potatoes

Move over bacon, here comes beer-can chicken

I'm going to make a bold prediction: bacon may well have been the favorite food obsession of the Internet during 2008, but beer can chicken is going to wrestle the mantle away this year. Of course, we won't know the results of this delicious statement well until mid-summer, but all the signs are there. We have seen a recent explosion of interest in the cooking method, and now we are seeing more products designed to deliver the classic meal. From ceramic cookers looking to mimic the process to simple devices resembling colanders or mesh steamers, the fact is … Read more

Battery-operated potato peeling with the Rotato Express

Whoever came up with this idea must really hate potato skins. To create a device so committed to the removal of skins from potatoes, one must truly hold a disdain for them. Perhaps that person would also be a fan of this dedicated apple peeler.

As a fan of a more rustic style of cooking, I personally opt to leave the potatoes in their jackets when boiling up a batch of mashed. It's not just the fact that I don't have to deal with the dreaded potato peeler, but the flavor and texture of potato skins is something … Read more

You can mash potato and do the twist

Don't tell my kids, but it turns out that some people make mashed potatoes by actually mashing potatoes. My children, like all good children, have been brought up to believe that mashed potatoes come from flakes in a box. Add water, and like magic, they grow up to be a beautiful (if a bit bland) "close approximation of mashed potatoes."

Right. So, anyway, if your children have learned that there is another way, you may want to look into spudnik, an innovative masher from ?utensil, a brand created by high-tech design studio And Design to bring to … Read more

Sushezi shoots out tubes of sushi

I can't tell if I like this idea or not. I suppose since it involves the making of sushi, I'll just have to give it a thumbs up. However, I don't think it's quite sushi-sushi, if you don't have to roll it up.

Usually sushi is formed in a bamboo mat covered with plastic wrap. You place the vinegared rice--with or without sugar--and fish in a sheet of nori, add some vegetables if you like, then roll it up. And there you have sushi. I'm not sure why you need a device for handling … Read more

The 404 154: Where we eat wasabi peas for breakfast

On the show today: Linda Nguyen from Chickipedia, dirty door-to-door Verizon salesmen, weekend box office hits and misses, and guest call-in from Lou Bakalar!

Why do all of our most exciting shows happen on Fridays? Could be because everyone's in a great mood today, instead of just Wilson. Or maybe it's because we actually managed to con two females into joining the show today. Alex, aka A-Rod, plays team Mom for the day and brings us cookies to munch on and Linda Nguyen from Break Media jumps on the mic and shows us Chickipedia.com, the world's … Read more

Peel me 3 times, safely

I have a killer potato peeler living in my kitchen. It stalks innocent fingers and when least expected, it tries to take a bite out of them. Unfortunately, sometimes it succeeds. Well, look out medieval-torture-device-posing-as-a-kitchen-utensil: Your days are numbered...and I'm in a mood for counting.

Not only does the Trio Tri-blade Peeler from Prepara have a retractable blade, but it also has three blades. A twist of a dial at the base of the unit selects which style of blade is needed. The 'soft' blade setting is used to peel soft skinned produce, such as tomatoes and peaches, … Read more

At CES, watch out for wireless high-def TV

At the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year, Samsung showed off a plasma TV that got data from an 802.11(n) link.

At CES in January 2008, you should expect to see a lot of TVs demoed with WirelessHD, a wireless protocol with a lot more bandwidth.

That's the world from John LeMoncheck, president and CEO of SiBeam, the chip company that has devised the spec and will come out with chips based on it. (I spoke to him a few days ago at the AlwaysOn Stanford Summit). Several consumer electronics manufacturers will likely show off TVs and … Read more

First photo of Mr. Potato Head Spider Spud unveiled

I have no idea how they did it, but Make Mine Marvel managed to get the first photo of the Mr. Potato Head Spider Spud.

The Hasbro toy company, which owns Marvel, has been keeping a tight wrap on the item, but did announce this morning that the $10 Mr. Potato Head Spider Spud will be available March 24. It will contain 12 body parts, including webs, a Spidey leotard and parts for changing back into "Peter Parker Potato."

The toy is to be revealed at the American International Toy Fair in New York City next week.

The … Read more

The History Channel, gamer-style

Is it just me or has the History Channel gotten kind of bloody? Every time I turn it on there are either some tanks rolling by, some new demonstration of vintage Smith and Wesson firearms, or that R. Lee Ermey guy yelling at the camera. Clearly, the cable network's been trying to distance itself from its reputation for snoozeworthy documentaries that detail every UFO sighting of the 1960s or the postal correspondence between Paul Revere and his horse. But they may have gone a little too far with the new season of "Shootout!", which makes an over-the-top … Read more