Fresh Herbs Transform Basic Food into Flavorful Dishes!

...yes, it's true...and those same fresh herbs do it all without adding calories or fat. But how to store them so you don't waste what you just purchased or picked.

The FRESH HERB STORAGE JAR to the rescue!  Silvermark's innovative Fresh Herb Storage Jar is a practical (and attractive) solution that will help you preserve the freshness AND longevity of your herbs.

Now, I don't know about you, but when I take the time to buy a bunch of fresh herbs I want them to last so I can get multiple uses out of them. I want my storage solution to be compact and easy to use...and this definitely fits both those criteria.

Easy to use...you fill the porcelain base with enough water to cover herb stems. Be sure to remove any dead or discolored herb leaves and trim the bottom of the herbs (just like flowers) prior to storage. Place herbs in the jar with the stems immersed.

For some herbs that don't like the cold (basil and cilantro), you can keep the jar on the counter with the lid removed. For huskier herbs with shorter stems, you can unscrew the herb jar in the middle for easier access and handling. 

Large enough to store bundles of freshly cut herbs, but compact enough to fit in my refrigerator door, this helps me prolong the life of most fresh herbs for up to three weeks!

As always, shop locally to see if your favorite shop carries any of these products.

find them online...

Bev Shaffer is a chef, food writer, cookbook author and culinary instructor. She can be reached through her website, Bev Shaffer or at Bev's Email.

Razor Sharp, and Won't Grate On My Nerves!

Hard cheese, soft cheese, carrots, potatoes...

     using a box grater to accomplish grating these was a task 

(I secretly) always tried to get out of!

Why? Because the box grater would slip, the cheese would "smoosh" 

from the dullness of the blade's

     holes, or the handle would break off...and I'd wind up 

being overly cautious not to add any grated

     knuckles to my finished dish!

This year I'll have to think of another excuse if I'm going to pass on the grating chores. 

The Box Grater from Microplane features 

surgical-grade stainless steel blades 

(in case your doc wants to make mac 'n cheese in the Operating Room) 

and an ergonomic, soft grip handle.

This grater includes their most popular blades--

     a medium ribbon blade (perfect for hard cheeses and chocolate);

     an extra coarse blade (mac 'n cheese, anyone?); 

a full sized slicer (perfect for veggies); and a 

     removable fine zester blade (for citrus fruits).

The non-slip rubber feet give it just the right stability, and ~ 

if I had a dishwasher (2011 resolution?), 

the Box Grater is completely dishwasher-safe. 

These same cute little feet lift the grater up off your work

     surface, giving you an idea of how much you've grated.

If you're not familiar with Microplane, their signature blades cut easily 

through both hard and soft foods    

     without tearing or shredding, and since I store mine in one of our kitchen cupboards, 

I'm happy it comes

     with an acrylic cover that fits easily over the blades.

Is part of the "new you" to not let things grate on your nerves? 

Then this Box Grater is for you!

As always, shop locally to see if your favorite shop carries any of these products.

Bev Shaffer is a chef, food writer, cookbook author and culinary instructor. She can be reached through her website, www.bevshaffer.com or at bev.foodwithattitude@gmail.com.

Eggsactly!

Some kitchen gadgets fall into the "that's exactly what I need" category,

and the Egg Cooker by Chef's Choice definitely fits nicely into that niche.

I love eggs in a multitude of ways and was dismayed when they went through that

"eggs are bad for your health" phase. 

When we're traveling, I seek out great breakfast places with names like 

Eggspectations, an out of the way diner that specializes in fluffy, packed with fresh veggies omelettes, or an elegant restaurant where I can spend an exorbitant amount of money on freshly squeezed orange juice and superb Eggs Benedict.

My old electric egg cooker is worn out, and it only had two functions:

soft boil or hard boil.  Even the American Egg Board would tire 

of eggs consistently prepared only two ways!

The sleek, easy to clean design 

(reminding me of the perfect egg or my husband, John's, bald head!)

makes for the perfect countertop addition. When I have a houseful of fussy eaters,

the egg cooker's precision electronic timer allows me to cook seven eggs to varying degrees of "doneness" in the same batch...soft, medium, hard.

There's always one overachieving hen in the crowd!

When I used my old cooker, I had to use an oven mitt to remove the hot eggs when done to prevent them from overcooking. This model has an egg tray with handles that enables me to remove and rinse under cold water to bring directly to the table.

When  I'm feeling ambitious, I can poach three eggs in this cooker's egg poaching tray and set an elegant table for home created Eggs Benedict. 

[Can an electric hollandaise sauce maker be far behind??]

Overall, it's the perfect addition to my kitchen and 

allows me to cook my eggs "just right".

How to Tangle with a Mango!

Yes, it is possible to love something that has a large, flat, hairy pit!

Such is our love affair with the mango,

an enticing fruit with a peach like flavor and flowery aroma.

Getting to the fruit, however, is nothing to love!

Each of these gadgets were designed to enable you to eat a mango 
"on the half shell" ~ 
cutting the fleshy "cheeks" completely off each side of the pit.

The Mango Splitter by OXO works on a similar note to an apple sectioner. You hope the fruit is perfectly shaped, place the mango splitter centered on top, add some serious heft and the mango splits in two with the pit remaining in the center (just waiting, I might add, for you to eat any 

remaining fruit clinging to it over the kitchen sink, wet washcloth in hand). 

It's a handy little thing to have around if mangoes make 

regular appearances in your kitchen.

The Mango Knife by Van Vacter could, quite honestly, be the perfect mango tool. 

It's a quick and easy way to split, dice and peel a mango. It features a curved blade that allows you to get more fruit from your mango (assuming it's ripe), following the contours of the fruit after cubing with the tip.

The long, nonslip handle makes it easy to maneuver 
even when the mango is so juicy you're

"lost in the tropics of Ohio."

Diced fresh mangoes, warmed in a skillet and tossed in plain Greek yogurt is one of my favorite treats...but I would be remiss if I didn't long for those great mango margaritas I make as well. 

These are two gadgets that will be used in my kitchen often.

As always, shop locally to see if your favorite shop carries any of these products.

Bev Shaffer is a chef, food writer, cookbook author and culinary instructor. She can be reached through her website, www.bevshaffer.com or at bev.foodwithattitude@gmail.com.