Cookware & Kitchenware Blog - Kitchenware Direct

What’s New Over at Kitchenware Direct?

noreply@blogger.com (Kitchenware Direct) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:23:00 +0000

What’s new over at Kitchenware Direct? A lot! New items are always being added to our quality line up of kitchen products. With some of the best brand names from Australia and around the world, Kitchenware Direct is the place for all your kitchen needs. Here is just a small sampling of the many new items available.

Maxwell & Williams Bamboozled Carving Board with Maxi Food Chopper – This generously sized 48 x 35cm cutting board is made from sustainable bamboo. It is naturally bacterial resistant and cleans up easily by hand. The included Maxi Food Chopper makes mincing and dicing a breeze. In seconds vegetables, nuts and other foods are ready to add to any dish.

Scanpan Impact Frypan – These pans come in four bright colours to complement any décor. They are also available in four sizes ranging from 20cm – 28cm to meet any need. Made of high grade 18/10 stainless steel, the Scanpan Impact Frypan also features a 5cm aluminium core to ensure even heating and an excellent cooking experience.

Krosno Vinoteca Bordeaux Glass Set of 6 – Handcrafted in classic style, these elegant Bordeaux glasses will compliment any setting from an intimate get together to a larger party. For over 90 years Krosno has produced some of Europe’s finest glassware. Now the tradition and quality are available through Kitchenware Direct to you.

Beaba Multi Portions Baby Food Freezer Tray Plum – Save time whilst still providing the best foods for your baby. Beaba is a leader in providing smartly designed products for little ones. The Multi Portions Baby Food Freezer Tray can store seven individual portions of 60ml each. Made from high quality silicone, each serving can be easily removed as needed. Safe for dishwasher, freezer and microwave.

Maxwell & Williams Pink Ribbon Hope Mug 350ml – This mug provides not only beauty, but hope. The pink ribbon design symbolizes Maxwell & Williams commitment to the National Breast Cancer Foundation where the company has pledged to donate $100,000. Available in Indigo, Crimson, Jade, Sunflower, Teal and Violet, the Pink Ribbon Hope Mug features a cheerful floral and hummingbird motif that is sure to please.

Breville Dual Burner Flat Grill – Make grilling and cooking fast and easy. The Breville Dual Burner Flat Grill has two independent burners for the versatility of cooking on multiple heat settings. It comes complete with two interchangeable cooking surfaces, a ribbed plate for grilling meats and vegetables, and a flat plate for eggs, French toast and more. The non-stick surface makes cooking and clean up simple. Backed by Breville’s long standing reputation for quality, this grill will make any meal quick and convenient.

We've Launched Telescopes Direct!

noreply@blogger.com (Don) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:49:00 +0000

Australia's premier online kitchenware retailer - Kitchenware Direct - has just launched Telescopes Direct! Telescopes Direct is dedicated to selling the industry's best telescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes and telescope accessories.

Telescopes Direct specialises in Celestron telescopes. Here you will find the AstroMaster, NexStar, SkyProdigy, CPC and PowerSeeker models at heavily discounted prices. Plus, every item that Telescopes Direct sells comes with FREE shipping Australia wide! So whether you're an astronomy novice or an expert in all things extra terrestrial, Telescopes Direct has the perfect telescope for you.

Visit our site today and have a look at our wide range of telescopes. If you need any advice; we're on hand - just call our toll free number and we'll be happy to help.

Have You Seen Our Other Websites?

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 04:02:00 +0000

Kitchenware Direct has long been Australia’s premier retailer of cookware and kitchenware. But did you know that we also have a number of smaller niche sites? Here’s a quick run-down of each:

Clocks Direct – Yep, you guessed it. Clocks Direct sells clocks. Our many options include wall clocks, barometers, weather stations, alarm clocks, mantle clocks and even jewellery boxes. Visit www.clocksdirect.com.au.
Swiss Army Knives – Sells official Victorinox Swiss Army Knives, Swiss tools, Swiss cards and Maglite torches. For the ideal gift go to www.swissarmyknives.com.au.
Zippo Direct – For the iconic lighter that is famous the world over, go to www.zippodirect.com.au. We stock an extensive range of Zippo lighters including Harley-Davidson, Jack Daniel’s, Jim Beam, Playboy and more.
Water Bottles Direct – Sigg is by far our biggest range, but we also stock Thermos, Contigo and Miikimoo. Whether you’re a gym junkie or just looking for a safe BPA-free alternative for your kids at school, Water Bottles Direct has the perfect water bottle for you. See www.waterbottlesdirect.com.au.
Glassware Direct – Wine glasses, beer glasses, champagne flutes, vases, decanters, glass bakeware; the list goes on. Whatever you’re looking for, you’re sure to find it at www.glasswaredirect.com.au.
Bakeware Direct – For everything bakeware, go to www.bakewaredirect.com.au. We have hundreds of baking tools from reputable brands such as Scanpan, Wilton, Nordic Ware, Anolon and more.
Kettles Direct – Not only does Kettles Direct sell electric and stovetop kettles, but you can also purchase teapots, stovetop espresso makers, plungers, presses and more. Visit www.kettlesdirect.com.au

Cake Pops - The Latest Craze in Dessert Making!

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 05:39:00 +0000

Kitchenware Direct has just added the latest range of Wilton cake pops. Don’t know what cake pops are? This short guide will give you the low-down on the latest craze in dessert making.

First of all, you need to purchase all of your decorating accessories. Amongst the many options are pop sticks, pans, wraps, silicone moulds, candy dips; the list goes on. Kitchenware Direct has all of these options covered, so you won’t be caught short here.

There are two options when baking the balls used for cake pops. Most people bake a cake, let it cool, crumble it, and then roll it up into small individual balls. If you prefer, you can buy moulds (in fun shapes like stars, hearts and bears) and bake the cake pops from scratch. Either way, you should have enough cake pops to decorate to keep you (or your kids) entertained for a while.

Once you have cooled the balls in the fridge, it’s time to decorate them! Wilton has a few options here; the most popular being cocoa and white chocolate. Simply place your preferred flavour in the microwave, melt the topping, stick your Wilton pop sticks in the balls of cake and dip away. Once it cools it forms a candy shell; mmm yum!

After coating the pops in the candy dip mixture, the candy pops can be decorated in any number of ways. Some popular coatings include 100s and 1000s, chocolate freckles and smarties. Let your imagination run free!

A Quick Look at Some of the New Items on Kitchenware Direct

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 06:34:00 +0000

Here at Kitchenware Direct, we constantly add new and exciting products to our site. In fact, we've got a whole page dedicated to our latest additions. You can check it out by clicking here.

Here's a quick overview of some of the new items and brands on Kitchenware Direct:

Silit Cookware - Silit is famous for its extremely high quality cookware. These German-made pieces are strong and sturdy; they'll handle the rigours of even the toughest of kitchens.
Le Creuset Mini Cocottes - Here's an innovative way to serve small portions of casseroles, stews and desserts. Our range contains 7 exciting colours (and more are on the way shortly!) At only $18 each, these are an absolute bargain.
Bodum coloured appliances - Wow, these will brighten up even the dullest of kitchens! We've got juicers, kettles, coffee grinders, hand mixers and more. All come in a wonderfully bright range of colours. Start your collection today!
Scanpan Spectrum Salad Knives - The big advantage of plastic salad knives is they don't turn your lettuce brown. We've got a full range of colours available and each knife is a must-have accessory at only $4.95 each.
Tavola Coffee Capsule Holders - We recently added Nespresso coffee machines to Kitchenware Direct. What better way to store all your capsules than with one of these fancy numbers from Tavola.

Top 10 Pieces of Essential Gear for Fancy-Schmancy Wine Tastings

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Tue, 31 May 2011 07:08:00 +0000

Essential Gear for...

…Fancy-Schmancy Wine Tastings

We have great wines here in Australia, and enjoying them (responsibly—we have to throw that in from time to time) is becoming a prominent feature of our culture. When you taste them, you want to do it in fine style so that you do the vintages justice.

There’s nothing like having your friends over to sample the goods from one of our country’s premier wine-producing regions: it’s the perfect way to 'theme up' a night. Not only that, but if it’s done with all the trappings, it will even feel somewhat educational and certainly very cultural. And there’s no denying how festive times like this can be.

Great wines deserve great treatment, and Kitchenware Direct aims to help you on that note.

1. Cheese knife and cutting board set. A few crackers and cheese always seem to be available at those cellar door tastings, right? Plus, these sets just look classy when they’re sitting on a table next to a few wine glasses and a nice bottle of red. You'll spend less than $30 here.

2. Decanter. A fine decanter makes a beautiful centrepiece to your table during your tastings. Not only that, but the wine’s colour is displayed to its best advantage and these beautiful vessels lend an air of opulence to the proceedings. There are some available for less than $50, or you can easily spend ten times that amount for genuine hand-crafted works of art in European crystal.

3. Wine spittoon. Chances are pretty good that no one is actually going to eject a mouthful of wine into one of these, but it’s nice to have on hand so that your guests can pour the remains of a vintage that’s not to their liking. It's available for less than $20.

4. Corkscrew. Something like a 'bench cork extractor' will lend real dash to the proceedings, don’t you think? If nothing else, one of these contraptions certainly prompts a bit of conversation. Of course, we also have some of the less flamboyant corkscrews available, too, but the heavy-duty one costs less than $50.

5. Wine glasses. This one probably goes without saying, but you want to ensure you have the right glass for the wines you’ll be sampling. Here it goes beyond merely having glasses for red or white. Specialty glasses exist for all varieties of vino: Bordeaux, Riesling, Cabernet-Merlot, Shiraz, Pinot Noir, Montrachet, Barbaresco… well, this is a list that could continue for some time.

6. Water pitcher. Your guests will want to cleanse their palate every now and again between the different varieties of wine. You don’t want to spoil the effect you’ve created by pouring water from a plastic bottle, do you? We have a large range, and you can go very simple or shoot the moon and pour water from a crystal vessel.

7. Serving pieces. You’ll probably want to have a few hors d’ oeuvres or other such nibblies around… after all, guests can’t live on wine alone. Well, maybe they can, but the gracious host always has a few edibles on hand.

8. Wine vacuum pump and stoppers. Your wine is precious, so keep it safe from oxidisation with one of these clever sets. Great tasting wine every time.

9. Decanter funnel. Pouring wine into a decanter can be a pretty tricky undertaking without one of these. Coupled with the wine thermometer, you’ll practically look like a scientist and your opinion on the drop at hand will be given real consideration. An elegant piece of silver-plated gear can be yours for $47.

10. Great company. Well, strictly speaking we can't help you with this one. But by investing in some of the items above, it will go a long way to ensuring your next wine tasting is a great success.

Kitchenware Direct Now Stocks Nespresso Coffee Machines - Get $50 Cash Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Wed, 04 May 2011 02:19:00 +0000

To celebrate the launch of Nespresso coffee machines on Kitchenware Direct, this week's 'Top 10 Pieces of Essential Gear' post will help you turn your kitchen into your own private café - perfect for those upcoming winter months.

Plus - receive $50 cash back when you purchase any Nespresso coffee machine on or before 15/5/2011!

Top 10 Pieces of Essential Gear for Café at Home

Who doesn’t love catching up with friends at the local café? It’s such a simple pleasure to sit with a kindred spirit over a coffee or tea and discuss the latest happenings and ideas. Cool days are made warmer, warm days are made more comfortable and time flows rather than rushes. There’s only one problem… done on a daily basis, this simple pleasure can get pricey, indeed. If only it could be recreated in one’s own kitchen.

The fact of the matter is, it can.

Here at Kitchenware Direct we’ve got the gear and accessories that will let you make and present splendid coffee drinks and delicate baked goods for your friends when they drop in. While we all enjoy going to the café, it does, however, take a bit of planning and coordinating. The great thing about having your own café accessories is that you’re ready for those unplanned afternoons—often our finest memories aren’t the result of scheduling.

Depending on how often you go down to the coffee shop, the investment you make here can pay for itself in no time. Coffee machines and grinders can set you back a bit if you go high end, but with care you can get truly fine results with simple gear. Real ambiance, though, comes from the accessories and how you present the coffee or tea. When friends and family see how much thought you put into these small moments they’ll be very appreciative, and that will make you feel magnificent.

Espresso or coffee—stovetop, press or machine. Any budget can be accommodated here: you can spend about $70 for a small stovetop espresso maker or upwards of $300 for an automatic coffee machine such as the new range of Nespresso Pixie machines. A coffee press is a very elegant way to make coffee and it’s aesthetically pleasing, too—not to mention inexpensive: get a really good one that makes several cups of coffee for under $50.
Cups and mugs. You can get glasses that look just like the ones from the café strip. Or maybe just a set of nice, fresh, matching mugs—they give the moment a bit of polish and something special. After all, isn’t it time you replaced that collection of mugs you picked up at trade shows and car dealerships?
Cake dome. If you put a few of your baked goods (or even the ones you picked up from the store) in this and on your table or counter, the room instantly has the feel of a funky coffee shop. Money well spent.
Coffee bean/espresso knock bin. Knock the grinds loudly enough and ask your friends to close their eyes while you do so and they just might believe that they’re down at the café. You can even yell out, “Flat white up!” It’s also a lot tidier to have a dedicated receptacle for the grinds, too.
Sugar and creamer set. This duo looks very smart sitting on the table and it helps you define where the dedicated “coffee spot” is in your home.
Cupcake cookbook. We’ve got a few of them on offer and, let’s be honest: nothing goes better with a hot cuppa than a fresh cupcake. Those little beauties always look good under a cake dome, too.
Coffee grinder. Because freshly ground beans give you a really fresh cup of coffee. You can spend $60 or as much as $325.
Bundt cake pan. Use one of these to make the classic ring-shaped coffee cake. Isn’t having an assortment of baked goods to choose from part of the café’s charm?
Cinnamon coasters and placemats. Cinnamon has a broad range of matching coasters and placemats (check out their Café set) that will make your table especially inviting. There’s bound to be something in their collection that will make your personal café reflect your unique style. You can be sorted out here for under $35.
Tea for 1. Ecology has a clever set that features a nesting teapot and a generously large tea cup. Makes a wonderful presentation when you bring it to the table. At about $20 each, you can afford to get a couple of them.

Top 10 Pieces of Essential Gear for Baking at Home

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 07:02:00 +0000

Essential Gear for...

…Baking at Home

Showing up at the office with something homemade earns honest marks with your peers—double points for guys, despite the hazing you’ll receive from the other guys—and it’s really not that difficult to do. More often than not, it’s just a matter of being able to read the recipes (and if you’re here we can safely assume you’ve got that covered) and having the right equipment, which is something we can help you with.

Homemade baked goods make celebrations more festive, grey Tuesdays better than bearable and desserts something to anticipate. Provided instructions are followed closely, the results are generally pretty dependable; there’s nothing to fear when it comes to baking.

So, what are the ten pieces you’ll definitely need to start some simple baking? The below should get you off in the right direction. Of course, there are tons of specialty pans, decorating kits and various appliances… but let’s assume you just want to make something for the office’s morning tea.

Kitchen scales, measuring cups and spoons. One thing you need to know about baking: it’s a real taskmaster when it comes to getting proportions right and you don’t want to fudge anything that goes into the oven. This is not a huge investment: our top-of-the-line electronic scales are about $70 or you can get some for under $30.
Springform cake pans. The fact that 'cake' and 'bake' rhyme is not insignificant. These pans ensure good results, even with delicate items like cheese cakes or anything with a light, crumbly texture. You can get two good-sized pans (in case you want to bake two halves of a layer cake at once) for about $30. Also know that we have a large range of novelty cake pans for very special occasions.
Cookbook. Our inventory has a few titles devoted to cupcakes, cakes, breads and cheesecakes. One approach to the baking game is to chose one item and make it your specialty; you’ll enjoy the resultant sense of mastery and the reputation you’ll develop in your circle.
Cooling racks. These simple wire grids allow your cakes, breads and cookies to cool evenly, which prevents crumbling and breakage. An inexpensive way to ensure much better results and avoid disappointment ($3–$34).
Apron. Baking can be messy work! When you consider what you can save in dry cleaning bills, the investment here ($14–$35) can pay for itself in no time.
Stand mixer. Mixing batter, kneading dough and whipping icing gets a whole lot easier when you have one of these at your disposal. Yes, they’re an investment, but if you find yourself baking often, a stand mixer will save you a lot of time and work. A luxury if you’re an occasional baker, but a must if you really want to get into it (and having one will make you want to do more, too).
Pastry and piping bags. When you’re working with one of these you feel like a baker! Dispensing filling or icing and decorating cakes, cookies and cupcakes can be done professionally (well, after a bit of practice) with one of these. A small investment gets you awesome results.
Cookie cutters. Easy to make, simple to bake and fun to decorate, a batch of cookies will probably be one of the first things you put into the oven. Here you can go as simple or deluxe as you’d like for short money; a set of 101 cutters—our biggest set on offer—goes for about $36.
Cake caddy. You’ll certainly be sharing your baked goods or taking them to morning teas and other such happenings, so you’ll want to consider getting a cake caddy. Of course, despite the name, you can use them for cupcakes and cookies, too. Smeared icing or having to jury rig a transport container for your creations will be things of the past. Spend $30–$50 for worry free baking and taking.
Flour sifter. What’s the chief ingredient of most baked goods? Yep, you guessed it: flour. Removes lumps and gets the stuff nice and fluffy prior to mixing with other ingredients. It’ll also come in handy when finishing off things with, say, confectioner’s sugar or cocoa. $20 gets you a great one.

Top 10 Pieces of Essential Gear for Autumn Cocktails

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 06:35:00 +0000

Essential Gear for…

…Autumn Cocktails

Guys, in terms of entertaining, simply slappin’ a slab of beers down on the picnic table will not be considered cool at some point. Hard to believe, but it's true. Big nights are big fun, to be sure, but they can be done in a very classy way, too. Whether you’re just warming the gang up at your place for a night on the town or your pad is 'The Event' that evening, there are things you need to ensure that everyone is sorted out nicely.

When you get right down to it, creating a good night isn’t just about putting enough beer, wine and spirits before your friends. Like everything else related to entertaining and cuisine, it’s all in the presentation. Here at Kitchenware Direct, we’re keen to help you make the best impression possible. Take a look below and see if we’ve thought of something that you might have missed.

Ice cube trays. Don’t run out of ice cubes, Joe! Even if you get a few of those 5 kilo bags at the shop, you’ll want extras on hand. Nothing puts a damper on proceedings like warm cocktails.
Barware set. If you’re going to start whipping up the kind of drinks found in the trendy bars, you’re going to need the tools of the trade. You can get yourself properly outfitted for under $70.
Serving pieces. Having cheese platters, nut dishes, appetizer servers and chip and dip bowls placed throughout your entertainment area makes your guests feel at home immediately. Just start yourself with a couple of pieces, which can be picked up for under $50.
Party tub. Sure, you can call it 'Cocktails at Joe’s', but you’ll still be serving beer and wine and it’s ultimately a party! When your guests see how well stocked you have things, the atmosphere is set.
Blender. C’mon—you must’ve seen this coming! Margaritas, daiquiris and other such summertime favourites are crazy difficult to make without one of these. Prices range from $145 to about $270. The high-end offerings will keep you in icy treats for a long, long time.
Baking trays. Whether they’re catered creations or items pulled from your deep freeze, you need to have some hot nibblies available. Pizzas, party pies and fancy hors d’ oeuvres need to be warmed up, and that spells baking trays. They're far from expensive and you'll use them all the time.
Cocktail glasses. Not only will these be required gear at the event, but when they’re arrayed nicely near the bar every doe will know that Joe can put on a show.
Carafe. Why? Because a responsible host ensures that everyone has plenty of H2O available to them at all times. Trust us, Joe: you earn big points with the ladies if you can throw a party and be responsible.
Bottle opener. How many times have you seen a guest or a host pat their pockets in search of a bottle opener? A good rule of thumb: have at least two bottle openers for every one guest (okay, we’re exaggerating a bit and maybe trying to drum up some business, but you get the picture—an extra one or two doesn’t hurt).
Cheese knife and cutting board. Cheese is the perfect snack with those tasty cocktails. You'll need a good cheese knife and cutting board to prepare this tasty tr

Top 10 Pieces of Essential Gear for Getting into Entertaining

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 06:37:00 +0000

Essential Gear for…

…Getting into Entertaining

Your partner thinks that it’s time to act all grown up and start having dinner parties. Sure, there’s a bit of work involved, but this is actually a very good thing; there’s nothing like lingering over a meal at your own pace (and not the wait staff’s speedy pace) and sharing all that’s wonderful about food, drink and good company. Before you know it, you’ll see why people enjoy sharing their homes and their kitchen creations with one another.

What are the things needed to make the most of those great nights in at the homestead? Which items really make your guests feel welcome? What elevates a meal from simply dinner to a genuine occasion? Well, we’ve got a few answers for you.

Here we’ll operate under the assumption that you have a lot of the kitchen basics (like those found on Essential Gear for Starting Your Own Kitchen), and need the things that will help make the kind of impression that shows your guests that you care.

Food processor. Once you start cooking to any sort of scale, it’s nice to have a little help with things like kneading, mixing, slicing and chopping. Smaller food processors can be purchased for under $100 and the larger workhorses, which will boast very good warranties, will be an investment of hundreds of dollars. They really will save you a lot of time, though, and you’ll be that much more likely to try new things.
Carafe. Having water available on the table is one of those little touches that have a sublime effect. A simple one will set you back about $10 or you can get a touch fancier for around $20. Of course, for pouring wine you can go really fancy with European crystal.
Fondue set. These aren’t very expensive (though you can go super-deluxe with France’s Le Creuset) and what a way to get your guests chatting about the evening! Having one makes it easy to add another stage to the festivities. There is a great Avanti fondue set for just $13.
Placemats and napkins. An elegantly appointed table is the entertaining world’s equivalent of a good handshake: it makes a great impression. Ecology has some nice eco-friendly napkins and placemats that will go with any décor.
Salad bowl and servers. A nice set just gives the table a bit more polish, and a wooden bowl lends a lot of warmth to the setting. Also, a big bowl of greens on the table creates a feeling of abundance; everyone appreciates the 'help yourself' factor.
Cookbook. Sharing experiences is the heart of entertaining, and unique dishes or the cuisine of a faraway land are naturals for the focus of a dinner party. As you may have guessed, we have plenty of cookbooks to inspire you. Tip: if a recipe is entirely new to you it need not be a huge gamble with your guests—simply taste the dish as you’re making it.
Wine bucket. You want to keep the white wine nearby and chilled—it’s much better than running back and forth to the fridge. This is an inexpensive purchase and, coupled with the water carafe, your guests will see that you’ve thought of everything.
Serving pieces. Having cheese platters, nut dishes, appetizer servers and chip and dip bowls placed throughout your entertainment area makes your guests feel at home immediately. Just start yourself with a couple of pieces, which can be picked up for under $50.
Crème brulee set. A beautiful dessert presented in individual ramekins makes everyone feel special. The set even includes a butane torch! The ramekins can be used for a variety of other desserts and savoury dishes, too. Amazingly enough, there’s big 'wow factor' here for relatively short money: just $29.95 for Salt & Pepper Creme Brulee Sets.
Coffee press. This is the truly elegant way to serve coffee at the meal’s end: the press is aesthetically pleasing, creates a good cup of coffee and it’s compact.

Top 10 Pieces of Essential Gear for Starting Your Own Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 08:19:00 +0000

Essential Gear for…

…Starting Your Own Kitchen

It’s hit you: you’re no longer in your parents’ house, meals aren't on the table waiting for you at day’s end and you have empty cupboards in your new kitchen. You've ordered pizza in a few times, but that’s going to get old (and expensive) fast and Weet-Bix for dinner was a pretty cool novelty the first four times, though it’s starting to lose a bit of its charm. You need to gear up fast. But what are the items that are most vital to a functioning kitchen? You can see that there are many pages on Kitchenware Direct with heaps of appliances, but certainly the line has to be drawn somewhere: what’s critical and what’s simply nice to have at some point?

How much do you want to spend? We ask this not to be crass, but because there are two ways you can go here. You can get a lot of pretty good basics for, say, under $300 or you can purchase a few really nice pieces for less than double that and slowly build a lasting collection. While we have gourmet and exceptional pieces in all our ranges, we’ll just give you the entry level options and the respectable collectibles (i.e., really good mid-range stuff) here because, after all, you’re just starting out. A quick word on the 'just to get you by for the time being' stuff. Lower-end goods don’t have to be a waste of time and money. When you upgrade, those entry-level pieces serve as good back-up or they can be used in, say, a caravan or as permanent pieces in an outdoor kitchen. If you become a multimillionaire, you’ll look on those inexpensive pieces fondly someday.

Okay, we’re going to assume that you have nothing at this point. What are the Top 10 Pieces of Essential Gear for Starting a Kitchen? Take a look below. We’re also assuming that you’re not looking to become the next MasterChef just yet, but simply want to get yourself and maybe your parental units (who were kind enough to raise you to the point of being able to leave the nest) a quick meal.

Cutlery Sets. Even if you’re eating take-away from the take-away container, you need to have a knife and fork. There are sets for under $50 and many that fall in the $100-$150 range. (Right up to $350+)
Crockery. Put that take-away food on your own plates and you can at least give the impression (for a minute or two) that you’re serving home-made. This purchase will make everything seem a bit more homey. Sets here will cost you less than $150 (or as low as $60).
Cook’s knife. Even if you were to just make salads for the next month, a good cook’s knife will make life much easier. If you’re going to purchase one to hold you for a while, there are plenty in our collection under $30. On the other hand, Wusthof has plenty of knives for under $200 that will last for decades and serve as a good starting piece in a lasting collection.
Fry pan or sauté pan. Take it from us: there’s a huge mark-up when it comes to scrambled eggs. You can make a big batch for yourself for about a buck or you can pay trough the nose at a restaurant... but you’ll need a fry pan to make ‘em. We’ve got frypans for about $10 and we have some great Scanpans in the $100 - $150 range. Sauté pans, on the other hand, usually have a cover and deeper sides, allowing you to make mains in them, if you’re so inclined. You could get something pretty specky that will last a lifetime from Le Chasseur for about $160.
Saucepan (also known as the humble pot). A good mid-sized saucepan (3 – 4 litre range) is needed to do even the humblest of meals, like smaller batches of pasta and noodles. The saucepan can also be used to boil water for tea or instant coffee, in case you’re avoiding appliances at this point. You can get something perfectly serviceable for around $23 or spend a bit more than $50 for a Scanpan number that will look great and work admirably for ages.
Cutting board. When you’re making the salad we mentioned above, you’ll want a work surface you can trust. We have a small board for under $5—and that would be great for cheeses—but get yourself something larger. You can pay $10, $20 or even $299.
Toaster. If you don’t eat toast, you can get away without getting any appliances. Having said that, a lot of us eat toast. There’s one here for about $55. There’s even a four-slicer for about $80.
Can opener. As we’re talking the very basics here, you’ll definitely need one of these. Spend about $17 or even go electric for $50.
Colander. That first pot of spaghetti you make in your own how will bring you a lot of joy, but try separating the hot water from the edibles without one of these! You can get a little one that will do the trick for $7.50 or shoot the moon and spend $30. You’ll also use this baby for cleaning veggies, too. Gotta have one.
Mixing bowl. As you’re just starting out, this can serve as your salad bowl, storage for leftovers, combining ingredients… just about anything, really. Really big stainless steel for $8.50 or good-sized Pyrex for $15.

Tantalising Autumn Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 07:07:00 +0000

Sure, it might still be warm or even hot, but before we know it all but the diehard outdoor carnivores will be packing away the barbie and the vast majority of us will be thoroughly sick of salads and other such “lighter, summertime fare.” Soon we can all tuck in, really enjoy food and not fret a whit about our waistlines. With that in mind, here are three favourites that warm up cooler evenings and give us reason to smile—even if the weather isn’t ideal for the beach!

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First up is one that’s great for those afternoons with the gang and watching the footy. It can easily be scaled up for bigger gatherings. A big saucepan or stockpot will also yield a few leftover lunches if it’s just you and your beloved enjoying it for dinner. You could also freeze it… you know, so you have provisions for winter. Experiment with the hot stuff (chilli powder) so that you give it your ideal level of kickage.

Chilli Beef with Beans

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8)

80ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil
1.4kg lean beef mince
4 brown onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 red capsicums, halved, deseeded, cut into 1cm pieces
2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
90g (1/3 cup) tomato paste
2 x 420g cans red kidney beans, rinsed, drained
2 x 400g cans diced tomatoes

Method

1. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a heavy-based stockpot or large flame-proof casserole dish over medium-high heat. Add one-third of the mince and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until the mince changes colour. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat, in 2 more batches, with oil and the remaining mince.

2. Heat the remaining oil in the stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and capsicum and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until onion is soft. Add the chilli, oregano, cumin and coriander and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic.

3. Stir in the mince, tomato paste, kidney beans and tomato. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until the liquid evaporates. Season with salt and pepper.

Notes

Serving tip: For a complete meal, serve this with steamed rice. Top with fresh coriander leaves and sour cream, if desired.

Freezing tip: Cool half the mixture at the end of step 3. Store in an airtight container. Label, date and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.

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This next recipe is a highly satisfying pasta dish that plays nice by softening the pasta and cheese effect (just remind yourself that you need the carbs and extra protein during the cooler seasons) with plenty of good veggies. Relatively speaking, it’s a simple and quick dish—it makes good use of the microzapper. Pine nuts give it that extra dimension of texture, too. Awesome

Asparagus, Broccoli & Cheese Pasta

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

50g pine nuts
250g dried tagliatelle pasta
300g broccoli, cut into florets, washed
2 bunches asparagus, cut into 4cm lengths, washed
80g (1/2 cup) frozen peas
30g butter, chopped
2 tbs plain flour
375ml (1 1/2 cups) milk
60g (3/4 cup) shredded parmesan
40g (1/2 cup) coarsely grated cheddar

Method

1. Place pine nuts in an oven bag. Use kitchen string to secure. Cook, shaking every minute, on high/800watts/100% for 3-4 minutes or until toasted.

2. Place the pasta in a 3L (12-cup) capacity microwave-safe bowl. Cover with boiling water. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, on high/800watts/100% for 12 minutes or until al dente. Drain.

3. Arrange the vegetables in a shallow microwave-safe dish in order of their density, as microwaves cook food from the outer edge to the centre. Place the broccoli, with water clinging, around the edge of the dish, with the stems facing towards the outside, followed by the asparagus, and place the peas in the centre. Cover with plastic wrap. Cook on high/800watts/100% for 5 minutes or until the asparagus is bright green and tender crisp. Set aside, covered, to keep warm.

4. Place the butter in a 2L (8-cup) capacity microwave-safe bowl and heat, uncovered, on high/800watts/100% for 30 seconds or until butter melts. Stir in the flour. Cook, uncovered, on high/ 800watts/100% for 1 minute or until foaming. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Cook, uncovered, on medium/500watts/50%, stirring every 2 minutes, for 10 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the parmesan and cheddar. Season with pepper.

5. Add the vegetables and the cheddar mixture to the pasta and stir until well combined. Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with pine nuts to serve.

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Would it even be autumn without a decadent dessert? We think not. A wise woman once said, “Food is its own reward,” and this beauty proves that in spades. Chase it with a fine red, a potent ale or even milk—it’s all good.

Black Forest Cake

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8)

1 x 470g pkt chocolate cake mix
1 x 670g jar morello cherries
2 tbs caster sugar
1 tbs cornflour
600ml thickened cream
60ml (1/4 cup) kirsch
2 tbs boiling water
2 tbs caster sugar, extra
100g dark cooking chocolate, coarsely grated

Method

1. Prepare and bake the chocolate cake mix following packet directions. Turn onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Use a large serrated kitchen knife to cut the cake horizontally into 3 even layers.

2. Drain the cherries, reserving 160ml (2/3 cup) of the juice. Reserve 10 cherries to decorate. Place the remaining cherries and the reserved juice in a saucepan with the sugar and cornflour. Stir over medium-low heat until the mixture boils and thickens. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill.

3. Use an electric hand mixer to beat cream in a medium bowl until firm peaks form.

4. Place kirsch, water and extra sugar in a jug and stir until the sugar dissolves.

5. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate and drizzle over half of the kirsch mixture. Spread with half of the cherry mixture and a thin layer of the cream. Repeat with the remaining cake, kirsch mixture, cherry mixture and cream, finishing with a layer of cake.

6. Spread some of the remaining cream over the top and side of the cake. Sprinkle the chocolate over the top and gently press onto the side of the cake.

7. Place the remaining cream in a piping bag fitted with a 1cm fluted nozzle and pipe rosettes around the edge of the cake.

8. Arrange the reserved cherries around the cake between the cream rosettes. Cut the cake into wedges to serve.

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Introducing just a few new recipes into your repertoire this season will go a long way towards making the autumn that much cooler in the kitchen. Enjoy!

How to Enhance the Life of Your Kettle

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 08:29:00 +0000

If used consistently over a long period of time, traditional stovetop kettles and electric kettles can develop deposits of lime scale. This lime scale not only prevents the kettle from boiling at its optimal speed, but it significantly reduces the life of the kettle. To prevent the build-up of lime scale deposits, it is recommended that you descale your kettle every 2-3 months. If you reside in an area with hard water or heavy lime in the water, it is recommended that you increase the frequency of descaling to once every 1-2 months.

To descale your kettle, follow these steps:

Pour 1 part vinegar and 1 part water into the kettle until it is ¾ of the way full
Leave the mixture in the kettle for 1 hour
Turn on kettle and bring it to a boil
Continue boiling kettle for 5-10 mins (do not let kettle boil dry)
Pour out mixture
Fill kettle with water (no vinegar) and boil for 5-10 minutes

The lime scale and other waste should be removed from the kettle. If there are still lime scale deposits, repeat above steps as necessary.

For our full range of kettles and accessories, visit www.kettlesdirect.com.au.

Delicious Ice Cream Recipes for the Whole Family!

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 07:23:00 +0000

Who doesn't love home made ice cream, especially at this time of the year? If you just can’t stop using your ice cream machine or if it has been gathering a bit of dust, these recipes will provide a nice extra weapon in your ice cream arsenal.

White Chocolate and Brownie Ice Cream (Sure to be a hit with young and old!)

Ingredients:

4 egg yolks

½ tsp cornflour

300ml full cream milk

200g white chocolate, chopped

200g chocolate brownies

300ml whipping cream

1. Put the egg yolks and cornflour in a bowl and whisk lightly to combine. Bring the milk to the boil in a heavy pan. Pour the milk over the mixture, whisking well to combine.

2. Pour the custard back into the pan and cook over a very gentle heat, stirring continually until slightly thickened.

3. Pour into a bowl and add the chopped chocolate. Leave until the chocolate has melted, stirring frequently. Leave to cool.

4. Crumble the brownies into small pieces. Stir the cream into the chocolate custard and pour into the ice cream maker. Churn the mixture until it is thick.

5. Sprinkle the crumbled brownies over the custard and churn until just mixed. Scoop into glasses or transfer to a freezer container and freeze until ready to serve. Serves 6

You can see how simple that was, now how about something just for the grown ups, how about the Classic Coffee Ice Cream:

Ingredients:

6 tbsp fine filtered coffee

250ml 1 cup boiling water

4 egg yolks

6tbsp superfine caster sugar

1tsp cornflour

300ml low fat milk

150ml double cream

1. Put the coffee in a coffee press and pour on the boiling water. Leave the cool, then strain and chill until required.

2. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl until the mixture is thick and foamy. Pour the milk into a heavy pan, bring to the boil, then gradually pour on to the yolk mixture in the bowl, whisking constantly.

3. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over a gentle heat, stirring all the time until the custard thickens and is smooth. Pour it back into the bowl and cover closely with plastic wrap. Cool, then chill.

4. Mix the coffee and cream with the chilled custard, then churn the mixture in an ice cream maker until firm enough to scoop.

5. Scoop the ice cream into glass dishes, sprinkle with chocolate (optional) and serve. Serves 4-6

Finally, for the healthy conscious out there here is a recipe for a delicious Banana Gelato:

Ingredients:

½ cup caster sugar

150ml water

1 lemon

3 ripe bananas

300ml uht vanilla flavoured soya dessert

1. Put the sugar and water in a pan. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Then allow to cool.

2. Squeeze the lemon. Put the bananas in a bowl and mash with a fork. Slowly add the lemon juice. Stir in the cooled sugar syrup and the soya dessert.

3. Churn in an ice cream maker until thick, then scrape it into a freezerproof container and freeze for 3-4 hours until firm. Scoop into dishes and serve. Serves 4-6.

Ice cream definitely tastes better when made at home and we hope these recipes will impress everyone and taste delicious! These recipes were taken from a recently added cookbook on our site called ‘Getting The Best From Your Ice Cream Machine’ by Joanna Farrow and Sara Lewis.

Go on, eat up!

Scanpan Non-Stick Cookware Cleaning Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 05:26:00 +0000

By following the correct instructions when cleaning your non stick cookware, your pan will last for years to come. Firstly, it is always best to refer to the cleaning instructions from the manufacturer, but if you cannot find them then here are the basic cleaning tips that you need to ensure the longevity of your pan:
1 – Straight after cooking use a wooden, silicone or rubber spatula to remove any excess food particles from the pan immediately.
2 – Submerge the pan in warm soapy water while still hot as this starts off the cleaning process by partly steam cleaning the surface.
3 – Wipe the pan clean using a washcloth or any nonabrasive scrubber pad.
4 – Dry the pan immediately with a clean cloth and carefully store it.

Follow these basic steps and the life of your non-stick cookware will be significantly improved.

Do you use cooking oil spray and have noticed that your pan is becoming less and less non-stick? This is normally due to a build up of residue as these oils have a chemical in them that sticks like glue when applied to a high heat. Follow these steps to greatly improve the performance of the non-stick.
1 – Fill the pan with water to about 3cm from the top.
2 – Turn on the exhaust fan.
3 – Add 1 tablespoon of powdered washing detergent.
4 – Bring the mixture to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
5 – Do not let it boil dry.
6 – Wait for the mix to cool down then clean with a nonabrasive cloth or brush and rinse thoroughly.

The most common way to damage the non-stick coating is by overheating your fry pan or saute pan. You should never overheat your pan as this will damage the surface. With a good quality non-stick pan, a medium heat setting is all that is required. A lower heat will also improve your cooking by giving your food more of a chance to be cooked through the middle rather than burning on the outside!

Here are some more quick hints and tips that are likely to help you to prolong the life of your pan and the non-stick surface:
1 – While some non-stick surfaces will indicate that they are metal utensil safe, for the best results always use silicone, rubber or wooden utensils. We recommend Zeal silicone utensils for all cookware. You can find the range here.
2 – Never attempt to cut or slice food while it is still in the frypan. It is always best to put the food onto a plate or board and then plate it up from there. Using a kitchen knife on a non-stick surface will always cause damage.
3 – Most pans these days will say that they are dishwasher safe - and they will be to a degree - but, for best results and longevity it is best to hand wash them in warm sudsy water and then dry immediately. If you do put them in the dishwasher, make sure that nothing else will come into contact with the non-stick surface as this can cause damage.
4 – Never use a scour on a non-stick surface or any sort of abrasive cleaning tool as this will always cause damage.
5 – When storing pans be sure to carefully stack them as the metal bottom of pans rubbing against the non-stick surface can cause damage.

Using the proper utensils, following manufacturers’ recommendations and washing promptly will all help to extend the life of your non-stick surface, making cleaning effortless for years.

Knife Care And Sharpening Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Blake) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 06:34:00 +0000

Our Recommendations on Knife Sharpening:

For those who are dedicated to knife sharpening and either have experience sharpening knives or are keen to learn the practice, then we recommend getting a whetstone and a sharpening steel so you can bring the edge back effectively on your knives and keep them as sharp as they day you bought them all year round.

For the chef at home who doesn't know how to sharpen a knife and wants a quick and easy sharpener we recommend a pull through sharpener. Our choice is the Global MinoSharp 3 Stage Ceramic Water Sharpener. This has been designed with wider grooves to accommodate a large range of knives, not just the Global Brand.

If you do choose to use a pull through sharpener then we recommend that approximately once a year taking your best knives to be expertly sharpened by a professional in order to perfectly bring the edge back. This is generally quite inexpensive and will give you the best results combined with frequent sharpening.

In order to keep your knives in top condition we recommend washing in warm soapy water immediately after use and then drying them with a tea towel. While most knives are dishwasher safe sometimes the rattling around experienced during washing can damage the knives and left to drip dry rust spots can develop.

View our range of Pull Through Sharpeners.
See our selection of Whetstones.
Discover all our Sharpening Steels.

Whetstone Tips And Advice.

The best way to sharpen a knife is using a whetstone.Other knife sharpening tools if not used properly can grind away a lot of the blade. It will take a bit of practise to get used to using a whetstone, but once you can use it properly you will save yourself time, money and be able to easily keep your knives razor sharp. If you follow these tips you will be sharpening your knives like an expert in no time.

Step 1: Place the whetstone on the bench top with the coarse side facing up. A good tip is to place a towel down first to reduce the chance of the whetstone sliding about.

Step 2: This is the most important aspect - finding the correct angle to hold the knife on. The best angle to sharpen a knife is at 22 degrees. The easiest way to locate this is to have the blade of the knife on the whetstone as if you were going to cut it. Then turn your wrist to the right to be on a 45 degree angle (halfway between the top of the knife and the whetstone), then half that distance again between where the blade is and the whetstone. This is the easiest way to find the 22 degrees.

Step 3: With moderate pressure slide the blade forwards and across the stone. Do this as carefully as possible to ensure that you cover the entire length of the blade while keeping it flush against the whetstone on the 22 degree angle.

Step 4: Do this 8-12 times depending on how long it has been since the blade was sharpened and then turn it over and repeat the process on the other side of the knife.

Step 5: Now turn the whetstone over to the fine side and repeat all the above steps.

Step 6: For best results now use a sharpening steel to hone the blade to its ultimate sharpness. Then wash and immediately dry the blade to remove any excess metal fragments.

Sharpening Steel Tips And Advice.

Contrary to popular belief, a sharpening steel does not sharpen a knife. The purpose of a steel is to hone the edge of the knife. Through regular use the edge of a knife will begin to lose its original sharpness. On the edge, tiny microscopic fibres bend over and dull the knife. The sharpening steel straightens and re-aligns these fibres. We recommend that you regularly hone your knife, even after each use. The more often you steel, the longer the sharp edge will last. Using the steel is a quick, easy and effective way to help maintain your knife's edge between sharpening. Eventually though your knife will become dull and need to be sharpened.

Step 1: Position - For beginners, the easiest way to have the steel is to have it vertically over the top of a wood cutting board pointing down with your hand at the top behind the safety guard.

Step 2: Finding The Proper Angle - For best results you should sharpen your knives on a 20 degree angle. To get this angle hold your knife at 90 degrees to the steel, then half that to make 45 and then finally half that again and you should be close to 20 degrees.

Step 3: Steel the Edge - Using the 20 degree angle, pass the blade across both sides the steel with medium pressure from the tip of the steel upwards. For best results use one gentle slicing motion that moves your blade from the base of the knife all the way to the tip. Do not try to press too hard or use a back and forth cutting motion. Take anywhere between half a dozen to a dozen passes across the full length of your blade. Be sure to give each side the same amount of strokes to ensure an even cutting edge. Your knife is now honed.

Pull Through Sharpeners:

We have a wide variety of pull through sharpeners and they are the easiest to use. They all follow the same steps in that you firstly slide the knife several times through the coarsest groove and then move on to the next stage of sharpening. Most of the sharpeners are either 2 or 3 stages.

The sharpening motion begins at the handle end of the blade and you draw it through in a straight line across the grooves. These grooves are made of a variety of materials including tungsten and diamond, but the most common is ceramic.

There are also the pull through sharpeners that utilise water to gain that impressive edge. In these sharpeners you simply fill up the compartment with water and draw the knife through as you would in the other sharpeners.

Quick And Easy Wine Glass Cleaning

noreply@blogger.com (Blake) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:12:00 +0000

If you’ve made the investment in nice glassware, you might be wondering how to clean wine glasses properly. This is understandable; if you’ve made a purchase that boasts “crystalline clarity,” you don’t want spots and streaks ruining the effect.

With this in mind here is a quick primer on wine glass cleaning. While there are bound to be a few methods out there for cleaning wine glasses, this is the one we’ve enjoyed the most success with. Your wine glasses are only moments away from a five-star sparkle.

STEP 1 - Wash your wine glass under warm water (detergent not necessary)

STEP 2 - Place on linen to drain for the time being

STEP 3 - For extra shine, steam wine glass over boiling water

STEP 4 - To polish the glass, use 2 microfibre crystal towels

STEP 5 - Hold glass by base and polish

STEP 6 - Use left hand to cradle the bowl and polish with your right hand

NEVER twist the base and bowl

STEP 7 - Perfect results, every time!

The Benefits of SIGG Water Bottles

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:52:00 +0000

Initially creating a number of quality aluminium household goods, water bottles have been the sole focus of SIGG since 1999. SIGG water bottles are noted for their eye-catching, unique designs and BPA-free aluminium construction. Through the 1% for The Planet program, SIGG donates 1% of all its sales to environmentally sustainable projects. SIGG's actions will hopefully pave the way for other companies to follow suit. By buying a SIGG water bottle, you are not only buying a great product, but directly contributing to helping the environment as well.

BPA, or Bisphenol A, is a toxin that is commonly found in the compound that forms the plastic lining of conventional water bottles. When these water bottles are reused or heated, BPA can leach into the water, causing adverse health problems including irregular hormone levels, thyroid problems and even neurological issues. Happily, every SIGG water bottle is constructed with 100% BPA free aluminium and plastic, ensuring you're protected against damaging side effects.

SIGG bottles are made with a special SIGG-only lining termed EcoCare. EcoCare far outshines any other bottle lining on the market in that it reduces bacteria build up and is odour and flavour-proof. SIGG bottles ensure that the nasty aftertaste you get with a regular water bottle is a thing of the past.

The bottles are made from a single piece of seamless aluminium, so they’re incredibly long-lasting and virtually leak proof. Over the years trekkers and other outdoors enthusiasts have sent in pictures of bottles that have endured a few dings and dents, and these serve as testimony to both the bottles and the hiker’s ruggedness. Another benefit of choosing SIGG is that their bottle tops (all 3 varieties) are leak proof and fit any SIGG bottle on the market.

SIGG likes to keep things fresh and each year they introduce over 100 new designs. Whether you prefer bold prints, subtle prints or something a bit different, SIGG has a water bottle for every taste. Recently top fashion designers put together a custom range of bottles for auction. In keeping with SIGG’s guiding philosophies, proceeds went to stop global warming. Having a bottle that harmonises nicely with your sense of style is simply a by-product of an item that is a healthier option, better for the world and is extraordinarily well crafted. See more information on SIGG water bottles.

Kitchenware Direct is proud to launch a brand new site - Water Bottles Direct. Water Bottles Direct is Australia's premier retailer of SIGG and Thermos water bottles.

Menu for Hope 6

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:32:00 +0000

Make a $US10 Donation for Your Chance to Win a KitchenAid Mixer!

This prize is open to Australian residents only

- Bidding is open from December 14th - December 25th 2009. Winners will be announced on the Chez Pim website at the end of the campaign.
- Money is collected by First Giving. Donors can make an online (tax deductible in the US) donation with a credit card.
- To purchase tickets register at the First Giving web site. The code number to quote for a bid on the KitchenAid Mixer from Kitchenware Direct is AP09.

Menu for Hope is an annual fund raising campaign hosted by Chez Pim and a revolving group of food bloggers around the world. Each December, food bloggers from all over the world join the campaign by offering a delectable array of food-related prizes for the Menu for Hope raffle. Pim has published all you need to know about the event over at Chez Pim.

This year, we are supporting a new initiative at the WFP called Purchase for Progress. It enables small holder and low-income farmers to supply food to WFP’s global operation. Visit the WFP site for more information on this initiative.

The number to quote to buy a ticket in Kitchenware Direct is AP09. This prize is open to Australian residents only. Click here to see all the colours of KitchenAid Mixer.

Ed at Tomatom is hosting Menu for Hope in Australia. Pop over and visit Ed for a full list of prizes available.

When you donate, please remember to:

1. Specify which item or items you'd like in the 'Personal Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation. Specify how many tickets you would like per bid item, and please use the item code -for example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for the item AP09 and 3 for AP02 - please write "2xAP09, 3xAP02" in the Personal Message section when confirming your donation.

2. Please check the box to allow us to see your email address so that we could contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone.

Check back on Chez Pim on Monday January 18 for the results of the raffle.

Picnic Glory!

noreply@blogger.com (Blake) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:48:00 +0000

I think a picnic is one of life’s little luxuries. Relaxing outdoors with family and friends with no worries and great food and drink is what a picnic should be. Here at Kitchenware Direct, we believe these products will go a long way to facilitating this.

The Ocho and Thermos range of products couple style with functionality to make your next picnic worry free; from watching a romantic sunset with cheese and a bottle of wine to a full blown family outing with copious food there is the product for every occasion. Thermos also offer a great range of mugs, drink bottles and vacuum insulated flasks to keep your drinks at their optimal temperature.

With the picnic sets, the cutlery and utensils are all very durable and hard wearing. There is ample storage area and they even fold in on the sides to reduce space when not being used. The smaller bags have the same high quality accompaniments, but, like the Ocho Black Vigne Picnic Set, is designed to keep a couple of bottles of wine cool and comes with a cheese knife, board and bottle opener!

The picnic rugs that we stock are the final piece of the puzzle for a great picnic. The comfortable fleece covering is protected by a waterproof PVC base that ensures you stay dry even when sitting on wet grass.

These stylish and durable rugs are available in two colours; light tan and cool grey. Perfect for the summer months, these would make an ideal gift for Christmas.

For all your liquid picnic needs, Water Bottles Direct stocks a wide range of 100% BPA free Sigg water bottles, who are regarded as one of the finest makers of water bottles in the market.

With a wide range of styles and sizes for all ages, these safe and fashionable drink bottles are the perfect addition to any picnic. Water Bottles Direct stocks kid's water bottles, sports bottles, Sigg Classic and Sigg Designer bottles, and stainless steel insulated mugs.

Now that you have all the equipment you can think about what you want to take with you on your next picnic. Why not make something really special that people of all ages will love. Here at Kitchenware Direct we recommend making this amazingly simple and tasty chicken club sandwich. Here are the simple ingredients you will need to easily feed 4 people:

• 2 whole chicken breasts
• 4 rashers of crispy bacon
• 12 pieces of lightly toasted bread
• Chopped iceberg lettuce
• 2 sliced large tomatos
• Your favourite mayonnaise
• Your favourite Dijon mustard
• Salt and Pepper.

Simply cook your chicken breast in your preferred way and then slice into generous segments. Cook the bacon and cut in to equal sized pieces.

While you are toasting the bread prepare the lettuce and mix the mayonnaise with the mustard at a ratio of 4 to 1.

To prepare the sandwich coat the bread with the mayonnaise mix and apply lettuce, a few slices of tomato and approximately half of a chicken breast on top. Then add another slice of bread covered in the mayonnaise mix and repeat the process, but this time add a generous amount of bacon instead of chicken and seal with the top piece of bread. Slice diagonally and repeat the process four times and you will have a sumptuous meal for four people that will stay fresh in the insulated compartments of our wide range of coolers and hampers.

Having used this recipe many times I can guarantee you will find it as delicious as I have. You can season the chicken with herbs and spices to your specific taste if you desire.

Take advantage of our low prices and the beautiful weather and head outdoors for one of life’s simple pleasures – the picnic.

Pizza Perfect

noreply@blogger.com (Blake) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:41:00 +0000

I am a big fan of pizza, but was beginning to get fed up with the same old recipes from all the local pizza places. I never really had any freedom to have a pizza just the way I like it. That was until I got my hands on the Multifunctional Pizza Oven. Now I can add my favourite sauces and toppings on any base that I chose without it costing a fortune and waiting 30 minutes for it to be delivered.

I, like so many of you, love fresh ingredients on my pizza. I feel that from the big chains that you just don’t get the best quality ingredients. Being able to create your own pizzas you know exactly what is in them and that it hasn’t just been thrown together quickly in a production line.

At the moment my favourite pizza to make at home consists of:

Salami
Sundried Tomatoes
Capsicum
Onion
Rich tomato and herb base
Topped with mozzarella and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese

It is so simple and so tasty and the biggest bonus is that from the time you begin to think about making it, within 10 minutes you will be eating it. In the 5 minutes it takes for the Pizza Oven to heat up I can easily have all the ingredients chopped and ready to go. You can slice everything thin or thick, the beauty is you do it the way you like it!

WHY?: The Pizza Maker is perfect for families of all sizes and tastes. Instead of squabbling over what pizzas to get for everyone in the family now we simply just make our own. The range of pizzas I have seen is amazing. From simple ham and cheese to an experimental ‘nacho pizza’ I made that featured refried beans, corn chips, salsa, cheese and a generous helping of sour cream once it came out of the oven. There aren’t any restrictions, only what you do and don’t like.

Simplicity: Many times I have come home from work and been too tired to make a big meal. Even with the emptiest fridge I have been able to find ingredients for a pizza. Any sort of base cooks perfectly and using my pizza cutter I had a hot and tasty meal in front of me in no time.

Extra: The interchangeable deep dish adds a new dimension to the Pizza Oven. Simply take the stone base out and replace with the deep dish to cook a wide range of other foods such as:

Omelettes
Frittatas
Fish fingers
Warms up pies, quiches and pasties

My honest opinion is that once you start using this Pizza Maker you won’t want to go back to buying from the big chain pizza stores. I have had a lot of fun making and eating the pizzas I have made and am sure that you will have the same experience too.

Start cooking: To find out even more information and how to purchase a Pizza Maker, please visit Kitchenware Direct - Australia's premier cookware and kitchenware retailer.

Home-made Peanut Butter Ice cream with Mini Marshmallows and M&M's

noreply@blogger.com (Not Quite Nigella) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:43:00 +0000

One thing I know for certain about almost every single child in the world: they love ice cream. And come the hot summer months, there will be a lot of begging and pleading for said icy confection. I've seen it too many a time and when it's sooo hot outside and they're just begging sooo hard, it almost feels like bad parenting to refuse to buy them a scoop.

Let me put another proposition about children forward: they love to act like adults and make things. Therefore they love tinkering about in the kitchen, usually making a mess, in an approximation of what a grown adult does in the kitchen. My mother feared our culinary attempts so much that she convinced me at age 7 that wholemeal Lebanese bread would do as an Apple Pie Crust. It doesn't in any way, shape or form and I still recall my disgust at seeing my slowly and carefully peeled and sliced apples in the wholemeal crust. It scarred me for a good 15 years. I digress...

Let me put through a proposition about parents throughout the world, they're all trying to: cut down on additives, keep the kids amused and save some money. This is bizarrely where I've found a soft serve ice cream machine comes into play. I had some hungry boys to feed one weekend and I had to keep them amused for a short period of time while I was minding them. I've witnessed their mum spend a small fortune fueling their growth spurt with ice cream so I figured this was the best way to amuse them, amuse me and to feed them.

I decided on a Peanut Butter ice cream as it's a kid's (and adult's) favourite flavour and one that would go well with the mix ins. Assembling the unit wasn't too hard, but what I needed to do was make sure that my freezer was at least -18c or colder. If it wasn't then it just wouldn't work. It required a quick defrosting of the freezer but it was about time that it was done and I set the bowl inside a plastic bag and checked the temperature. -24c, excellent!

The next day (although you could do it a minimum of 12 hours later) I filled in the mix ins and made the ice cream mix and put it in the fridge to remain cold. The mix ins had to be a certain size, mini M&M's were ok but full sized ones weren't. Hundreds and thousands and other miniature sized sprinkles were the go. Skittles are fine but probably best saved for a fruity ice cream.

With everything ready, I removed the rock-hard, freezing bowl from the freezer, shaking it to see whether it had any liquid sloshing around (which means that it's not frozen enough). I slotted it in the machine, snapped the lid on, turned it on and started pouring the mix in.

The kids were delighted, it was like a science project coming to life only better as they got to eat it. We waited 15 minutes while it churned and it was fairly firm but not quite right. Then at 23 minutes it looked about the right consistency. They devoured it hungrily, one even briefly getting brain freeze. Their mum was inordinately impressed when she came to pick them up as there was no more whimpering for ice cream and they got a box of it to take home with them (with a warning that they weren't to get it all over the car).

I tasted some too and it was sweet and creamy, if anything I'd add a little salt into the mix to make it more Reese's Peanut Butter Cup-ish. I also preferred it when it was harder (which you can easily do just by leaving it to churn for longer and then scooping it out instead of using the soft serve dispenser).
I got excited about the possibilities, not just for kids but for desserts like the Tetsuya's Green Apple Sorbet I had bookmarked in his cookbook. So whilst this amused and delight the kids to no end, it will also do the same for me and my grown up dinner guests.

Pros: very cheap per batch of ice cream (although there is the initial outlay for the maker), healthy, no additives. easy to understand instructions and easy to put together, mix ins have a very cool way of being dispensed into the ice cream. Kids love it and for the cost of buying 1 child a $5 scoop of ice cream you can feed 8 or 9 kids a scoop.
Cons: A few nooks and crannies when cleaning and mix ins have to be very small. Can make one flavour at a time with 12 hours in between.

Peanut Butter Ice Cream

• 350g smooth peanut butter

• 2/3 cup of caster sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 3/4 cup milk

• 3/4 cup of cream

1. Whisk peanut butter and sugar in a bowl until combined

2. Whisk in milk and cream until smooth and the sugar has dissolved. You can make this ahead of time and cover and keep in the refrigerator.

3. When ready to use, remove from fridge and pour into frozen bowl via the top opening. Churn for 15-25 minutes depending on how soft or hard you want your ice cream.

Smoked Trout and Fennel salad with Wasabi Mayo dressing

noreply@blogger.com (Not Quite Nigella) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 17:22:00 +0000

I don't think that I need to convince anyone in Australia that salad or seafood is a good idea at Christmas. One Christmas Eve I attempted to buy fresh fish from the Pyrmont Fish Markets only to be greeted by a scene of utter chaos. Luckily, everyone was in a fairly jolly mood knowing that there was a lot of fish to be bought, although I sensed the mood could have turned ugly had they run out of seafood (Seinfeld Chocolate Babka episode flashback).

Considering our temperatures can reach 40c in December, a salad is always one of the more welcome items on the table. And this salad pairs a fish that you don't need to get from the Fish Markets, indeed it's one you could buy a few weeks ahead of time, with some fresh yet substantial ingredients. Sold? OK the final pitch is the taste: a smoked trout with a scattering of salad leaves, crispy fennel and waxy kipflers and a hint of zing (or a ferocious growl - your choice) with the creamy wasabi mayonnaise.

I found that using a Vslicer was something I was at first trepidatious about, hearing about lost finger tops and cuts. So much was my fear that I asked my husband to supervise me. We removed the VSlicer from the holder (held snugly with a safety catch). What I needed to do was slice the fennel thinly so I spread open the multilingual instructions and followed the directions on which attachment to use. I V-sliced the fennel in two thicknesses: the number 1 producing a gorgeously thin slice whereas number 2 gave it a sturdier slice for frying. Not so bad-although I admit that I am still scared of the julienning attachments which look a bit medieval.

If you've never removed the flesh from a whole Smoked trout, do not fear, it's easy. Using a sharp knife, cut deep all the way along the belly of the smoked trout (which should already have an incision) like you were slicing a burger bun in half to fill, and flip the fish open and remove the head, backbone and tail in one.

There may be smaller bones within the fish itself, look out for those, especially smaller ones like the ones along the top fin that people may not notice. The skin will also slide away easily from the meat.

I had shunned salad spinners for years. Not for lack of wanting one but from hearing from friends that the ones with cords wore out after a while. But the Kuhn Rikon one has a turning lever and a more sturdy construction so I came with an open mind. I also think that if you can’t buy organic all of the time, with the amount of chemicals used, it’s always good to wash salad leaves as much as possible. This one dries the salad beautifully and you should lose patience with watching it spinning (I didn't) you can always press the button down firmly and it will stop spinning. It’s surrprising how much water it does remove from the delicate leaves and you can see this collect at the bottom.

There's no fancy way to present a salad, on a plate is about it but to give it a special touch, the Laguiole Salad Spoons in a Christmassy red would do the trick. I'd first seen Laguiole cutlery when I dined at Gordon Ramsay's Royal Hospital Road Restaurant in London. My sister recognised the trademark Bee symbol on her steak knife and we set about looking for them in the stores in London. I hunted down a lovely set at Waitrose but missed my opportunity to buy them and have pined for them ever since.

Smoked Trout and Fennel salad with Wasabi Mayo dressing

• 3-4 Kipfler potatoes peeled

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• 2 fennel bulbs with fronds reserved

• 1.5 tablespoons of flour mixed seasoned with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• Grapeseed or olive oil for frying

• Baby Spinach leaves

• 1 avocado

• 1 whole smoked trout, deboned and skin removed

For first dressing

• 1/3 cup of Extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice for dressing.

For second dressing

• Wasabi

• 1/3 cup of whole egg mayonnaise (Hellmans, S&W or similar)

1. Boil potatoes for 15 minutes in salted water until done and then drain and slice each potato diagonally into 3-4 pieces. Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and some salt and pepper and set aside.

2. Cut off fronds from both the fennel and cut it in half. Using a VSlicer slice one fennel bulb using the number 2 thickness (3mm approximately if cutting by hand). Heat the frypan with some of the 1/2 cup of oil and dredge the fennel slices lightly in the seasoned flour and fry until golden and crispy. Drain on a paper towel.

3. Then slice the other fennel very thinly using the Vslicer on the Number 1 thickness.

4.Using the Kuhn Rikon Salad Spinner, take out the green sieve and wash the thinly sliced fennel, baby spinach leaves, and the fennel fronds (that resemble dill). Spin until dry and place in a large bowl along with the potatoes and half of the trout meat and pour over the first dressing.

5. Make second dressing by combining the two using the amount of wasabi that you prefer.

6. Place 1/2 of this salad mix onto a serving plate or bowl and using a Stockholm avocado slicer place 1/2 of the avocado on top of this layer. Then add the rest of the salad and the rest of the avocado and place remaining smoked trout and crispy fennel on top.

7.Drizzle over second wasabi mayonnaise dressing and season with salt and pepper.

Mango and Cranberry Fruitcake: an Australian Christmas cake

noreply@blogger.com (Not Quite Nigella) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:28:00 +0000

I know that fruit cakes divides people. There are some that find it possibly the vilest cake on earth and others that adore it, soaking their fruit for months and polishing off pennies to put in the cake. I always think of grandmothers as the keepers of the fruit cake. They're the ones I usually see making them although I can't say that either of my grandmothers ever did so, one notoriously preferring to socialise than cook.
So please do allow me to throw another variation into the mix. Something a little more Australian that your traditional English fruit cake. For our Christmases, we have a bounty of fresh fruit and one of the best fruits in season is the Mango. A tray of these juicy, sweet mangoes can be yours for $20 which is one of the best things about Christmas (my husband going so far as to request a tray of these last Christmas).

If I could urge any fruit cake lover to do anything, it's to make this cake. You will be duly rewarded in your endeavor with an incredibly moist, dark, rich cake that is unusually light too. The darkness comes courtesy of the muscovado sugar and the lightness comes from the method including the bicarb and the rest of it. My husband, a fruit cake enthusiast (read=maniac) claims this is the best fruit cake he has ever eaten.

Viola! All the meat removed from the pip and no stringy mango between your teeth
I used an Oxo Good Grips Mango peeler to help remove the pip from the meat and found that it worked a treat in removing almost every bit of the meat from the pip. Macadamias are also an Australian ingredient and whilst I know that cranberries aren't exactly Australian but they are certainly festive looking. I also found that the Analon Suregrip Square Springform Cake tin was a much easier way of easing out the cake. As it's somewhere in between a heavy fruit cake and a regular cake, I didn't want to risk it using a non springform cake tin.

This won't be one of those cakes that you sit in the living room until Christmas. Like most things around Christmas, making a fruitcake falls to the wayside while you are battling Christmas queues in a last dash attempt to avoid buying Christmas presents from a petrol station. You can make it a week or a few days ahead and it will be good as it's so moist, but you will need to keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.

Mango and cranberry fruitcake
• 500g mixed dried fruit (premium mix)
• 150g dried cranberries
• 100ml rum
• 1 large fresh mango (400-430g)
• 100g chopped macadamias
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 large eggs
• 150g muscovado sugar or dark brown sugar if not available (or 200g if you like your fruit cake quite sweet)
• 1 1/2 cups of self raising flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of bi carb of soda

1. Soak the dried fruit and cranberries with the rum overnight or for as long as you have patience for.
2. Prepare an Analon Suregrips Square Springform 22x22cms baking tin with greaseproof paper. Using a Mango peeler, remove all of the flesh from the mango and chop it up into smallish pieces.

3. Preheat oven to 160c. In a large saucepan, place dried fruit, cranberries, mango, rum liquid and water and bring to the boil and simmer on a low heat for 5 minutes. Cool.
4. Add sifted flour, bicarb and crumbled muscovado sugar.

5. Lightly beat 2 eggs and add them to the mix. Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for 50-60 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
6. I decorated these simply with blanched almonds although you could continue the theme with some bought honey roasted whole macadamias. To blanche almonds, pour boiling water over almonds and rest for 5 minutes. Then slip the skins off by rubbing them with your fingers. You can also bake them briefly in a low oven to dry them out.

Recipe Christmas Pork Roast Porchetta

noreply@blogger.com (Not Quite Nigella) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:00:00 +0000

A Traditional Christmas Roast-Porchetta

I often find myself torn at Christmas. Torn between wanting something traditional, much like everything that you see on television and at the movies of softly falling snow, bright glowing Christmas lights, huge trees and convivial family scenes indoors where tartan features regularly. And then I'm confronted with the reality. An Australian Christmas where the weather reaches up to 40 degrees and the idea of slaving over a hot oven for hours would make a party pooper and martyr out of the most well intentioned cook.

I usually choose a bit of both in order to satisfy the traditionalists and the modernists. This year what caught my eye was an Italian Roast Porkcalled Porchetta. I ate this once at a London restaurant Arbutus (a place with 1 Michelin star) and it was one of the most delicious entrees I've had, the pork fall apart soft and sliced paper thin.

Which brings me to another point. I hate overeating. I feel uncomfortable when I do it and afterwards all I want to do is curl up and sleep or hide so I don't do it often. Although I feel compelled to do it at Christmas where the spread is so bountiful and delicious. But this is where the Porchetta can actually help. By slicing it paper thin, you eat a much smaller amount of the meat. It's so richly gorgeous and fatty you don't really need to hoe into a thick slab anyway. Not unless your Christmas Wish was an angioplasty.

The advantage of cooking the meat on a low heat for such a long time is that the meat is meltingly tender and the fat melds into the meat perfectly. The lemon zest is the perfect antidote to the fatty meat giving is a zing where it is needed. I usually do like a Pork Roast with an Apple sauce but this one doesn’t need it, although you could certainly pair it with one if you’re missing it terribly.

And if I can offer any advice, save your sanity, don't make everything yourself and instead have everyone bring a plate. I tried making everything myself one Christmas and it was the most miserable Christmas ever for me. The year afterwards, everyone sensed my impending crisis and offered to bring a plate each. And it became a magnificent Christmas where I was only committed to making two dishes and everyone else brought something fantastic and home made which invited even more conversation. And conversation about food and passing on recipes during a family Christmas is much more pleasant than reliving Festivus and the "Airing of Grievances", in which each person tells everyone else all the ways they have disappointed him or her over the past year. Trust me, we've done it.

Christmas Pork Roast Porchetta

1.8kg large square of pork belly. Ask the butcher to remove with the excess fat and bones but keep the bones to use as a trivet
1 tablespoon salt flakes or sea salt plus 2 teaspoons for seasoning after roasting
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 fat garlic cloves skinned and sliced into pieces
zest of 1/2 a large lemon
2 tablespoons rosemary
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
5 fresh sage leaves
olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 220c or 200c fan forced. Using a large mortar and pestle, pound salt, pepper, garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, fennel seeds and sage leaves until it resembles a rough paste

2. Place bones on the bottom of the baking dish so that the roast can sit on it.

3. With an absolutely dry pork belly place it skin sin down and with your hands rub the herb paste into the pork and then roll meat up into a roll and secure with a few pieces of string (I used 5). Drizzle oil over the skin and sprinkle salt over the top.

4. Place on top of the bones and place in the oven for 15 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 180c/160c fan forced and cook for a further 2hours and 15 minutes.

5. Baste every half an hour using a baster such as the Cuisipro Dual Baster.

6. Throw out bones (tempted as you may be to nibble on them, they will be like deep fried ribs). Rest for 15 minutes before carving thinly.