Lazy Seasoning

...as opposed to Lazy Susan.  Different - except that both make kitchen work simpler and more appealing.  And, isn't that what we want, more enjoyment and simplicity in the kitchen?

Top quality and distinctive design don't hurt either.    Once again, William Bounds, Ltd., the people who create salt and pepper shakers to fit every decor and environment, present a helpful twist on grinders.  Their latest models move swiftly and smoothly from kitchen to table with zero fuss.

Here are just two examples for that someone in your family who is a bit reluctant - or lazy, like me - when it comes to hand grinding salt and pepper.  Plus, anyone who does kitchen duty will appreciate the one-hand method of seasoning foods prior to serving.

Naturally, you can easily set how coarse or fine you prefer salt and pepper - and re-filling is quick and easy.  Their website has other eye-catching designs: www.wmboundsltd.com

To Serve and Protect

... you need the best storage system.   I am talking about food, you realize.  And so, the fine folks at Snapware (www.snapware.com) have created exactly that - the best way to protect your food, before and after you serve it.

As a long-time fan of their basic food storage line, I recently tested their Glasslock series as well.  The Glasslock system is especially appealing since around here we always have oil-  or tomato-based sauces to store.  Foods like those as you know, create stains that are harder to clean off many other storage containers.  You may remember early glass storage methods.  I think we called them "jars" in olden times (!)  But with Glasslock, you can choose from a new variety of tempered safety glass, totally BPA-free.  Choose from a variety of sizes, all microwaveable and dishwasher-safe.  

The solid look and feel Snapware brings to Glasslock is reinforced by the airtight, leakproof seal, helping eliminate spills while keeping your food as fresh and delicious as possible.  Big plus for apartment living and smaller kitchens: storage is made simpler by the stackability of Glasslock containers, ensuring an easier fit in your cabinets.

Now, these are glass, of course, so don't pop them from freezer or fridge immediately in to the microwave or other drastic temperature changes.  Proper care and common sense will keep your food looking and tasting marvelous, and your Glasslock system practically new.  No better time than now to gradually eliminate those old plastic-type systems.

Visit www.snapware.com  to scan the options.  While there, you may also appreciate Snapware's new "Snap 'N Stack" portable organizer.  For crafters, students or people like me - tired of digging through drawers to find note pads, pens, buttons or herbs & spices... it's one more space-saving option you will quickly find indispensable.

Greener Water

So, you think you have the "greenest" water container?  Well... maybe not.

The folks at www.vapur.us have developed a unique "category creator"- type product sure to attract many converts - even from the current range of recyclable drinking containers.  Now you can carry your liquid of choice in a reusable container that you can fold, roll or even flatten after you finish - and keep reusing it endlessly.

Made in America, the VAPUR does more than just reduce your carbon footprint. It also reduces clutter, weight - even space in your bag or purse if you prefer to take it home to refill with your favorite beverage. You can wash it in your dishwasher's top rack, toss it in the freezer, even use it as an icepack as you wish.  The VAPUR is totally reusable.

On casual Fridays or while exercising, the VAPUR hangs on where you hook the included carabiner. And, two good reasons you won't get it confused with someone else's VAPUR: First, it comes in several colors.  Second, the company thoughtfully included a space for you to write your name with indelible marker.

Easy to drink from and holding a full 16 ounces, you might call this helpful product the "anti-bottle" - partly because they do.  Anyway, it is also free of BPA's.  Sad to say that in America, we waste 17 million barrels of oil - every year - just to make water bottles.  Add the huge cost of filling and refilling, the millions that end up in land fills... you get the idea.  

If you are ready to help eliminate all that waste, VAPUR is worth considering.  Now you can really make a difference - and with a conversation-starting product.  Here it is: www.vapur.us

Protect Your Pad

...from those Fabulous Belkin boys - and girls (wasn't that a movie?)  Anyway, if you are the proud possessor of an iPad or any in the growing category of sub-laptops, readers, mobiles.... has Belkin got a deal for you.  (www.belkin.com)


Matter of fact, if you have an iPhone, iPod or almost any digital gadget in those categories, you'll find a visit to Belkin's site an eye-opening, idea starter.  Let's face it, you know you're gonna drop your favorite communicator/player at some point.  If you leap out in front of that mis-hap and grab a classy, possibly attention-getting cover/protector, you are less likely to stare in horror at shattered glass and plastic on the pavement when the inevitable occurs.


At the recent New Products Show here in New York, everyone was stopping by, laying hands on the various Belkin offerings.  The picture above shows the Pleat Sleeve for iPad in purple, which also comes in basic black.  Other models on display feature leather, as well as folio types and see-throughs.  I'm drawn to the Pleat Sleeve since, well... no one else is likely to have one yet, and the durable neoprene provides excellent protection.  Not only that, an outside pocket zips open to carry your mobile, charger and cord.  


Scan the options here:  www.belkin.com  

Boost College Student's Grades

It's a given: Better energy = better grades.  But, how to achieve both and keep healthy at the same time?  


College students are faced with enormous pressure - from professors, family, themselves... even peers.  Realistically, no one can spend endless hours studying without tiring, especially in darker, colder months.  Science has proven that "winter blues," more accurately known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) drains the energy of millions, and not just students.

One way to fight SAD and even simple eye strain, is to ensure proper lighting, specifically for study areas.  Dark dorm rooms are not conducive to steady focus, healthy energy or good eyesight.  For the past year, I have enjoyed using an early version of the HappyLight 6000 from the folks at Verilux (www.verilux.com).  Frankly, I waited a few weeks to tell others, to make certain I wasn't simply benefiting from a placebo affect with my improved mood and ability to spend more time reading without tiring as quickly.

Happily, you may discover the latest HappyLight 6000 to be just the gift that will make the same difference as your student transitions from the "good life" of lounging around at home with you - to a renewed focus on excelling in college.  After all, with the hours kept by most students, any healthy approach that may provide that extra edge is worth a try.  Light therapy may be one solution to making a positive difference in the grades of your brilliant offspring.  And, it may also turn in to an inexpensive and beneficial life-long habit.  I believe you will also appreciate discovering the advantages of sanitizing your surroundings using U/V lights instead of harsh chemicals.

Brighten your days to come - along with your student's - starting here: www.verilux.com  and discover a variety of options that may help your entire family.  I suggest trying one at home and proving its effectiveness for yourself, too.

Cool Way to a Hot Kitchen

And by hot, I mean enjoying the latest, greenest, money-saving gadget.  I should also include fun to use.  The fabulous Fagor Tabletop Halogen Oven (www.fagoramerica.com) is the newest way to help you escape from the land of microwaving.  Now, even cooking a full meal is easy as reheating pizza, and infinitely more flavorful. Combining the convection fan's swirling hot air with the super-powered halogen, the Fagor heats up almost immediately.  Why zap cold pizza?  We make our own pizza from fresh ingredients that tastes better - and costs less - than frozen.  And that's just the beginning - unless of course, you live solely on pizza...  

The Fagor cooks many foods in almost half the time of regular ovens, using nearly 75% less energy.  Plus, you won't sacrifice convenience, nor will your meals dry out and lose flavor as with many nuking methods.  And here's where another good health boost originates: you can watch through the glass bowl as fats drip away from fish, poultry and meat, making it easy to adjust your proven recipes.  A simple set of controls lets you adjust temperature and cooking times, while safety features and included tools add to its convenience.

Family and friends who have rec vehicles and/or pools will also appreciate using an appliance so convenient it replaces several others with its small footprint and efficiency.  Frankly, we have not cracked open the microwave since we began our testing, nor have we gone back to cooking meals in the conventional oven.  So far - no need.  With this helpful gadget, we have broiled a variety of fish, baked potatoes, steamed vegetables and roasted meats.  The result each time was a noticeable improvement in both flavor and moisture content without the blandness that can cause us to over-season foods.  One of the most surprising results we enjoy comes from "air frying" food, accomplished with just a hint of oil, and sometimes none at all.  

Delicious!

Certainly, it's easier to prevent over-cooking when you can watch most foods as they reach your preferred level of doneness.  An amusing habit in itself, given the quality of today's tv programs, but that's another story!  In any case, I think you will agree that this is the rare find that exceeds the wild over-promising seen in most infomercials.  The Fagor Tabletop Halogen Oven is a top-quality item, made not of mysterious plastic derivatives, but with a solid glass bowl that also ensures clean up is simple and easy.

Show me a person who loves cooking and I'll show you someone with sensational friends.  Isn't it more fun to eat home cooking - when it's healthy and delicious, rather than blowing your cash on flash-frozen, trendy meals at a noisy restaurant?   And, with a Fagor in your kitchen, you have a tool that can speed you along your journey towards accomplished chef-ery.  Of course your pals will also enjoy spending more time at your place instead of constantly over-spending at restaurants.  I hope that's a good thing in your book!  Check their website to see all the extras you get with Fagor's Tabletop Halogen Oven (www.fagoramerica.com)

Chop Up Challenges

Ready to throw away those drugstore kitchen knives?   Frustrated trying to chop up greens with the knife you use to slice open UPS deliveries?   Excellent...

With the latest cutlery advancements from Wusthof (www.wusthof.com) you can quickly upgrade and sharpen your culinary skills.  You know the term "the right tool for the right job."  No tool is more important to appealing meal creations than your knife.  Even if you begin with just one good knife, now is the time to start creating a set that you will look forward to using.

Let's face it - food prep is not fun if you are not nimble with your instruments - so to speak.  Don't spend all your time watching the Cooking Channel.  Get involved and show off.  You may even develop a new found passion for food prep - with a few helpful friends close at hand.  And yes, a good knife is a tool you want to befriend.

Wusthof knows the fine art of carving, slicing and chopping like no other.  Not surprising, with 175 years of family-owned expertise and constant research.  Major Wusthof differences?  Aside from ensuring sharpness for as long as possible, you will will find a knife that perfectly fits your needs - and your hand.  Balance, shape - even blade angle are tested and refined to smooth the passage of knife through food.

We have been using two new versions of their Japanese-style cleaver, the Nakiri knife: the Hollow Ground and the Fine Edge.   Their unique feel and effectiveness turn the chore of cutting into zen-like moments of meditation.   The Hollow Ground version features beveled oval edging on the blade, so foods that usually stick to knives now slide through easily.  Both versions of this terrific tool are made especially to cut in a forward motion.  You don't have to rock the knife or push and pull.

The distinctive wide blades are thinner than other models, so clean, straight cuts are easier as are thin slices.  With a good sharpener these knives will last for years and become the primary cutting tools you constantly grab.  You'll be in fine company since these German made precision pieces are used by major chefs around the world, and sold in the best stores in over 70 countries.

Use a Wusthof knife - or add a set to your holiday wish list - and you might start re-thinking options for your next career?  Hello, Food Network?  (www.wusthof.com)  At the least, you will certainly look forward to spending time in your kitchen.

Show Your Pet Real Love

No one loves you like your pet.  Dog, cat - whichever you live with, one way to return their love is to make every meal more enjoyable - and healthful.  Here's how you can help them enjoy their food and water every day.  Featured at the recent Hot Housewares for the Holidays show in New York, one of the top creations in the pet world comes from the folks at Neater Feeder.  (www.neaterfeeder.com)

In addition to helping your pet look forward to eating, you will also help keep your walls and floors cleaner, fight mildew and spend less time on clean up.  What's more, you also save money on pet food by decreasing waste.

Let's face it, your pet deserves clean, bug-free meals as much as you do, so the Neater Feeder is a terrific choice.  And, if you don't mind rushing the holiday season, you can bet the little rascal will immediately appreciate your thoughtfulness.  Of course, her improved digestion may well be thanks enough.  Find a Neater Feeder online or at retailers shown on their website.  (www.neaterfeeder.com)  Chops will happily be licked.

Better Conditioned Air

Can't say I was surprised.  given my experiences with Dyson creations, I am happy to report on their latest success story. 

In recent years, James Dyson's inventions have opened our imaginations to where we would try almost anything he invented.  We currently own two of his high-tech, highly-capable vacuum cleaners.  And like you, have also experienced his energy-efficient hand dryers in a restaurant or office somewhere in the world.  So it was with great anticipation that we looked forward to testing his "Dyson Air Multiplier."  (www.dyson.com/fans/)

Now, you might say, "Isn't that just a gimmicky name for a fan?"  And I would say to you, "Not so, my friend!"  This beautifully designed creation is nothing short of a mini-marvel.  Regular fans throw off waves - or blasts - of air that can be distracting and irregular at distributing comfortable breezes.  Plus, the tendency to worsen dry eyes often increases with old-fashioned fans.  If you ever getting around to cleaning the blades, you are also well aware of how annoying that process can be.

Using the Dyson Air Multiplier, you appreciate the quiet push of a pleasant, steady flow of air.  None of the irregular choppiness we are used to.  Part of the brilliance of Dyson's latest invention is taking a process similar to that used in jet engines and turbochargers and shrinking it.  These units are light-weight and not top-heavy or awkward as are many traditional fans.  A glance offers a hint of how easy it is to clean - simply wipe it down.  Setting options include the typical on-or-off oscillator, but the Dyson sweeps a steady breeze - either from side to side, or push a button to lock in in place.  And the center of gravity is so low, you can easily tilt the unit to direct air flow higher or lower without fear of tipping.  Plus, one knob varies the speed and power of the air current.

It is called an "Air Multiplier" because that is what it does.  It amplifies air drawn in from around the unit up to 15 times, creating a steady, pleasant flow that may well save you a considerable sum on your electric bill.  A breeze this comfortable can forestall turning on that power-draining a/c system for quite some time.  In addition to the effectiveness of the fan, the white noise aspect will also appeal to light sleepers who need a peaceful background sound to help them relax.

I'm a fan - of this non-fan, as you can tell.  And, whether near bedside or desk area, watching people's first reactions is always amusing.   You will quickly get spoiled by the safe, effective blade-less convenience of this Air Multiplier.  A short video on their website demonstrates how it works.  www.dyson.com/fans/ 

Father's Day Gift Ideas

   

Terrific place to begin when searching for unique ideas for dad's day this year?

My first suggestions - our friends at Brookstone.  (www.brookstone.com)

Your dad need not be a techie, but if he is a forward-thinking fellow he may have picked up an iPad.  If so, I'm betting he doesn't have an 
e-Pad yet.  Take a look at this portable desk option.  Light weight with a soft, microsuede bottom that comfortably fits on your lap, the e-Pad is a multi-purpose gift.  Its wood grain surface is artfully designed with a small hole to use as a cable slot and/or carry handle.  And, iPad owner or not, this port-a-desk can handle paperwork, books and writing chores with ease - and positions everything at a perfectly natural angle for continuous comfort.  More e-Pad pictures await you at your local Brookstone - or online.

Then again, since your dad is presumably a bit older than you (!), odds are pretty good he's a snorer.  Frankly, he may even be a schnorrer (but that's another story).  In any case, if you'd like to help preserve your folks' marriage - or any relationship where snoring is involved, consider this idea: the clinically tested Anti-Snore Pillow.  For a back- or a side-sleeper, the neck support is eminently helpful and spine-friendly.  Made of special memory foam (using natural green tea, charcoal and castor oil) with customizable inserts, the pillow tilts and elevates your chin at just the right angle to aid proper breathing.  Overall, when you head and neck are properly aligned your body may relax better and make sound, snore-free sleeping easier.  Also appealing, you don't need to buy special pillow cases.  A standard size fits just fine.  Here's where to go:  www.brookstone.com   Dad - and Mom will thank you for years to come.