fit right in there, much better than a traditional round ladle, which leaves a gap at the joint.

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For the cash conscious consumers (like me), I want to point out that a traditional wok ladle, which has a large surface area and is less concave than traditional western half-sphere ladles, does the trick as well as a squadle, for about $6-8. No catchy name, though!

While on that subject, I'll point out that most Asian food stores have a ton of small cooking and eating things that would make great, inexpensive gifts. Wire mesh and bamboo strainers (great for deep frying) also come to mind.

[andiesenji]

I agree with you on the magnetic strip, Susan. Unfortunately, the new kitchen doesn't have any logical place to put it. I know that sounds strange but I, for the most part, don't have upper cabinets with the splash space in between. I have windows. And, the knives should really be near the prep area on the island. After that little discussion that I linked to, that dishwasher safe thing is starting to look good.

Oops. Edit to provide an update: Today I made the trip to the restaurant supply. I was able to score everything on my list for the goody boxes with only one dissappointment. They no longer carry the cooling racks for the half sheet pans. But I did find racks for the quarter sheet pans. I got those for the kids and two for myself. I guess that is some compensation. I picked up those wine pouring thingies when I stopped at Spec's for some wine to bring to a friend's tomorrow so they have another little goody. I have the proper sized boxes and packing bubbles in house courtesy of my last purchases of wine glasses from Amazon. Now I just have to get wrapping.

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Are these what you are looking for?

I have several of these and they work great for half sheet pans.

[fifi]

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Are these what you are looking for?

I have several of these and they work great for half sheet pans.

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Nope. I mean the wire racks that just fit the pan. I use them a lot because I do my bacon in the oven a pound at a time. But I do have a buddy looking for just what you linked to. Thanks.

[andiesenji]

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Are these what you are looking for?

I have several of these and they work great for half sheet pans.

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Nope. I mean the wire racks that just fit the pan. I use them a lot because I do my bacon in the oven a pound at a time. But I do have a buddy looking for just what you linked to. Thanks.

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Check Linens 'N Things or Bed, Bath & B - if there is one near you. I bought a couple of the footed racks that fit the half sheet pans.

Like this:

They also had them at the Kitchen Etc. place in the factory outlet center.

[snowangel]

I have a stainless ruler in my gadget drawer. I love it. One side has inches, the other metric. It goes through the dishwasher like a dream. Mine is an 18 incher, but I'd be almost as happy with a 12 incher.