spooning

I complain about bad recordings all the time, but there's lots of great-sounding music coming out. Here's a short list of the highlights from the past 12 months.

"Treme: Music From the HBO Original Series, Season 1"

Most soundtrack music is either old tunes or recorded in studios, but "Treme," HBO's series about New Orleans just a few months after Katrina, uses lots of live music recorded on the streets and in the city's clubs. The brass bands swing like crazy, and the funk grooves aren't too shabby. The sound feels … Read more

Great-sounding recently released albums are becoming increasingly rare, so when I find noteworthy efforts, I'm happy to share the news.

The goal here is to highlight new stuff, or at least music recorded in our century, so there's no need to include Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" or Steely Dan's "Aja." I assume you already know the best-sounding music from decades past; I'm trying to spread the word about the best new music, over a range of styles, something for every taste.

For more good-sounding music, check out my &… Read more

You know how you can never find the spoon at the bottom of the diaper bag when the baby is screaming for food? Sure, maybe I could be a more organized mom, but I've seen my friends with the same frenzied look nearly every time I'm out and about.

I'd never heard of pouched baby food before this product turned up in my in-box, but apparently it's a popular alternative to jars. And Plum Organics has teamed up with Boon Inc. to create a spoon and pouch system. The custom-designed spoon easily attaches to the spout … Read more

Every Fourth of July party needs plenty of decorations, dishes and utensils covered in the American flag. Your ice cream spoons can join the party, provided that they're the American Flag Ice Cream Spoons. The set includes four spoons that are extra long so you can use them to scoop ice cream from a deep soda-fountain glass, as well as eat other tasty treats, like sorbet or frozen yogurt. The spoons measure 7.5 inches long. They also happen to have resin flags wrapped around the pole that makes up their handles for a patriotic taste. There's even … Read more

The idea behind the Foldable Measuring Spoon is to make sure that sets can't get broken up and misplaced. The Foldable Measuring Spoon includes scoops sized for 1/4 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon, 1 teaspoon, and 1 tablespoon. They're all attached, though: you fold over each spoon until you reach the size you need.

The Foldable Measuring Spoon is compact, which is ideal if you cook while camping or otherwise on the go. They do only offer the most commonly used measurements, but the Foldable Measuring Spoons are easy to find in the drawer. They're constructed from … Read more

I've been known to press a spare saucer into use as a spoon rest if I can't find anything else, but there isn't any solution to where to put that hot lid you've just pulled off of a pot, especially if you're planning to put it back on the pot shortly. The Combo Lid / Spoon Rest offers a solution beyond simply setting lids on the counter. This rest is constructed from stainless steel, with a base that looks like two spoon rests put together and a tall rest that you can lean any lid against … Read more

Cute. Clever. Whimsical. No, no, I'm not talking about me, but how sweet of you to think that! I'm referring to ForkedUpArt's iPhone stands made of forks and spoons. I think the photos speak for themselves; these things are just adorable.

(Um, did I just use "sweet" and "adorable" in the same paragraph? I meant to say "killer" and "bitchin'." There, manhood restored.)

As you can see, there are two versions, the aptly named Fork Head and Spoon Head. Both use a combination of forks and spoons, and both … Read more

There are more than a few recipes out there that require certain amounts of ingredients that can leave you scrambling for a calculator. How do you measure 2/3 teaspoon when you only have 1/2 and 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoons? And just how much is a dash? The Odd Size Measuring Spoons include many of those stranger measurements so you can skip the math and get on with the cooking. The set includes both standard sizes of measuring spoons, as well as a range of unusual spoons starting with a pinch (less than 1/8 teaspoon) and working … Read more

I would much rather get my vitamin C from oranges and other fruits than have to take an extra pill every day. The fruits with plenty of vitamin C typically require special tools to peel and eat. Citrus fruits are tasty but dealing with the peel is time consuming. The Vitamin C Set includes what you need to deal with orange rind and more. The set includes two spoons, one with a green handle and one with an orange handle. The green spoon has teeth along its edge, allowing you to scoop grapefruit segments and peel kiwi fruit. The orange … Read more