Deals and Steals

I love a good deal and one of my favorite deals is Crate & Barrel's 4 piece set of measuring spoons. Your purchase includes one of each of the following: 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp and 1 tbsp. Made from solid stainless steel these babies are made to last. Toss out that plastic set (or repurpose) because they've meet they're match. Metal spoons have more kitchen applications than there plastic counterparts such as coring an artichoke, apple or pear. Just make sure the wash and dry properly and they'll last you forever. The only thing more impressive is the price, try $10.99! That makes them a deal and steal in my book.

                                                       

Product Review - NitroFusion

Strolling through the supplements section of my local Mother's Market and Kitchen (a health based food store in Southern California). I came upon Nitro Fusion Chocolate Protein by the people of Arizona Nutritional Sciences. Dairy free, soy free, animal free and gluten free this protein is made out of a blend of pea, brown rice and artichoke. Boosting 25 grams of protein per scoop, a 2 lbs. container yields 26 servings. Upon my first use I was a little surprised that it had a really fine consistency. It reminded me a little bit of powdered sugar. If you’re not careful it will get all over the place. It mixes easily with water just make sure to use the recommended 8 -10 oz. of liquid (use 10 oz. trust me) and shake vigorously in your shaker cup. It will foam up a bit but nothing you won’t be able to handle. My first thought after tasting it was that it reminded me more of a combination of chocolate and peanut butter rather than just chocolate. The chocolate flavor is faint and it left me wishing for more of that chocolaty goodness. My two recommendations for that is serving with ice to intensify the flavor or add a little bit of chocolate Quick or syrup to boost the flavor. Overall, I’m very impressed with Nitro Fusion it manages to deliver quite a bit of protein while remaining safe for a variety of lifestyles. Taste wise I have to give it 8 out of 10 but as a whole it gets 10 out of 10. I will definitely be stocking Nitro Fusion on my shelves.

Quotes and Sayings

"Don't eat anything your grandmother wouldn't recognize as food."


Micheal Pollan
(Author, journalist and activist)

Book Review

They say a good knife is the backbone to any kitchen but how do you toughen up your backbone when it resembles the consistency of Jell-O? My recommendation for toughening up that knife and sharpening those knife skills is Norman Weinstein’s book Mastering Knife Skills. Norman has written a well-organized, informative and easy to read book on the subject of using your knives (chef, pairing, etc…). The book is written in such a great conversational tone you’d swear you were sitting in one of Norman’s lectures.  Along with your purchase comes an instructional DVD that helps to reinforce the lessons Norman provides throughout the book. This book is ideal for beginning cooks or the home chef looking to fine tune their cutting techniques. Norman’s background and expertise really shines as he covers stance, cutting board selection, maintenance, knife techniques and much more with grace and ease.  This book has easily become one of my top ten selections on the subject of cooking. Mastering Knife Skills has truly helped me develop better knife skills and the proof is seen every time I pick up my knives.