KNHR's Top Drawer

Memories from the Kitchen

I have lots of memories that are based around food, cooking and the kitchen. I grew up in the type of extended family whose gatherings always featured plenty of homemade, delicious Vietnamese food and with parents who prefer cooking to eating out. As I’ve become an adult, I’ve created a household that welcomes everybody, and also feeds everybody. A small dinner at my house means 10 people instead of 16. I have memories of eating a bushel of crabs outside on a newspaper-covered picnic table surrounded by aunts and uncles, steamed clams we caught ourselves, and fried fish caught by a parent fresh from the Atlantic Ocean. I learned how to make eggplant chips from a friend; had many a taco night in college because tacos were a cheap meal, and figured out how to make a meal for 15 in an hour and a half.

My memories were sparked today when I received a news release about Le Creuset’s new online competition, “True Memories with Le Creuset.” If you’re a Le Creuset fan, you can log onto the competition website, truelecreuset.com/memories, and submit your own Le Creuset-related memories. The 500 highest scoring entries will be entered to win one of 85 Round French Ovens and the top 250 will be entered to win the Ultimate Le Creuset Set, which will be customized by the grand prize winner according to their specific desires. The contest ends September 9.

Connect to NuWave

If there’s anything I love about the Internet, it’s probably these two things: 1) it contains the answers to everything and 2) it connects you to friends, family and strangers, near and far. As an avid, but amateur cook, I love to follow a number of foodie bloggers and foodie websites, and these sites have proved immensely useful in finding user-friendly, everyday recipes. That’s why I am totally behind Hearthware Home Products’ new interactive website, NuWave Cooking Club.

According to the press release, the website has recipes, instructional videos, and tips and tricks for the NuWave Pro Infrared Oven. The site will also be interactive, with a community board to encourage users to share their personal recipes, and the Chef’s Challenge section will give consumers the opportunity to ask Hearthware’s Executive Chef Jennifer Epker Dawes to convert favorite conventional oven recipes to the be NuWave Oven-friendly. The website will be available to all NuWave Oven owners. Suggested retail price for the NuWave oven is $149.99 to $169.99.

Saving Energy, Saving Money

Like everyone else in the country, I like to save money when and where I can. I’m working on an article for our May Market watch about major appliances, and I had the opportunity to speak with Marni Hale, PR manager for Bosch and Thermador. Of course, high-efficiency appliances are part of the green living trend, and she mentioned a handy resource from Bosch,Bosch Appliance Rebates. You can visit the website to search for rebates offered in your area.

Hale said now is the “perfect time” to upgrade your appliances due to rebates from manufacturers, utility companies and the State Energy Appliance Rebate program, which rewards consumers who choose Energy Star-qualified appliances. Energy Star is a government-backed program that awards the Energy Star label to products meeting EPA specifications regarding energy efficiency.

For more information about other trends in major appliance design as well as a complete wrap-up of the March International Home + Housewares Show, check out the upcoming May issue of KNHR.

Gourmet Housewares Show Moves To New York In 2011

GLM, LLC, owner of the Gourmet Housewares Show, has announced that the show is moving to New York in January, 2011. No Gourmet Housewares Show will be held in 2010. In January, 2011, the Gourmet Housewares Show will be co-located within the New York International Gift Fair. GLM is hoping that some of the 150 new exhibitors it expects at NYIGF as a result of the move will also exhibit in the fall NYIGF show.

Chantal's Teakettle Trade-in Program

The marketing folks at Chantal, the company that brings us beautiful bakeware, serveware and teapots, know an opportunity when they see they one.  They’ve developed their own "cash for clunkers" program for old teapots.

What a clever idea!

For the month of October, Chantal will offer 20% off the price of a new Chantal teapot for customers who bring in their old kettles to participating retailers. Customers can bring in any brand. Functional teakettles will be donated to local organizations like Goodwill®; non-functioning kettles will be recycled.

Let’s face it – teakettles don’t really wear out all that quickly. In today’s new world of cautious spending, consumers need a good reason to replace something that may be old or out of style, but still functional. Is this a case of “What’s good for General Motors, is good for Chantal?”  I hope so! Here's the image from Chantal's program.