Washington Partly Bans BPA - and you can too!

Washington stops the sale of products to kids that contain BPA.

Goodbye, bisphenol-A, better known by your street name, BPA. You were a useful carcinogen for so many years – we microwaved you, froze water in you, drank water out of you, stored our food in you, all while blind to your leaching into our food and drinks. 

Now, the great state of Washington (ChefTools HQ is in Seattle) has banned you ... partly. Beginning today, no one can sell bottles, cups or containers meant for kids under the age of 3 that, uh, contain you, BPA. Next year, you won’t be in sports bottles sold in Washington. 

Unfortunately, BPA is still in most plastic products. It’ll probably be a while before it’s gone from every product, if that’s even possible.It may never go away since studies show that low levels are, apparently, OK in low doses. But as governments start to recognize the dangers of chemicals like BPA, we start down a path to their eradication. 

I don’t know about you, but I haven’t been able to drink (especially hot beverages) out of a plastic cup for a couple of years. I swear I can taste the gross, gross chemicals swimming in my drink. I avoid using my plastic spatula, too. 

Take a gander at some of ChefTools’ BPA-free products. We always clearly label our BPA-free items. If you're turned off by plastic entirely, we have plenty of alternatives. Get a ceramic travel mug. They don't leave behind a taste, they're easy to clean, and they hold heat better than anything. Want a sturdy spatula, but don't want it to ding your nonstick pans? Try nylon or silicone. There are plenty of alternatives out there.

While governments work to ban dangerous, non-food safe chemicals, we can do our part by not purchasing products that contain BPA or other harmful chemicals.

Ceramic Knives - Can We Convert You?

Ever watch 'KCTS Cook's' some weekend when it was pouring rain and there was nothing else on tv? In other states it's 'PBS Cook's' - usually an all-day telethon fundraiser where the Public Broadcasting System would bring in local chefs to prepare fabulous recipes from our favorite local dining establishments. Before The Food Network, PBS was the only place I could watch an entire afternoon of cooking shows and be mesmerized at how quickly and fluidly they chopped veggies and herbs. Or learn what the difference was between sauteing and braising. It's where I fell in love with cooking and a cutie-pie chef named Ming Tsai. He and Kathy Casey were my favorite! But what I loved the most, and still listen for today, was the sound of the knives on the cutting boards as they chopped their way through the ingredients.

Well now that I'm in the "cooking industry" I have learned a lot more about the real lives of chefs and the tools they use - even those knives that make the magical sounds as they are slicing against the cutting board. I found out that it's a new phenomenon (well, new to me) called Ceramic Knives. Ever heard of them? Ever wondered why some people rave about them? Well, I did so I did some research and tested them out and now I'm a true believer... here's why.

Advanced Ceramic, which is what the Kyocera knife blades are made of, are second only to diamonds in hardness! Remember the old movies where they'd scratch a mirror with a diamond to see if it was real or not? Well, these blades are almost as hard which means they will last a very long time, a lot longer than your typical stainless knife. Not only are they strong but they stay sharp at least 10 times longer than any other knife! This may sound like a lot of mumbo jumbo to most of us ladies, but when the men in my life, 2 of which are Boeing Engineers, heard this, they were really excited to test the knives themselves. Quite impressive to me to see 2 engineers get excited about a cooking tool! HA!

I bought a set for my Mother-in-Law to try out and she is now a believer! She is a phenomenal cook, in fact I've learned a lot of recipes from her over the years, so I wanted to get her a set of really good knives. She is a changed woman, in fact this is what she told me just this morning: "The (ceramic) knife you got me is great, I never use any of the other knives anymore!"

I love mine so much and preached the love of the ceramic so often lately, that I now have orders from my entire family! My uncle wants a Chef's Knife, my Dad is getting a set: Santoku, Chefs and Paring and I'm even buying them as a wedding gift for a family member.

So, have I convinced you yet? What if I tell you that Kyocera is solely used by Ming Tsai of "East Meets West" fame (swoon)? Or that Kyocera will fix or replace a knife that ever breaks? Or that they offer free sharpening for the lifetime of the knife? And for us ladies, they offer a very affordable line called "Revolution" that comes in all of our favorite colors! Of course I had to have the green!

Try out a ceramic knife and see for yourself. I bet you'll convert and love the magical sound of the ceramic blade cutting on your cutting board just like I did!

The Unseen Power of the Crumpled Cup

Le Froisses!

I’ve been readying a line of Revol products for the last week for debut on ChefTools.com. Among these products are some new styles of Revol’s rather famous line of crumpled porcelain cups. Revol, a French company, calls these cups “froisses,” which means “creased.” I had always thought they were cool looking cups, but I started to wonder whether the design was just for looks or something more.

So, I asked someone. Walter, the founder of ChefTools, brought me over to our office water cooler for a lesson in crumpled porcelain. “You’re probably too young to remember this,” he said, holding a Revol cup up to the cooler and pretending to fill it up, just like one of those little paper Solo cups."But this is how you would crumple the cup after you were done drinking!" he said, pretending to squeeze the tiny porcelain cup.

Of course! Then I held the crumpled cup in my hand (this was the tiny, shot-glass size one), and behold, my fingers fit perfectly around the crease. I was unfortunately too dense to see it, but Revol’s crumpled cups series was inspired by … crumpled cups. 

Check out the full line of crumpled cups, and be on the lookout when we add new ones around the beginning of August. They come on all sizes and colors, and maybe you’ll have fun telling party guests or whomever that your purposely crumpled porcelain cups are an artful comment on our disposable culture. Or, that they just look cool.

Round, Square or Belgian?

How do you prefer your waffles? Round, square or Belgian?

I personally love Belgian waffles - nice and crispy on the outside and soft and cake-like on the inside. Big, puffy, golden brown Belgian waffles.

And why am I tempting your taste buds with waffles, you may be asking. Well, because it's National Waffle Iron Day of course! Yes, another holiday based on a fun kitchen electric.

A couple of years ago I was on the hunt for a really great waffle iron. I didn't want your run-of-the-mill flat, square waffle iron. I also didn't really want a huge contraption that was going to take up half of my kitchen counter (I have a rather small kitchen where counter space is extremely valuable.) So the hunt was on!

Most of the waffle irons I found made the typical, flat, square waffles that I was not completely fond of. Then I went to one of the big box stores and found the industrial, commercial style contraption that you flip over half way through the cooking time. But, wow was it a monster! It made the perfect Belgian waffles, but could barely fit through my kitchen door! Next I hit some thrift stores, figuring I could find a good, old, traditional iron to make my beloved Belgians. Still no luck!

At this point, I have given up the hunt. I still look every time I'm at a flea market or barn sale - in hopes of finding my vintage Belgian beauty. But as of now, the only waffles I get to make are while staying in a hotel with a "complimentary" breakfast bar. But it's still fun filling the iron with batter and flipping over the large contraption half way through - it makes me feel like a kid again!

If you're looking for a great Belgian waffle recipe, check out this one from Tina over at "My Life as a Mrs." Her recipe sounds delicious and her photos are enough to induce extreme salivation. (see photos in this post, we borrowed them from her).

Do you prefer round, square or Belgian waffles? Order them for your next breakfast out as an ode to the wondrous Waffle Iron!

The Cupcake Pen Review is In

Check out this informative – and somewhat hilarious – review of the Tovolo Cupcake Pen from WXIA NBC in Atlanta. The demonstration of how tricky it is to get cupcake batter (I think you could use this for any kind of batter) into cupcake liners is funny – it’s that classic flustered, ultra-busy mom thing. 

Also, I love the quote, “I’m sure I could be holding one of the babies and do this.”

We’ve had one of these cupcake pens floating around the ChefTools.com office recently. I’m tempted to take it home and see what else it could do. I was thinking: if I got three of these, I could make a July 4 cake out of red, white and blue colored batter. Anyone have any rad ideas? You could write your name in cake. In cake!

How To Make Cold Brew Coffee

Two very different types of coffee, both delicious. However, cold brew is superior. 

The difference is science, I guess. Regular ice coffee is just hot coffee poured over ice, maybe with an hour of refrigeration thrown in. But this method tends to result in a watery drink. And the ice cubes tend to either melt or wither into weak little ice balls. 

Cold brew is literally brewing coffee in a cold environment. The cold brew creates a smooth, highly concentrated liquid that tastes better – in my opinion – than hot brewed coffee. I think it’s because you don’t burn the grinds. It’s a low-labor process, but takes time. It’s well worth it. 

Here’s how to make cold brew coffee: 

1) Fill your French press with cold water and the amount of coffee you normally use. Make sure the coffee is coarse grind – it should be, anyway, if you’re using a press. (If you don’t have a press, get one; presses are the best option for those who don’t like the causticity of auto-drip coffee, but also don’t want to toy with a double-induction inverted vacuum beaker, or whatever it is coffee nerds use.)

2) Put it in the refrigerator, leaving the press/lid part off. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent refrigerator smells from getting in. 

3) Wait 12 to 24 hours

4) Check the brew. It should be opaque, but don’t fret if it’s not. If it looks good, pop on the press and emulsify the coffee and water as if you were making a batch of hot coffee. 

5) This step is optional, but you might want to strain the cold brew through a paper filter. I do this because my press is old does not filter out all the grinds. 

For whatever reason – something to do with science – cold brew coffee is stronger than hot brew, so you don’t need as much. It’s great for plain-old ice coffee, or for making fancy coffee frappe drinks. You can even mix it with a little vodka to make perky coffee liquor. Enjoy!

Let The Sun Shine - And Win A Cool Tool

Happy First Day of Summer!

Boy did we need it here in Seattle. It has been pouring down rain, dreary and all of my poor Peony buds have wilted and fallen off before getting the chance to open into the beautiful blooms I adore. But no longer!

This morning the sun was shining at 6am and it's supposed to get up near 80 degrees and let me tell you, us Seattle-ites are doing the happy dance!

To me, Summer means waking up to the music of birds chirping outside my bedroom window. Having dinner and cocktails out on our deck until the wee hours of the night. Celebrating friends and family with barbecues and bonfires. Fresh fruit and flowers from the local Farmers Markets. Guacamole and margaritas on the patio of our favorite Mexican joint at lunch. And most importantly to me, it means happy people wherever you go.

What does summer mean to you?

Let us know and you could win this month's Cool Tool! I'll give you a hint: it's perfect for summertime entertaining.

To enter, follow the steps below:

1.Follow our blog

2. Leave a comment here about what summer means to you.

Only one entry per person, we'll pick a winner at random next Tuesday.

Happy Summer Solstice!

Gluten-Free Sandwich Solution!

How do you make a sandwich without bread? After all, bread is the essence of a sandwich. How can something be a sandwich without two surfaces between which to sandwich food? (Unless you’re eating one of those donut bacon sandwiches.)

Eric Ripert this weekend reminded me of the solution, which is of particular interest for those who voluntarily or for medical reasons follow a gluten-free diet. On his PBS TV show, Ripert grilled a couple of heads of romaine lettuce - it was a toss off moment, too, as he was also grilling a couple of incredible looking lobsters.

Have you ever grilled a leafy green? It sounds counter intuitive, like fried ice cream, but it’s excellent. The greens are crunchy and melt in your mouth. I used to eat at a raw food/vegan/local (etc., etc.) restaurant that served a nut paste and veggie sandwich wrapped in a big kale leaf. I copied them at home, wrapping everything from day-old fried pasta to grilled vegetables in them. It’s another dimension of sandwiching. 

Anyway, I watched Ripert’s show on Saturday afternoon. Saturday evening I was to attend a barbecue. I stopped at the grocery store before and bought a package of Field Roast kabobs and, rather than hot dog buns, some romaine. I grilled the kabobs at the barbecue along with the lettuce and combined the two. Try it at your next barbecue; it works with real meat, too. You can even dress up the romaine (or kale or whatever) with soy sauce, salt or oil.

What A Great Foodportunity

This past Monday our owner, our friends at Ritrovo and myself were fortunate enough to attend a food fancier's dream event and what a "food-portunity" it was! Being invited to Tom Douglas' Palace Ballroom was exciting enough, but attending alongside many food writers, chefs and food purveyors from all over Seattle made it a night to remember.

Corky from Ballard Bee Company, Amy Pennington of Go Green Garden and, even Lisa Dupar herself, were all there. Food bloggers like Shirley of LovelyLanvin and Alice of Savory Sweet Life were there in abundance and of course our proprietor herself, Karen of Frantic Foodie did a fantastic job of mingling among the masses. If the attendees didn't have our hearts palpitating from excitement, the nibbles from the hottest restaurants around town had our taste buds exploding!

Chez Shea, Nettletown, BuiltBurger and Emmer & Rye were all there sampling their culinary masterpieces, much to our delight. Foie Gras on a homemade nutmeg hinted cracker with a crisp apple relish on top. Fresh strawberry milkshakes with a strawberry puree garnish. Gluten free cupcakes and granola, that were both delicious, stole our owners heart. And the creme de la creme: a pork and duck terrine atop a lard-fried brioche with slivers of pickled rhubarb on top with a fresh sprig of fennel.

~ To.Die.For! ~ Seriously, the best thing I think I've ever eaten!

But beyond the food, it is always a fun experience meeting new people who are as intrigued and smitten with food as you are. It makes for great conversation and perhaps new lasting relationships. We walked away from an evening and an event we thought was executed perfectly and conceptualized by a foodie genius.

Thank you Karen for a fabulous FoodPortunity event in Seattle, we look forward to taking part in the next one!

See the rest of our photos from the event on our Facebook page.

Meri Meri Sneak Peak

Meri Meri Easter Bunny cake stand

Everyone loves Meri Meri. For real, it’s one of our most popular lines at ChefTools.com. It’s no wonder, since Meri Meri makes well designed, artful party decorations, stationary and tons of other cool stuff. So, I thought I’d let everyone know that we here at ChefTools.com are hard at work readying a couple of new Meri Meri lines for debut on our website later this summer (we have to “build” products, which entails photographing them, writing about them and doing a bunch of insane computer stuff that I don’t know anything about).

First up, we’re introducing a line of Halloween items. I think Meri Meri is pretty well known for its elaborate party centerpieces, but they’ve really reached another level this year. One of the Halloween centerpieces is a gigantic haunted house complete with a blinking light, flying ghosts, a witch with a cauldron, scary trees – and even a scary fence! It is – as Meri Meri’s catalog says – “spookalicious.” Another piece that’s pretty cool is a tarantula cupcake holder; you put a cupcake on his back, and his body (he’s a smiling tarantula) is suspended in the air by 8 big legs. 

We also have a huge line of Christmas items. My favorite is a group of items – cupcake kits, gift bags, greeting cards, party plates, place cards – based on a design Meri Meri found at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The designs are all a beautiful silver/gold and have extremely intricate patterns – these things look like they could adorn wallpaper at Buckingham Palace. 

Meri Meri is also introducing a line of birthday party pieces based on the “Fun With Spot” books. There are birthday cards, cupcake kits, garland, party plates and a lot more. If you do not know Spot – and his friends the alligator, the hippo and the monkey – your kids do; this line keeps alive Meri Meri’s tradition of making cool things with timeless characters, like Peter Rabbit. 

Finally, a Meri Meri contest: Congratulations to the winners! You'll be notified soon.