Finally, the weather has warmed up enough where we can officially declare the beginning of grilling season, and with it a plethora of new BBQ tools and gadgets to try out. I recently experimented with a new device that purports to get you grilling even faster, The BBQ Dragon; read along to see if it lives up to the hype.
Boxed wines have come a long way from when they were something you might side-eye as you picked up a bottle or two of the good stuff at the package store. Boxed wines are economical, eco-friendly, and they are delicious; using a Boxxle wine dispenser removes the boxed wine stigma, making it something you’ll be proud to (conveniently) serve.
Cheesemaking is a science, and it’s an art at the same time. Unlike home brewing or even winemaking at home, cheesemaking is probably not something you’ve ever considered taking on yourself. But with the Creamery in a Box Cheesemaking Starter Kit from Northern Brewer, you can easily acquire all the tools and techniques to learn your way around the whey.
Being a real barbecue enthusiast, I have both a gas grill and a couple of charcoal burners. One of the bummers about cooking with gas it that it’s difficult to add real smoke flavor to the meats you cook. A new product called The Ribalizer aims to help make that a little easier for fans of propane gas grill cooking.
I can tell you from personal experience, it’s tough getting old. As I approach 50, I often find myself in low-light situations where there is just no way to read the small fonts on menus. In my full-time gig as a food writer, that can be a real problem. Fortunately, the Tip’N Split calculator and lighted magnifier offers a solution. I’m not a big fan of “unitasker” tools in the kitchen or in the rest of my life. I look for versatility in gadgets before I’ll dedicate any of the precious space in my kitchen drawers or my already overstuffed…
It never fails: I travel somewhere that is known for its wine, and I find myself with a bottle to bring home. Packing the bottle safely can be tricky, though. I’ve had bottles break that were inside the bubble wrap bags that some wine stores sell, but I think I have found a solution in the inflatable VinniBag travel accessory! It’s marketed for wine, but you can also use the 22″ x 8″ inflatable VinniBag to safely transport anything that fits inside — things like camera lenses, coffee cups, and other small breakables. Think outside the box, too; the VinniBag floats, so you can…
Little known fact: I was a Domino’s Pizza delivery driver in college. I loved that job, and if it hadn’t put so many miles on my 10-year-old Alfa Romeo Spider, I might have lasted longer. I like Domino’s as a company, and I like their pizza; that’s why I was happy to accept a recent invite to visit their headquarters.
Are you someone who takes your morning coffee very seriously? Do you turn up your nose at Starbucks and other national chains usually found in hotel lobbies, considering them to be wannabe posers? Then you might be the connoisseur that Timbuk 2 had in mind when they collaborates with Blue Bottle to make this $179 travel kit.
If you’re like me, you probably don’t treat that pair of scissors in your kitchen junk drawer very well. At best, you keep an extra set that you abuse by cutting wire, chicken bones, blister pack or heavy cardboard boxes, and they just continue to get duller and duller over time. With Smart Sizzors, now you’ll only need one pair!
Most Gear Diary readers probably don’t know, but my regular day gig is as a food and drink writer for online and print media outlets. Through that job, I am lucky enough to sample many different wines and spirits. But sometimes it’s difficult to detect the subtle nuances of spirits. Well, it was difficult until I discovered the NEAT glass.
I’ve been on a “designer” ice-cube kick for a couple of months now; the bigger and more interesting, the better. I’ve finally come across a clear winner; say hello to the $14.95 Tovolo Colossal Cube Molds. These molds produce blocky ice cubes that will look impressive in your glass as they chill your beverage!
Admit it, you probably got at least one wok as a wedding present or a random gift from somebody who exalts the health benefits of stir-frying. And now it’s taking up a lot of space in a cupboard or closet because you never figured out how to cook with a round wok on a flat stovetop. WokMon can help out!
When I was in Barcelona, a “steampunk gastro-bartender” named George made me one of the foulest-tasting alcoholic concoctions I’ve ever tried. It didn’t matter, though. After watching all of the steps he took to create my gorgeous drink, capped with the flavored ice balls he was rationing out as if they were gold, I sipped and pseudo-savored that sucker.
I love to cook, but there is one part of the process where I regularly drop the ball. and I have a lifetime collection of burn scars on my right hand to prove it. I can’t seem to help myself, but now I have a solution: Jaz Innovations Oven Rack Guards. No more painful wrist and hand burns for me!
Many of us have fond memories of summer days spent cranking the handle of an ice cream maker waiting for a homemade treat, but what about yogurt? While ice cream is great, it’s not nearly as healthy as yogurt. The new VitaClay Stoneware Yogurt Maker and Personal Slow Cooker makes it fun and easy to make your own at home.
If you like your whiskey a bit chilled, but hate the way ice cubes melt and dilute the sweet elixir, then you will want to check out Balls of Steel. These whiskey drink chillers not only reduce the temperature of your drink without diluting it, but they also help battle testicular cancer.
If you like to mix drinks with the precision of a chemist this bar set is for you. The Science of Spirits mixology set has all the tools you need to make it happen. It includes a mixing flask and stirrer, lab flask glasses, test tube shot glasses, and a tray to securely carry it all on. Just $45 here!
A press release recently came across the Gear Diary email transom announcing a new wine suitcase from Wineline that they call the VinGarde Valise. This prompted a discussion among our editors about who would possibly ever need a suitcase for their beverages. As usual, I had a real-life anecdote about something I did while traveling that proved the case for the case.
As cold as it’s been, it’s hard to imagine doing anything outside. But it won’t be long until it’s warmer, and you’ll be using the search box here at GearDiary to ask “What was the name of that cool outdoor blender that Chamberlain was going on about?” The answer to your future query is the Vortex Blender from GSI Outdoors.
As cold as it’s been lately, it’s difficult to get too excited about grilling outside. But recently, I found a great use for my Grill Daddy Pro cleaning tool, that frankly I’m kicking myself for never thinking of before. Read on to find out why you might want to get one of these for your indoor kitchen:
There was a time when the only Israeli beer you could get in Israel might best be described as a poor excuse for beer. (I’m looking at you Macabee and GoldStar!) Seven years ago all that began to change as Israelis developed a taste for quality microbrews. Among them is an IPA from the very first brewery in Jerusalem.