Serving

Pour some Zucch-er on me

No, it's not a crystal ball that will help you see your future. What it will help you do, however, it add a little sweetness to your tea or coffee.

The Zucch Sugar Pourer is a stunning way to hold one of my favorite spices, made of thick, double-walled glass. The visual effect is that of an orb floating in midair. The sugar isn't included, but there are plenty of pretty varieties that would look great, like raw sugar or lightly colored varieties. Sugar is poured from a small hole at the top, and the pourer is refilled … Read more

Sweet solution for your sour fruit

I have to blog about the Lemon Run, because, according to its Web site, using it a "smile starts running down on your face." And whom, my friends, can pass that up?

The Lemon Run solves a problem that many of us face. But let's let them explain it to us:

"Do you hesitate to pick up a piece of lemon from the plate before serving it to a dish of delicacy? Worry about spurting juice all over place, onto people's face or clothes? Spoil the enjoyment for everyone around you."

I don't … Read more

Grow your greens, and eat them, too

Somehow, with the birth of my fifth child two and a half weeks ago, I have neglected my garden a bit. But when I sent the bigger children outside to gather up the bounty yesterday, they managed to haul in the makings of at least a few salads.

Salad fresh from the garden is a real treat. And what better way to serve it than with these garden salad tools from Fred and Friends? The fork and spoon are styled to look like a gardening rake and trowel.

The tools are crafted from bamboo in a natural finish, so they'… Read more

You're set for sushi

While making sushi at home doesn't actually require that much in the way of equipment, not every household has the dishes necessary to do freshly made sushi justice. The Japanese Sushi Set, from Stash, brings the necessary elements together. The set includes two ginkgo-leaf-shaped plates, measuring 5 inches by 7 inches, as well as matching sauce dishes, measuring 3 inches by 3.5 inches. You'll find that the plates, while shaped similarly, are different color: one is a light brown while the other is a dark gray. The sauce dishes match. The set also comes with two sets … Read more

Environmentally friendly toaster saves planet and breakfast

It's not always that the hottest trends in design coincide with the most efficient. When it comes to many modern appliances, however, energy efficiency has become a key criterion in comparing one to the next. Consumers have spoken, and what they're asking for are appliances that use their energy more effectively and reduce waste.

The trend has expanded to include even the simplest kitchen gadgets. Take this toaster by Morphy Richards, for instance: dubbed the 'Ecolectric," it promises an evenly browned slice of toast every time for an energy cost of 35 percent less.

The secret to … Read more

Slice your bagels, not your fingers

As much as I love eating bagels for breakfast, I hate to buy the kind that aren't already sliced. Because slicing bagels is such tricky business, I either visit the corner store to buy a prepared breakfast bagel, or I buy packs of bagels that are already cut and decorate them at home.

The problem with this method is twofold: first of all, the packages of presliced bagels are never nearly as flavorful as the bigger varieties that they sell down the street from my apartment (I live in New York, land of the amazing bagel); second, if I … Read more

Carafe chills drinks via a frozen base

I really like freezers. Not only do they change water into ice, but they also store food, allowing us to keep a pork roast on hand for weeks longer than we otherwise could. Anything that can stop food from going bad is going to get a vote of approval from me. Not only can we put stuff in it to keep it cool, but we can also take things out to chill other items. Of course, I'm talking about things like ice cubes and ice packs, but there is one particular item that I find interesting today.

The Glass Chiller Carafe … Read more

Quickly chill wine as you pour

Wine never seems to be at the correct temperature when you want it to be. Oh, sure, there are wine refrigeration systems and chillers galore, but the fact of the matter is that when it's time to pour, quite often the bottle isn't as ready as you are. The result is usually an open bottle of wine getting progressively colder as it rests in the fridge. The end of the bottle might make it to an ideal temperature, but the same respect should be reserved for the first sip, too.

For those times when the wine you want … Read more

Babyboop bowl adds style to predinner snacks

It wasn't until I began to peruse the MoMA Store's Web site last year that I learned a valuable lesson about hors d'oeuvre: presentation is everything!

I'm no stranger to creating pretty presentations. In fact, many of my friends for whom I've cooked a meal will tell you that I care almost as much about how a plate looks as how it tastes. What I don't do, however, is spend much time thinking about how to serve predinner snacks, and so most of these end up gracing the coffee table in the same bowls … Read more