By Andrea Lillo and Allison Zisko
Home chefs looking for the better and best in gadgets, cutlery and other kitchenware products will have plenty to choose from later this year, as manufacturers either introduce their products or companies at this Gourmet Housewares Show.
Microplane will add a new line of gadgets at the show, called the Gourmet Series Graters. Each has a soft-touch handle with non-slip rubber feet, and the line includes fine, coarse, extra coarse and medium ribbon gourmet graters, as well as the new large and small gourmet shavers. The paddle-shaped line offers an ample grating and shaving surface to work with a number of foods, and the ergonomic handle is in charcoal black with metal accents. A slider attachment accessory will also be available for grating small-sized foods.
The silicone selection expands at Culinary Tech, part of Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics. The new baster cap is of a universal cap size to fit most standard sauce bottles, and has a one-way check valve to minimize backflow. Its heat resistance allows it to be used to apply sauce directly onto the food on the grill. Made of FDA-grade silicone, it is also available with a squeezable bottle. Culinary Tech’s SlipGrip Baking Liner is made of reusable silicone and available in 9- and 10-inch round and 13-by-18-inch sizes. It is also heat- and stain-resistant, non-stick and dishwasher safe. The company will also show its Tasting Spoon, made of high-temperature FDA-grade silicone and with a wooden handle. It can also be custom engraved with a name or logo.
Todco is targeting individuals with hand challenges caused by arthritis, carpal tunnel, tendonitis and multiple sclerosis with its new line of trigger grip kitchen tools. Incorporating the patented Meno Trigger Grip, which gives users the ability to grasp the tool in multiple positions without pain or stress, the company said the line will initially include 12 tools including tongs, spatulas, wisks, ice cream scoopers and paring knives. The company will also show its new Advanced Ceramic Knives, a group of nine knives with curved dark-red or black handles.
ISi adds to its Basics Get-it line, which contains easy-to-maneuver and practical products that bring flexibility and dexterity to the kitchen, with its new Get-it Bamboo Tongs. Made of ecologically sustainable bamboo, the tongs rest in a dishwasher-safe molded base and are designed to sit on the counter for easy pick. In three pieces, the tongs can fit securely together for use or be pulled apart to use the tongs separately for sautéing or serving.
Hometiquette, by Coast-To-Coast Connections Inc., introduces the Veggie-Peel, a gadget that has a built-in acrylic chamber to hold the peelings during use. It has double-sided stainless steel blades for left-hand or right-hand use, and a black rubberized easy grip handle and a black easy-off cap.
Other items for the kitchen include Pound-It-Out, which helps the cook flatten meat. Robert Limmer, president, invented the device because he didn’t want to use plastic wrap or bags when flattening meat. Made of polypropylene, the product cleans up easily with soap and water or in the dishwasher. The point-of-sale box can be used either as a counter display or hung up.
The Frisper Freshkeeper system from Oliso is a counter top vacuum sealer that makes airtight storage easy, and features professional-grade bags with recloseable tops.
Many of the cutlery companies attending the Gourmet Show here have expanded the programs they first showed at the International Home & Housewares Show in March.
J.A. Henckels, for example, is introducing the balance of its Miyabi series of traditional Japanese knives that are made in Japan. The 7000 series is debuting here, and includes Simply Sharp, Simply Beautiful and Simply Professional. Simply Sharp, which includes seven different knife types, features a three-layered blade construction. Simply Beautiful, comprised of five different blades, is mindful of aesthetics with its damask design. And Simply Professional blends tradition with performance with its asymmetrical blades, in four knife types.
Victorinox is featuring its Precise Slice knife, a versatile and adjustable slicer that comes in left- and right-handed versions, along with its 8-inch offset bread knife.
Messermeister will showcase its Mu series of Japanese-styled blades made from German steel. The line features both bamboo handles and black micarta handles. Messermeister is also featuring its eight-piece carving tool set.
Kuhn Rikon comes to market with its high-end line of triple-riveted, non-stick knives in a variety of colors, complete with protective sheaths.
One cutlery newcomer is Dave Cook Kitchen Tools, which has redefined traditional knife design with a “tang-less” handle structure. The patent-pending design features a pair of wire forms (covered in orange rubber) riveted directly to the spine of the stainless steel blade, eliminating the need for a tang. Company founder and president Dave Cook, a product designer who loves to “create structural innovation in an existing product,” acknowledges that his knife design will take some getting used to. “It will take a certain amount of time to get traction because it is so different,” he said. “It’s an education process. We’re prepared for that.”
The design of the blade has ergonomic benefits, according to Cook. The handle is actually two pairs of handles, lending flexibility and acting as a shock absorber that can reduce repetitive stress injuries. The knives come in four sizes: a paring, boning, utility and chef, and retails for approximately $79.99 for the four pieces.