BillyKnowsBest

The (new) Best Rice Cooker: Zojirushi NP-HBC10

When I previously wrote about the Best Rice Cooker, I may have exaggerated a little bit when I said it turned out "perfect rice." I should have said "near perfect," because, in fact, while most of the rice was perfect, there was usually a small amount of overcooked rice on the bottom of the pan.  Now, some people really like that hard, crusty bottom, but it does belie the "perfect" descriptor.  Zojirushi has solved this problem by putting an induction heating system into its newest top-of-the-line rice cookers.  Induction allows the entire cooking bowl to heat, eliminating the hot spot of a standard heating system.  Truly perfect rice - and more: I made lentils in it last night!  Perfection has its price, however -- just under $300 for the 5.5 cup model (It also comes in a 10-cup and 3-cup model) at amazon.com. If that's beyond your budget, check out my previous recommendation - about $100 less.

The Best Way To Spice Up Your Cooking: Amore Hot Pepper Paste

I have previously written about the Best Garlic Paste, and can't believe I hadn't written about this companion product. Amore Hot Pepper Paste is my favorite way to kick up the flavor in almost any dish.  It's hot and tangy, like the hot pepper paste you often find at Chinese restaurants.  The convenient squeeze tube makes it easy to store in your fridge -- just a small dollop does the trick in sauces and sautéed foods. Buy a six-pack for $17.14 at amazon.com.

The Best Kitchen Canisters: OXO Pop Storage Containers

My dad asked for new kitchen canisters for Christmas, and my sister and I found these. Another well designed, functional product from OXO.  They were so good, I had to get a set for myself.  The big pop-up button on the lid creates an air-tight seal, and the containers are sized to stack easily.  Order a set for yourself from amazon.com.

The Best Protein Shake Maker: Magic Bullet Blender

I finally pulled out the Magic Bullet Blender I was given over a year ago, and started using it.  Now I've owned many blenders, from my grandmother's original Waring to a $400 commercial blender like the ones you see at juice bars, and for the most part, they've all just sat on the counter -- too much of a hassle to set up and clean for a single protein shake.  The Magic Bullet turns blending on its head -- literally.  You load the blending cup from the bottom, screw the blade base on top, invert it and push it down on the compact motor base to start blending.  Screw off the lid, and you're ready to drink right from the blending cup. Rinse the blade assembly in the sink, pull out another of the four blending cups, and you're ready to go again. 

The Magic Bullet isn't magic.  And notice I'm not even calling it the "best blender."  If you do any online review research on the product, you'll find that it's really not going to replace your food processor.  The Bullet falls short on tasks that involve anything short of a full puree, and isn't large enough for large tasks, like soup for a crowd.  But if your primary use for a blender is to make single-serving protein shakes, diet drinks or smoothies, the Magic Bullet is brilliant.  Sold in pairs (buy one, get one "free") at buythebullet.com, or buy a single one online at infomercialcentral.com.

The Best Garlic Paste: Amore Garlic Paste

One of our little markets out here on Fire Island is having a 50% off sale to clear inventory off their shelves before closing for the season.  So  I took the opportunity to stock up on a few things that I know I'll use next season, including my favorite garlic: Amore Garlic Paste.  This concentrated paste contains just garlic and vegetable oil -- and is the easiest way to add real garlic flavor to your cooking or garlic bread.  I find it tastes more like fresh garlic than the chopped garlic in oil sold in jars.  And it's super convenient.  Squeeze what you need, and put the tube back in the fridge. It lasts for months. If you can't find it at your own market, order a case of six tubes for $16 from amazon.com.

Did You Know: Eggs

Although food safety sites recommend refrigerating eggs, eggs in their shells have natural chemical and physical protection from the bacteria whose growth would be inhibited by refrigeration.  In many parts of the world, eggs are not routinely refrigerated.  Now, from a liability standpoint, I can't recommend that you store your eggs on the counter, since there is a very small chance (like 1 in 20,000) that an egg with an intact shell might still harbor bacteria inside of it.  But I will tell you that you can. And my mom, who spent a decade living on a small sailboat with a tiny refrigerator would tell you that they'll stay fresher if you turn them over daily. Warm eggs will scramble up fluffier (find the same fluffiness by taking them out of the fridge the night before, or soaking them in warm water for a few minutes before cracking them.)  And one more thing: older eggs are better for hard-boiled eggs. The moisture loss creates air space between the membrane and the shell that makes them easier to peel.

The Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich: Start with Wonderbread

Years ago, I had a house guest at the beach who showed up with a loaf of Wonderbread.  I realize Wonder is de rigeur for millions of Americans, but among the culinarily sophisticated crowd I run with, it would only be considered appropriate for a joke or t-shirt.  I smiled and thanked Brooke for bringing "bread," while trashing her Iowan roots behind her back with my other housemates.  Until she made grilled cheese sandwiches.  They were a huge hit then, long before the comfort food craze, and remain one today.  The recipe is simple:

Pre-heat a frying pan over medium heat. Butter four slices (for two sandwiches) of Wonderbread with soft butter.  (Do not attempt this with cold butter -- if necessary, melt cold butter and brush it on.)  Flip over every other slice before buttering, so the edges match up when the sandwich is assembled. Prepare (unwrap) four slices of American Cheese, and optional tomato slices and cooked bacon.  Place two slices of bread buttered-side down in the pan.  Layer a slice of cheese, optional tomato and/or bacon, another slice of cheese and the top-piece of bread buttered-side up.  When underside is browned (about 45-60 seconds), flip the sandwich and press the sandwich down with a spatula.  Cook until browned (another 45-60 seconds or so). Let cool a minute before cutting in half and eating. (Serving suggestion: Sunchips!)

The Best Way To Store Butter: The Butter Bell

Having soft butter at the ready to spread on toast became a rarity when people started refrigerating butter.  But butter can be kept fresh without refrigeration.  The French have used a pottery crock for hundreds of years to keep the butter soft and fresh.  My mother first introduced me to the Butter Bell, and I've been using it for years.  Here are a few simple tips for using it that will enhance your experience:
    1. The butter needs to be soft when you put it in.  Surface tension keeps the butter in the upside-down bell, and the butter needs to be pressed completely to the base of the bell.
    2. Use just enough water (3/8") to reach the base of the bell.  And change the water every three days.
    3. Wash the bell between sticks of butter, don't just refill it (mom!)
A wide range of styles of the "original" Butter Bell®, are available for $17.95-24.95 at butterbell.com or through the Amazon.com Marketplace; the "generic" Norpro Butter Keeper (pictured) is $7.90 from Amazon.com.

P.S. If you have a tortured relationship to butter like my friend David, and use less than a stick every few weeks, consider the mini butter keeper.

P.S.S.  The Best Coffee Maker is back in stock at Amazon.com

The Best Measuring Spoons: Progressive Magnetic Measuring Spoon Set

I use a lot of measuring spoons. Rounded ones for liquids, elongated ones for spice bottles, plastic or metal ones, depending on whim.  And I keep three sets of them in a cute little crock on my kitchen counter.  But if you use them less frequently and store them in a drawer, this is the one set to get.  Each spoon is double-ended, with a round and elongated end, and a magnetic middle to keep them together in your drawer without an unwieldy key ring.  They're $7.98 at Macys.com, crateandbarrel.com or through the Amazon marketplace.

The Best Coffee Maker: Krups Moka Brew

I'm back in LA this week, and staying with my friends Ron and Steve, who have been the source of numerous recommendations here at BKB.  The latest is their coffee maker, the Krups Moka Brew.  Ron and Steve are serious about things culinary and design. And I was struck by the unusual design of their coffee maker.  It's elegant and unusual, and reflects an unusual steam brewing process that results in a refined, strong, smooth, Italian-style cup of coffee with half the amount of coffee as traditional drip coffee makers.  In 2004, US News & World Report rated it tops for best flavor. The model was unavailable in the US for a while, but it's back in stock at Amazon.com for $112.