MetroKitchen Blog » Reviews

Nambe Serving Ware Review

Lynn — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:16:09 +0000

I’m always looking for something interesting and fun to add interest to the table setting of casual dinner parties. I’ve found it in Nambe! What’s a Nambe you ask?

Nambe is cookware
Nambe is serving ware
Nambe is silver (in color) but never needs to be polished (yay!).
Nambe can be heated in the oven or popped into the freezer and then into the oven.

Nambe has many purposes — beautiful serving ware that also serves as cookware. It’s great looking and durable enough that you can take it from the oven or refrigerator to the dinner or buffet table.Nambe is known for its distinctive designs, particularly the Nambe butterfly. It’s been a favorite of brides and those who love to entertain since the early 1940’s. The company began making the butterfly design in the U.S. in New Mexico many years ago.As with so many products, it’s now produced outside of the U.S., but Nambe retains the quality, craftsmanship and spectacular looks that have made it a favorite. (not sure about this)If you want a cool looking tray for cheese, crackers and fruit — my favorite is the Nambe Eclipse.This serving tray is the perfect companion for the Nambe wine chiller. Put the chiller in the refrigerator or freezer for 3-4 hours and it will keep your wine nicely chilled for your entire evening (assuming the wine lasts that long).

Nambe make produces gorgeous and innovative products which makes for an attractive gift for those who have everything in their kitchen.

New Smart Small Appliances from Emeril

Lynn — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:31:43 +0000

Emeril is one of my favorite chefs. His food and recipes are great. I also like Emeril because he’s always inventing fun new items for kitchen and cooking fantics.

What better time to check out new items than the start of what we like to call “the eating season!” These 6 new Emerilware small appliances can also make great gifts for the foodies on your list. Here’s a quick look at each one:

The Emerilware small deep fryer is a nice compact size, just right for a countertop (14 x 8-7/8 inches). This easy to clean stainless steel fryer can fry up to one pound of food. It holds about a half gallon of oil, which it automatically filters after each use and stores in a re-sealable container.

I like to keep items I frequently use right on my counter. Some blenders take up too much space. Not the new Emerilware mini blender and chopper! At just under 5 inches in diameter, tt has a permanent home on my counter. It’s easy to use and fast when you want to chop a cup of nuts for cookies or make a smoothie for just one person (up to 14 ounces)

The Emerilware slow cooker is another favorite because its insert and lid are both dishwasher safe. The other thing I really like about this slow cooker is that I can stir and taste throughout the cooking process. With most slow cookers, as soon as you take off the lid, the temperature drops and changes their cooking ability. When you open the Emeril slow cooker because you just can’t wait to taste your wonderfully aromatic stew, the temperature remains constant. You can rely on Emeril’s slow cooker to properly slow cooker your favorite chiles, stews and other family favorites.

Try the Emerilware gourmet grill when you want that outdoor taste indoors with minimal indoor clean up. Emeril designed this so you can easily enjoy grilled foods. Both the grill and its useful drip tray are dishwasher safe. It’s even large enough to handle a grilled dinner for 4!

Emeril also makes a the Emerilware XL Electric Grill that has 2 temperature controls and 2 grill trays. The non-stick grill plates can be removed for easy cleaning, including in the dishwasher. Grill for as few as 2 or as many as 10!

The last of the new Emeril small appliances is the Emerilware mini pie and tart maker. This easy to use dessert maker fits with the latest trend of “small” and “mini” taste treats. In about 15 minutes, bake tarts, mini cakes or even savory biscuits. The non-stick surfaces make for easy clean up too!

We can’t forget the classic small appliances, the Emerilware bread maker and large deep fryer. If you’re stuck for gift ideas this holiday season, trust Emeril for a quality-made small appliance sure to please all of the food-lovers on your list.

New! Mauviel French Cookware is Non-Stick, Dishwasher-Safe & Great Looking

Lynn — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 21:00:10 +0000

Mauviel has been making world class copper cookware in France since 1830! Copper cookware isn’t for everyone. While I appreciate Mauviel’s beauty and great heat control, copper is just too much work for me. Frankly, if it doesn’t go into the dishwasher, it doesn’t go into my kitchen!

Finally …there’s beautiful Mauviel cookware that’s right for me. M’Stone non-stick cookware can go in the dishwasher! Yay! It’s also induction compatible. It’s also induction compatible. That’s important since cooking with a portable induction cooktop is my first choice when I need to heat, boil, braise, fry. Mauviel M’stone cookware has a non-stick cooking surface made from virtually indestructible ceramic. This ceramic, non-stick cooking surface is so hard, its nickname is “rocks!” Thanks to Mauviel’s “green” commitment, M’stone non-stick cookware is environmentally friendly, made without both PFOA and PTFE!

You ask…what’s it like when you use it every day? M’stone is wonderful and durable. It heats quick and clean up is very simple. Even when I’ve purposely burned eggs, it was easy to remove the charred remains.

I also love the great-looking, practical glass lids. M’stone non-stick cookware heats quickly, cleans up easily and looks wonderful just sitting on your cooktop.

Since it’s non-stick, M’stone is great for making egg dishes of any type. But, I also like how M’stone cookware sears meat and reduces sauces. French-made M’stone cookware also works well for oven roasting.

In my view, this is high quality, beautifully-made non-stick cookware at a phenomenal price. A Mauviel M’stone fry pan is $89.95 and Mauviel M’stone 5 piece cookware set goes for $399.95.

All-Clad Double Burner Grill Pan Review

Romane — Tue, 24 May 2011 19:46:52 +0000

A lot of people out there love summer. People like me. I love warm to hot climates. Your wardrobe is minimal, it feels good outside and feels better outside at night. Lots of friends and family events are always going on. Plus the beaches are always welcoming if you can get to one. The subtle breezes, lemonade, kids riding their bikes outside and sounds of neighborhood dogs barking are all part of a good summer time experience. The thing that makes summer also enjoyable is that it’s peak grilling season. If you live in the south, we call that cook-outs. Sure grilling can be done when it’s cold, but who wants grilled food that will get cold in 2 minutes. There’s something about grilled food that is fascinating. Here is an example, grilled veggies taste better to me than other methods of cooking veggies. That’s just my opinion. Well, since grilling is so awesome and for those of us that live in places where it gets cold, wouldn’t it be great to bring the grilling indoors without the smoke?

Well now you can, with the All-Clad double burner grill pan. This All-Clad grill pan covers two burners which gives you the versatility to cook at two different temperatures. So you can cook the veggies and meats at the same time. The pan is big, but not overwhelming big to clean. I prefer to have more room than less when grilling, since many times you are grilling something that leaves the grill and goes directly to a plate and you start the process again immediately. The All-Clad grill pan also has raised edges like a mini fry pan to catch the spillage of liquids from whatever you are grilling. There are also two groves on opposite diagonal corners of the pan to pour out the liquids. The pan is non-stick and did a great job in that. None of the items I cooked (sliced squash, zucchini, bell peppers and steaks) stuck to the pan. I did notice however that oil doesn’t work well on the pan. I poured about a teaspoon of olive oil on the pan and it just rolled into the gutters on the edge of the pan. Even without an oiled surface, the pan performed outstandingly. The steaks and veggies got great looking grill marks.

When all the cooking was said and done, the results where appreciated and the dreaded cleaning process was actually very easy. I don’t think the pan is dishwasher safe on two accounts. First the pan is big and a slightly too heavy for a dishwasher rack and second, the detergent in the dishwasher may not be good for the finish on the pan. I personally hand washed it with a sponge and it was super easy. I must say, I do like the pan and think that I will start my grilling season a tad bit early this year. I definitely recommend it to seasonal and veteran grill masters out there.

So if you’re looking for an alternative to cooking outdoors or would like to grill indoors, consider this double burner grill pan. MetroKitchen features many different types of All-Clad grill pans which are constructed to last and features a lifetime warranty from All-Clad.

All the Kitchen Tools you Need for Summer Cooking

Viking Coffee Maker Review

george — Thu, 19 May 2011 18:41:41 +0000

Hot, fresh coffee. I can’t get enough of it. If you’re a coffee lover, you probably feel the same way. Few things are more wonderful than having a fresh, hot cup ready when you wake up in the morning. Morning coffee is definitely the best.

For a big-time coffee lover like me, there’s a handful of tests that a coffee machine must pass before I call it truly great. The Viking coffee maker excels at each of them.

The coffee that comes out of this machine is steaming hot. It’s easy to get a strong, smooth cup because it brews at a high temperature with fresh, clean water from the built-in filter and removable water tank. Also, the large, 12-cup thermal carafe keeps it hot for just as long as a burner.

If you use a drip machine, you know that you’ve got to get through an entire pot of coffee pretty quickly before the burner starts to cook special brew. With the Viking coffee maker, there is no burner. The thermal carafe keeps your coffee hot all the way to the last drop without the need of any outside heat source. It resists stains and damage as well, because it’s stainless steel. One thing that I love about this stainless carafe is that it’s easy to clean and you don’t have to worry about the carafe cracking, like a glass one. Cleaning out the inside is easy and any residue comes right off with a paper towel.

This coffee machine from Viking also includes a unique, permanent filter. Similar to those long-lasting gold ones, it’s a perforated filter that’s made from stainless steel and there’s no need to buy paper ones. However, you can use this machine with paper filters if you prefer. The only drawback of the stainless steel filter is that it allows a very small amount of sediment from the grounds to seep through during brewing. However, it’s negligible when you’re using coffee with a coarse, uniform grind (which is always best with drip machines).

All in all, the Viking coffee maker is an excellent machine that brews delicious gourmet coffee at the right temperature for the best taste and extraction. It has a metallic silver exterior that looks great and the isolated water tank with built-in water filter ensures that you have clean, fresh water for brewing. It’s an excellent product.

This Viking coffee maker is available now at MetroKitchen.com for the low price of $299.95. As usual, all orders over $59 qualify for free shipping, as well. Order now and enjoy perfect coffee every day!

Krups BeerTender B100 Review

Romane — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:13:37 +0000

Gulp, gulp, gulp… ahhhhh! Picture this – you are having a get-together with some friends and/or family. It’s one of those parties that involves a sporting or competitive event. You know: the Super Bowl, March Madness, a singing competition finale or the hoops championship. And the right type of food is being served. “The right type of food,” meaning something fried or grilled. There’s lots of chatter in the background. The guys are talking junk. The girls are (thinking here – hang on….) talking junk. All of this is going on in your home and you’re being a good host. Everyone is happy and everyone has a draft beer in their hand. Yes, a draft beer. Like the pubs, cold and foamy at the top of the glass. How is this possible you ask? Well, the Krups BeerTender brings the draught/draft beer to your home.

This latest revision of the Krups BeerTender holds a 5 liter mini keg of beer and chills it to the best drinking temperature. This appliance is a show piece. If fits on a kitchen counter top, and can also be transferred to an outside patio to enjoy those days where the weather is oh-so-perfect. I am loving this thing. It’s super easy to use and clean. Basically when you get the box, everything is already to go. You just have to put the drip tray together, attach one of the spout tubes to the mini keg, close the lid, turn it on and presto! There are two indicator lights on the machine. A power and a temperature light that is green. The temperature light has an icon that looks like a thermometer, but it doesn’t specify the actual temperature, but whether the beer in the keg is cold enough to drink.

Most likely the mini keg you buy will already be cold and shouldn’t take long to get the the right temperature. If that is not the case, I recommend putting the mini keg in the fridge for about 12 hours. Chilling a warm keg in the Krups BeerTender B100 will take about 15 hours.

With all that said, I am loving my BeerTender. My buddies love the whole draft concept in a home. The machine is good looking and it’s a joy when you pour your beer in a cold glass. I read the instructions and they recommend wetting the inside of the glass or chilling the glass so the foam can accumulate. I did it with a non-wet or chilled glass and it was fine.

The Krups B100 BeerTender is definitely the most talked about appliance in the kitchen when someone comes over. My word of advance to the ladies; if you wanna keep the guy at home more, get him the BeerTender. His buddies can have a draft while watching the big game or playing cards. It makes a great gift for those that like a cold bruski. And at under $100, I think it’s a show piece for the kitchen, garage, patio or the social event at your home.

Chef’s Choice Knife Sharpeners Review

george — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 18:58:41 +0000

Chef’s Choice electric knife sharpeners are some of the best in the world. They manufacture a variety of different models, and it can be difficult to distinguish the differences between all of them. In this article, I’ll cover some of the major models that Chef’s Choice makes and explain their particular uses and benefits.

Overall benefits:

I’d like to first mention a couple of the things I like about Chef’s Choice electric sharpeners in general. One thing that’s great about Chef’s Choice is that they offer so many different models for different purposes. Heavy sharpening, light sharpening, unique edges – they do it all.

Second, I like that each model sharpens one side of a blade’s edge at a time because it reminds me of using a whetstone. Not to say that sharpeners that do both sides at once are inferior – there are many great sharpeners that use that method. However, it’s nice to be able to control the number of times you sharpen each side, just in case you have a knife that’s slightly lopsided.

Finally, all of the models I’ll mention below are assembled in the USA and come with a two-year warranty from Chef’s Choice with proper use and care. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Okay, now onto the models…

Chef’s Choice 120:

The Chef’s Choice 120 is their most straightforward model for European-style cutlery like chef’s knives, paring knives, etc. It comes in many styles (white, stainless, brushed metal, etc.) and it uses three sharpening stages. The first two stages use sharpening wheels coated with diamond abrasives, and the third stage uses a ceramic stropping/polishing disc.

If I were using only chef’s knives, bread knives, small cleavers, and other European-style cutlery, this would most likely be the Chef’s Choice model that I would pick. It offers a lot of options if you want to get different types of edges, so it can accommodate oddball knives like serrated utility knives, bread knives, and even small cleavers. A super-thick blade won’t fit into the slots, but those are usually limited to enormous cleavers and single-bevel Japanese cutlery, which require different edges anyway, so it’s really not an issue.

The only reasons I would recommend not to get this sharpener is if you either A) want a steeled edge with “bite,” for cutting fibrous foods, B) don’t do very much heavy sharpening, or C) want to sharpen both Japanese and European-style knives. The next three units I’ll cover will address these two concerns.

Chef’s Choice 130:

The Chef’s Choice 130 model is similar to a Chef’s Choice 120, except the second stage is a steeling stage. This is great for chefs who would like to put a steeled edge on some knives. A steeled edge is somewhat similar to a serrated edge, except the serrations are much, much smaller.

An edge like this can be great on fibrous foods, like cabbage – easy to cut after its boiled, but kind of a pain when it’s raw. Ever try hand-chopping cabbage for cole slaw? It’s not a laughing matter, but a steeled edge can help this. I’ve also found that a steeled edge is great for cutting beef and pork. Many steak knives come with serrated edges for this reason. You may want to try putting a steeled edge on your steak knives or boning knives and see how you like it.

Chef’s Choice 320:

Here’s my personal favorite. The Chef’s Choice 320 is as straightforward as the Chef’s Choice 120, but it only has two stages – one sharpening stage with diamond abrasives and one stropping/polishing stage. This means that it’s not suitable for heavy sharpening of super-dull knives, but it’s smaller and less expensive. If you sharpen your knives regularly, store them properly, wash them by hand, and use proper cutting surfaces like wood or poly cutting boards, you should never need to do any heavy sharpening anyway.

Chef’s Choice 1520:

This Chef’s Choice 1520 model is the most versatile of the Chef’s Choice sharpeners. It can do Japanese-style knives with a 15-degree edge on each side (30 degrees total) as well as European-style knives with the classic 20-degree edge (40 total).

It’s also perfect for those of us who want to put a sharper edge on their current cutlery. You can put a 15-degree edge on European-style knives with this unit if you’d like to do so, but they won’t hold an edge for as long as Japanese knives because they typically use softer steel.

Summary:

Overall, I can sum up these four models as follows:

120 – Straightforward, good for European-style cutlery.

130 – Like the 120, but capable of producing a steeled edge with “bite.”

320 – Affordable, smaller unit for regular, light sharpening.

1520 – Versatile unit for both Japanese and European-style knives.

All Chef’s Choice electric sharpeners qualify for free shipping on MetroKitchen.com and we have the lowest prices on Chef’s Choice appliances and accessories. If you want to know more about Chef’s Choice sharpeners or which type of model you should buy for your specific needs, feel free to contact us at cs@metrokitchen.com or call us at 888-892-9911. We’re happy to help you and we’re available from 9-6 pm, Monday through Friday.

Enclume Pot Racks for Extra Cabinet Space

Ron — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 19:37:16 +0000

Space. There’s never enough! Space truly has become the “final frontier.” We know we share a tiny home in a vast universe. The same can be said for many of us when it comes to our kitchens. Many of us have only tiny kitchens but have much we’d like to put in them. If you don’t want to remodel, the quickest and cheapest way to add more kitchen space is to get a pot rack. If you think pot racks are expensive, have you checked out the price of new kitchen cabinets? All of a sudden a pot rack seems very reasonable! There are plenty of pot rack brands but, Enclume pot racks is the brand that stands head and shoulders above the rest. They have been in business for decades. They’re famous for their quality craftsmanship and elegant designs. And, the majority of their products are made in the USA!

Many companies claim quality and craftsmanship but few will ever compare to Enclume. What leads me to this conclusion? Lets begin with the basics: Enclume pot racks are constructed with carbon steel up to twice as thick as their closest competitor. That means you won’t need to worry about the rack not being strong enough to hold heavy cookware. With Enclume, cookware that goes up stays up. All Enclume products are formed on traditional French metal forming equipment. Plus Enclume racks are hand finished by professional craftsman. Their products are not mass produced. These beautiful racks are made in small batches with lots of attention to detail. The majority of Enclume potracks are made in the USA, in Washington.

Enclume pot rack designs are simple and elegant. If you look around there are plenty of busy and garish pot racks. Enclume designs pot racks that will add elegance and great functionality to any style of kitchen, from traditional to ultra modern. They offer lots of designs, from a signature finish called “hammered steel” to stainless steel plus chrome plated, brass plated and copper plated pot racks. No matter what your taste, Enclume has something extraordinary for you and it’s Made in America!

If your kitchen needs to be expanded, check out Enclume pot racks.

Save 20%! Purchase a cookware set from MetroKitchen.com by 5/31/2011 and get a 20% Enclume rebate savings with your Enclume pot rack purchase!

Oprah® Loves Kyocera Ceramic Knives

Bobby — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 18:32:10 +0000

For our Oprah fans, she picked this Kyocera ceramic knife set as one of her “Favorite Things” for 2010. The Kyocera ceramic knives she selected are a practical and reasonably priced kitchen essential. One thing that’s great about these ceramic knifes is that they rarely need to be sharpened. And, when it finally needs to be sharpened after many many many uses, if you send your knife off to Kyocera, they’ll sharpen them for FREE!

What’s there to love about a Kyocera ceramic knife?

First, it’s incredibly sharp and long lasting. You never have to worry about leaving it in the sink too long and having it rust!

Second, because it’s not metal, this knife does not interact with acids or salts.

Third, when you chop or slice lettuce and other veggies, you never need worry about lettuce edges turning brown as happens with all metal knives.

This particular ceramic knife set featured on the show is a great value as it includes a 5-1/2 inch Santoku knife which is designed for chopping vegetables with ease. A paring knife is also included with this set which is ideal for peeling or small mincing jobs.

If you like buying products with a portion of sales going to a good cause, Check out the Susan Komen Kyocera chefs or santoku knife. Five dollars from every sale goes to the Komen foundation. Plus, it’s a really cool looking knife with a vibrant pink handle. Everytime I’ve given one as a gift it turns into that cook’s favorite knife. It’s light weight, so you can use it all day without getting tired. And it cleans up easily too. I always put my in the dishwasher (though Kyocera recommends you wash it by hand to avoid accidentally cutting yourself when removing items from the dishwasher). And, this knife is just $44.95.

Oprah learned about this extra sharp ceramic cutlery from Ming Tsai, recently a competitor on Food Network’s Iron Chef and creator of Blue Ginger restaurant in Massachusetts. Ming loves these knives as well, especially for cutting fruits, vegetables and boneless meats as well as for trimming and peeling small fruits and vegetables.

MetroKitchen.com features a large selection of ceramic knives by Kyocera available for shipment today.

MetroKitchen is not affiliated with nor specifically endorsed by Oprah. “Oprah” is a registered trademark of Harpo, Inc.

MetroKitchen Welcomes Wellness Mats

Lynn — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 21:36:23 +0000

Called an anti-fatigue mat, the Wellness Mat lives up to its name.

A friend who does lots of catering says that her feet and back used to kill her after 4 or 5 hours of standing. And she’s only 30! Now, with a Wellness mat, she’s happy (and her husband is very happy because she complains less) I was also amazed to learn that this made in the USA kitchen product actually helps with posture. A variety of medical professionals recommend the Wellness Mat to help minimize the stress we put on our bodies when standing for long periods of time.

Who invented these wonderful back savers? A family-owned company in Michigan led by a chemist/engineer-type saw an opportunity to adjust the molecular structure of a polyurethane foam. Essentially, Daniel Bouzide, identified a way to compress molecules so when you step on them, they push back against the pressure and “spring” back to their original position. Daniel first started selling these incredibly helpful mat to Homeland Security and other businesses where employees stand for long periods of time. Imagine how much happier you’d be if your legs and back didn’t kill you after 8 hours of standing. With some adjustments in color and style to look less industrial, Wellness Mat became a great addition to kitchens, garages, near the bbq grill (they do work outside too), bars, anywhere in a home where you find yourself on your feet for extended periods of time.

While the back and leg benefits are substantial, some may think the price of Wellness Mats is expensive for a kitchen accessory. Not so much when you know that they’re guaranteed to last 7 years. Just think about the numbers: how many kitchen mats do you use in a year? I trash 1 or 2 of them every year (or should) because they get dirty, quickly wear out (and look ugly). So, if I spend $20 or $30 a year on cheapo mats, in 7 years that’s $140 to $210. That’s more than the $119.95 price of a Wellness kitchen mat. And cleaning a Wellness anti-fatigue mat is easy too as they don’t stain or require lots of scrubbing to look like new.

Winner: Wellness Mats on money, on looking good, and on helping my back and legs be less sore.

We’re happy to welcome Wellness anti-fatigue kitchen mats to the MetroKitchen family of top brands for your kitchen!

And we’re back!