Bite of the Best

A Secure-Grip Hot Jar Handler is the newest product from Ball with a stand-up style to make for quick, convenient use.

Made with wide-open pockets for comfort and accessibility, this handler is compatible with most canning jars and was designed specifically for home canners and canning jars.

Coleman has introduced it’s newest 60-Quart Wheeled Performance Cooler that is able to hold ice up to 4 days at 90 degrees. The cooler is manufactured with “Low CO2 Emissions Technology” that is good for the environment

This cooler also has an exclusive sit-on-top lid that is reinforced to support your weight, a new design featuring easy-clean lids, comfort grip handles and beverage holders integrated in the lid.

- bonnie :  This is everything you want in a cooler, especially for a camping trip. It keeps food cold for about four days in a warm climate, is on wheels making it easy to transport and doubles as an extra seat and / or beverage tray!

Ball’s new Fresh Herb Keeper keeps your fresh herb fresh. With its swing cradle, the placement and removal of herbs is easy, and with its self-draining storage basket the water stays in the container. The keeper is made with a BPA-free plastic housing unit with a slender design that fits in most refrigeration doors. 

Savora, by Lifetime Brands, Inc., introduces a can opener in eight different colors. The can opener can be used to open cans, traditional bottles or plastic twist-off bottle caps. 

Corkcicle has introduced the first and only, in-bottle beer chiller that keeps cold beer cold from the first sip to the last, whether drinking from the bottle or as you pour into your glass.  

Just freeze the Chillsner, insert into any bottled beer and drink right through the built-in spout.  It is made from stainless steel, fits any standard long-neck bottle and uses the same proprietary thermal gel as the Corkcicle.

Farberware Prep Set in Universal Block features dishwasher safe cutlery knives with resin-coated stainless steel blades and multicolor handles for an easier grip. The knives are nested in a block that comes in three colors — turquoise, pink or black.

This five-piece set includes a 3-1/2 inch parer, a 3-1/2 inch serrated parer, a 3 inch bird’s beak knife, a shear and a universal block.

Deagourmet has launched a bite-size tasting set.

These porcelain spoons can be used separately or on a matching porcelain tray. 

Chef’s Planet Clip & Drain is a stainless steel reinforced clip with a silicone gripper that attaches to the pot making it easy to drain.It is made from ABS plastic, is dishwasher safe and fits most size pots and pans.

The Clip and Drain can be used for straining the liquid from veggies, pastas, meat and more.

- bonnie: I like how this eliminates the need to pull out the colander! 

Rachael Ray offers silicone, heat-safe lids that provide an air- and water-tight seal on pots, pans or bowls made of metal, glass, plastic or melamine.

These lids are freezer, dishwasher and microwave oven safe, but should not be used during the cooking process as a lid.

Available in orange, blue, red, purple, green and yellow, these lids come in three sizes, 7.5-inch, 92.5-inch and 11.25-inch.

-bonnie: I couldn’t wait to try these lids, after I saw them demonstrated at the showroom. I had liked the convenience of not needing multi-size lids for various pots, but that enthusiasm waned when I learned they could not be used on hot pots.

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Wilton Armetale Gourmet Grillware has introduced the Vegetable Griller, which allows you to grill different vegetables at the same time, in the same piece.  Position potatoes on the  raised dividers to “bake.” In addition, use as a serving dish straight from the grill to your food hot longer.

The piece is guaranteed against breakage.

Dexas Turbo Fan Salad Spinner actually dries greens so that they’re ready for immediate plating. Use in the sink or on nearby towel, as no dirty rinse water is ever retained in outer bowl, therefore rinse water never accidentally splashes back on clean greens.

This product is manufactured, assembled and packaged in the USA in Texas, with both domestic and imported parts in the “motor” top of the spinner. The outer bowl and spinner basket are made in the USA.

The SPARQ Thermal Appetizer Plate, hand-crafted in the USA, is made from recycled soapstone. Heat in the microwave or conventional oven to keep your , hors d’ourvres warm, or freeze prior to use to keep sushi at chilled.

The  8-  by  16-inch plate is dishwasher safe, non-reactive to most common household cleaners,and does not stain or absorb odors.

- bonnie: A great holiday gift for a hostess or yourself!

Vacu Vin introduces the Wine Aerator a bar gadget designed to slow down the flow of wine into the glass, allowing it to take up extra oxygen that enriches the taste.

The tool is transparent making it easy to observe the process and detect any sediment flowing through the aerator. Clean the detachable aerator by rinsing it with tap water and store around the neck of a wine bottle.

Boskaintroduced a new line of Havana Cheese Knives created for soft and semi hard cheese, some knives with cutouts in the blade to prevent cheese from sticking. This collection is available in three colors, blue, fuchsia and lime green.

A Cheese Set that includes a frosted glass cheese board with a colored fork, spatula and knife for slicing and serving is also available.

- bonnie: Great hostess gifts.

Designed to solve the problem of needing different tools and lots of practice to create cocktails, Vacu Vin developed the Cocktail Shaker. The purple shaker includes the glass, a shaking lid and strainer all in one. Made with the patented Oxiloc system, which keeps liquids locked in, the glass can be shaken vigorously and then pulled open for pouring. The shaker features a built in strainer that prevents ice or any unwanted ingredient from flowing into the cocktail and measurements in milliliters and fluid ounces on the side of the shaker.

- bonnie: A good looking, space saving, useful holiday hostess gift!

Chef’n introduced the FreshForce 3-in-1 peeler with straight, serrated and julienne blades. All three blades are stored in one case, use the same handle and the peeler is top-rack dishwasher safe.

- bonnie: I like multipurpose — three in one — convenient tools like this, especially for small kitchens.

Palmolive has introduced Fresh Infusions – a new dish liquid formula available in three scents, Lime Basil, Lemon Thyme and Ginger White Tea in 16-ounce bottles.

- bonnie: I like the gently aroma of each, especially the Lime Basil

Zoku Quick Pop Makers have made it possible to make ice pops on your countertop and with ingredients of your choice in seven minutes without electricity.  Store the Zoku in your freezer to make ice pops at anytime by placing it on your countertop, adding the juice or other ingredients of your choice, then letting it sit for seven minutes.

The BPA- and phthalate-free Zoku kits include six plastic pop sticks, with ridged sides to allow pops to adhere securely, 6 drip guards and 1 Super Tool, allowing for quick release of the frozen treats from their molds.

- bonnie: An amazingly easy — and fun — pop maker!  Consider making striped pops, yogurt pops or flavored core ones. Only caveat you must freeze  Zoku for 24 hours first.  Both kids and adults will enjoy this.

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Skoy Cloth is an absorbent, biodegradable multi-use cloth made from natural products. Use the re-usable, earth friendly cloth in place of a sponge, wash cloth or paper towels on most surface areas. The cloth is dishwasher and washer/dryer safe and is a chlorine-free product using water-based colors and inks.

- Alyssa Tucker, Bite of the Best Intern: I used the Skoy cloth in the kitchen; it really grips and absorbs the mess instead of smearing it around. I can see and feel the texture of the cloth that grips the mess and it didn’t get that heavy, soggy feeling when the the cloth was wet. I recommend these cloths for your surface cleaning.

Chef’n has introduced the Oil Wand Silicone Oil Brush, developed to disperse the perfect amount of oil through a dripless one-way silicone valve. The wand holds up to 5-ounces of oil with bristles that resist temperature up to 650 degrees Fahrenheit.

Although the ceramic base should be hand washed, the bristles and oil holder are top-rack dishwasher safe.

Stainless steel slim canisters are available from simplehuman in five sizes. Each canister has a push-button release and lid shox® for a smooth and easy open. Each is dishwasher safe, contains a BPA-free removable inner linear, has a built-in labeling systems and comes with labels or you can print custom labels at simplehuman.com/labels. With sealed lids and their slim design, these canisters keep your food fresh and are space efficient.

- bonnie: Attractive enough to keep on the counter! I love the slim design of these air-tight stylish storage containers.

Melitta has expanded its selection of single-serve products by introducing Melitta JavaJig, a reusable, single-serve Melitta filter system. The cup is BPA free and the paper filters are compostable, making JaveJig environmentally friendly. The filter system also allows you to adjust fill levels to taste based on your choice of coffee or tea.

- bonnie: This is in competition with Ekobrew that we featured late summer. The main difference it  JavaJig requires filters.

Better Housewares created a dish rack that includes a self-contained drain board plus a flip-up section rack to hold up to 11 plates. The disk rack folds flat for storage and measures 17” x 13 ¾” x 1¾” high when closed, or 9¼” high when open.

- bonnie : Great for small kitchens with little counter space! Just store when not in use.  

Quench Products Inc. has introduced the Bar10der — a bar tending accessory that includes 10 tools:  a muddlerm reamer, channel knife, jigger (1/2-ounce and 1-ounce sizes), zester, knife, stirrer, strainer, corkscrew and bottle opener.

Available in blue, orange, green and purple, this tool is great for enhancing the home bar experience.

- bonnie: The perfect bar tool for someone living in a small apartment with space at a premium. Just in time for the holiday gift-giving season!

Sipping Stoned purport they chill your looking for a way to chill your drink without diluting it, like ice does. You keep the soapstone rocks in your freezer ready and waiting to  cool your drink.

- bonnie: Although I had high hopes for these soapstone rocks, they didn’t live up to my expectations and the hype. The Sipping Stones did keep a cold drink chilled, but didn’t chill a room temperature one.