Kitchen Shears (Gelindo)
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This product was sent to me for test and evaluation purposes and they are, without a doubt, the most robust kitchen shears I have even owned. Everything about them is strong and efficient. The blades are super-sharp, one serrated with a curved bit and one smooth; they are made entirely of stainless steel with a good hefty feel and the clip that closes the ends is reminiscent of garden secateurs. The handles are finished in dark wood, securely riveted in three places. I find them ergonomically superb, but I think it depends a little on the size of your hands. They are spring-loaded which assists the cutting action.
Obviously, most people will find them invaluable for chicken and ribs, but since we don't eat meat, I have tested them differently. We find them excellent for fish, especially thick cuts of salmon, and for tough, woody herbs like rosemary. |
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Also super to shred cleanly the leaves of sorrel, spinach and leeks. In addition to food, they easily cut leather, metal sheeting, fabric, plastic and cardboard. The presentation is lovely, in a pretty box lined with shiny fabric, making them very suitable to give as a gift. The lifetime guarantee is a confident gesture, but quite justified as these really are excellent, very capable shears.
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Ideal Oil Sprayer (The Fine Life)
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This little mister has become addictive. I had experimented with flavoured oils before, both in cooking and as toppings for food, but the problem had always been that whatever bottle or sprayer I used, the nozzle would quickly clog up and become unusable. When I was asked to test this new product, I was more curious than hopeful.
The secret seems to be the deceptively simple but ingenious cap which increases the interior pressure inside the bottle by way of a manual pumping action. Seven pumps is the guidance, and I have found it to be very accurate. Just enough that you feel resistance. You then remove the cap and use the sprayer in the usual way to coat a pan or oven tray, and directly on food. It's brilliant for omelettes, too. I use non-stick pans but can never get the oil to properly coat the surface. The advantages of spraying (rather than pouring) a flavoured oil mixture over food are that you achieve total coverage without drenching the dish, and that sometimes all you want is a fine layer such as over popcorn, pizza dough, sweet potatoes before roasting, nut mixtures etc. Also excellent as a final spicy touch over cooked or raw dishes, especially vegetables, fish and salads. In fact the other day I dressed a very delicate type of lettuce with the mister alone. Another reason to use the mister would be to custom-finish a dish in much the same way as people use a salt shaker at the table. Of course, the most obvious benefit of this mister is that it allows those of us on a calorie-reduced diet to enjoy the full flavour of the oily mixture while keeping the calories way down. |
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My first test mix was walnut oil with chunks of red chili peppers, slices of ginger and fresh needles of rosemary (I did not include the whole sprig because the woody stem would add nothing to the mix). For my second experiment, I went for olive oil (a little thicker in consistency), whole peppercorns, ginger again (because I love it, I even eat it raw) and a stem of saffron.
Once I was satisfied that the mister could handle heavier oils without clogging, I eased up my testing and made a less dense mix with 1 part balsamic vinegar to 2 parts olive and 1 part safflower oil, adding garlic cloves and flavourings as they took my fancy. I find them all delicious and a really quick way to add a little zip to everyday recipes. |
The spray system works well right down to the last little bit of oil and since the end of the tube is inside a cover, whatever solid flavouring agent I added never got in the way of the sprayer, which is definitely a plus. The mister is easy to wash and the few parts seem sturdy and not likely to break. With your purchase, you receive an email with a short PDF user guide, with illustrations and tips. Basically, a simple way to deal with clogs (run hot water over the nozzle and expel the obstruction using the pump's power), and add liquid only to the fill line, so you leave enough space for the build up of pressure, and remember to release the pressure by unscrewing the spray tip once you are finished for the day). As a final observation, the bottle is available in three colours (grey, red and black) to suit any décor, or to identify the contents, should you wish to keep different mixtures going, and looks very pretty and decorative sitting on my kitchen counter, ready for action.
40 knives, 40 spoons and 80 forks
160-pieces box contents
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Disposable Plastic Silver Cutlery (DisposaBling)
I have just finished putting this remarkable new product to the test and I am really impressed. Visually this cutlery looks like a small version of the real thing, the only clue being that the pieces are very lightweight. In use, they are all perfectly balanced, the forks are smooth but grip securely, the knives work well enough on all the foods I have tried them on, even meat and some tough vegetables, and the single-size spoons are a good compromise between a soup spoon and a teaspoon. I'm sure it would be possible to break the plastic, if one applies enough force, but in normal use it did not happen.
The shiny finish looks very convincing and goes well with a variety of plates (see photos below). It is also surprisingly tough. A fork left sitting in pineapple juice for several hours was unscathed. I dropped several pieces from waist-height on a hard, tiled floor and they survived without breaking. It is possible to scratch the surface if you really try but so what? The only fault I can find is the occasional sharp point at the base of the handle where, presumably, the machining process has cut the piece off from a mould. It is easily fixed with a nail file, if one is so disposed. Although the main appeal of this product is that it is disposable, and priced accordingly, I would not hesitate to wash and reuse the pieces. In fact, they would be invaluable in many situations, from camping to picnics and certainly on moving day, when the last box has been packed and sealed, to avoid that forlorn feeling of having lost your quality of life. The obvious use is, of course, to provide a carefree option and elegant look when faced with a crowd, for buffets, garden parties, celebrations, weddings, etc.
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It looks just like the real thing, no?
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Milk Frother (Judge)
The answer to my problem. I am addicted to my morning cappuccino and, being Italian, I know how it should taste. Since my Pavoni pride and joy investment is again in need of its biennial, expensive overhaul, and there is nowhere local to have it done, I have gone back to making coffee with my humble but capable Bialetti moka espresso maker. The coffee comes out well enough but the problem is getting the milk properly frothed.
I chose this stainless steel model because the glass types break so easily and the battery-operated dip-in whizzers are messy and don't really deliver the correct result. This frother, on the other hand, is perfect! Since I hate the taste of skimmed milk, I get the best results from using UHT milk, frothed cold and then heated, but not boiled, on the cooktop (after removing the lid, of course). |
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The pumping action of this little treasure is similar to butter churning and in a minute or two of energetic up-and-down motion, the froth adds two-thirds to the initial volume of the milk. So it's important to only use a cup or so of milk otherwise the froth will spill out of the jug.
The handle is solid and easy to grasp, the whole thing is well made, with quality materials that should last a long time. It's extremely easy to wash by hand and hygienic because every part of the gadget can be reached with a brush. In the past I have bought different models of espresso machines (Gaggia, deLonghi, etc.) and they all last two years at most before becoming useless. This inexpensive, durable, good-looking and space-saving gadget is all I need to make the froth that turns coffee and milk into a morning luxury.
The handle is solid and easy to grasp, the whole thing is well made, with quality materials that should last a long time. It's extremely easy to wash by hand and hygienic because every part of the gadget can be reached with a brush. In the past I have bought different models of espresso machines (Gaggia, deLonghi, etc.) and they all last two years at most before becoming useless. This inexpensive, durable, good-looking and space-saving gadget is all I need to make the froth that turns coffee and milk into a morning luxury.
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Milk Jug
A small but irreplaceable item to perfect the daily ritual of cappuccino making. This was a thoughtful gift that I enjoy using every day. It's smart, well made, very easy to wash, durable (in constant use for over a year, it still looks new) and even matches the sleek aluminium look of most espresso machines.
The jug, filled to the mid point, holds the correct amount of milk for two cups and the long heat-proof handle facilitates the up-and-down-and-round motion required to achieve that tight, thick froth that elevates an espresso coffee to the lofty heights of a delicacy. |
