February Issue

• A New Year, a new word
  - Editorial
• Shine a Light
  - Candle trends with
  extra glow factor
• Gadget Magic -
  - Must-have culinary picks
• Smart games for a new generation
  - Strategy and logic-based fun is topping the leader board
• Bringing Special Back
  - Mother's Day 2010
• Caught Red Handed
  - Taking Stock of Security

Gadget Magic

Must-have culinary picks

Forget pre-packaged, microwave, convenience and fast foods; delicious, inventive and hands-on home cooking is regaining popularity in New Zealand.

Movies such as Julie and Julia and television shows such as Master Chef and Hell's Kitchen are proving themselves box office and ratings hits. So inspired by popular culture, and with a nod toward memories of the New Zealand family kitchen of years gone by, Kiwis from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South are donning their aprons, restocking their pantries and whipping out their dog-eared Edmonds cookbooks to unleash their culinary creativity.

And just like any artist needs the right set of tools, no self-respecting Kiwi cook can be without the right kitchen gadgets and essentials to turn a simple set of ingredients into a delectable dish.

So what gadgets can no New Zealand kitchen be without in 2010?

Canterbury-based celebrity cook Jo Seager says she loves well-used old kitchen gadgets, especially things made out of wire, like homemade cooling racks, toast racks and trivets.

A self-professed ‘Canterbury girl at heart', Jo stocks plenty of bright red kitchen gadgets in her kitchenware store, along with other popular colours such as purple and lime green.

“I think my ultimate kitchen essential list would include a couple of good chef knives and two or three small Victorinox paring knives, a microplane zester, a lemon and a lime squeezer, accurate measuring cups and spoons, good salt and pepper mills, Circulon Infinite non-stick frypans and pots, a silicon spatula, a double egg poacher, a Magimix food processor and a nice big red Kitchen Aid mixer!” she says.

DKSH national sales manager Toni Davis says both the more traditional gadgets and those that have undergone modern makeovers are popular with aspiring Kiwi chefs. “Many new products on the market have an oldworld twinge to them, and there's been a resurgence in that ‘antique' kind of look,” she says. “We've always had brands that continue to develop and rework their products to make gadgets easier to use in the kitchen, like the Zyliss soft-skin peeler which is easier to hold.”

Colours

More ergonomic designs are not the only update being incorporated into the trustiest of kitchen gadgets, with a rainbow of vivacious colours also making a splash in the kitchen. “Bright and bold colours have become really popular – not just because they look fantastic but because they make it easier to see your gadgets in the drawer,” Davis says. Her choice for kitchen gadget must-haves includes “a good garlic press, a good peeler and a wooden spoon”.

And while the time-honoured basics prove themselves popular year in and year out, seasonal kitchen essentials continue to take centre stage for entertainers over the warmer months.

Covino owner Leigh Andrews says the gadget every kitchen should contain for summer is a good pineapple slicer. “The design hasn't changed in all the years we've stocked it, but it goes from strength to strength each year and keeps becoming more popular.”

Gadgets to flash around include:

• Anything bright and bold in colour as they are aesthetically pleasing and easy to find.
• Old favourites with suction caps such as wine charms so they won't tinkle off your glass.
• A good sturdy garlic press (the back of a knife just won't do).
• Old-world gadget designs with antique inspirations.
• A pineapple slicer that'll last many a summer.
• A peeler with a good grip, such as the Zyliss soft-skin peeler, which is easy to hold.

More ergonomic designs are not the only update being incorporated into the trustiest of kitchen gadgets, with a rainbow of vivacious colours also making a splash in the kitchen. “Bright and bold colours have become really popular – not just because they look fantastic but because they make it easier to see your gadgets in the drawer.”

Covino's range of bright, funky wine charms are also popular with home entertainers, having been revamped to include suction cups so they can stick directly onto glassware. These charms may not exactly be classified as gadgets per se, but anyone entertaining and cooking for friends on a hot summer afternoon knows the importance of being able to locate a cool glass of wine to accompany their meal.

They may be trendy or traditional, functional and fun, but culinary gadgets for 2010 are all about inspiring us to enjoy our adventures in the kitchen.