HOUSEWARES SHOW 2015 ~ PART ONE

I had the pleasure of attending the world’s premier International Home+Housewares Show, which was held at Chicago’s McCormick Place.  This annual show draws over 20,000 trade attendees from 100 countries that check out the latest in design, functionality and technology for all-things home and housewares from over 2,100 exhibitors.  The four-day event isn’t nearly enough time to see all of the exhibits, attend all of the workshops, and enjoy the multi-venues, which include a Cooking Theater that attracts the best and brightest in culinary chef-dom.  Once again, I barely scratched the surface in checking things out.  This show is where the next trends are uncovered and new designs are discovered.  It is THE place where buyers and sellers come to see firsthand the latest and greatest in products that will be on the shelves for consumers in the coming months. 

Products were categorized into exhibit segments, and included: Clean, Contain and Design ~ bath, cleaning, organization, seasonal products; Dine and Design ~ cookware, tabletop, gourmet foods, home decor products; Discover Design ~ tableware, flatware, cutlery kitchen and home collection products; Wired and Well ~ energy conservation, appliances, healthcare products; and, Global Crossroads ~ international pavilions.  Another major show component included the Cooking Theatre, which featured many outstanding celebrity chefs that shared with attendees the latest in cooking and food trends, culinary efficiencies, while featuring their branded products; food samplings and cookbook autograph sessions were also featured.

(Image from www.deringhall.com)

One of the biggest product trends I noticed at the show this year was that of color in prep pieces, cooking vessels, and serveware. It seems that adding pops of color to the chore, thereby increasing the level of enjoyment from a chore.  Color is also a great way to break-up a chore’s tedium.  For me, using color to the cooking process is like adding the right blend of spices, herbs, and seasonings to the dish, and turning the ordinary into something extraordinary and delicious.  Other trends included digital technology and connectivity to mobile devices; hydration with more and more filtration systems, infusers, and sport bottle up-designs showing; improving the ease of functionality and practicality of items for home cooks of all levels; and, a return to cast iron, safe non-stick cooking surfaces, ceramics, and green and sustainability products.

I had the pleasure of testing the following products, which were all exhibited at this show.  Each one offers a glimpse into some of the unique and innovative products that consumers will want to consider making a part of their culinary and home routines.  For more information on this show, visit https://www.housewares.org/show/

~ In the Kitchen ~

Cookina Reusable Grilling, Baking, and Oven Protector Sheets ~ These silicone sheets are reusable and make cooking a practical chore…whether the heat source is a grill, stove top, or oven.  Each type comes in a roll and can be cut to a customized size to fit different pan sizes or the cooking surface.  Because these sheets are made from silicone, so they withstand high heat without buckling and foods don’t stick; sheets wipe clean, for an effortless cleanup.  Ideal for lining the oven bottom for those often-unavoidable spills and cook-overs where residue easily burns and sticks to the surface; cleanup is easy peasy.  These sheets are also ideal for lining cooking sheets, versus costly parchment, to prevent any items from sticking to the surface.  For grilling, the same applies; the easy cleanup makes it effortless for removing any accumulated bits or grease.   http://www.cookina.co/homepage/

Gunter Wilhelm Chef Knife (8 inch) and Frying Pan (9.5 inch) ~ If you’re looking for substantial pieces that are precision crafted and forged, these are perfect for you.  I loved the feel and performance of the Chef Knife, which is fabricated from German forged steel.  The Chef Knife made light of cutting, slicing, and mincing with extraordinary ease and precision.  The overall performance of the Frying Pan, with its five-ply of stainless steel over an aluminum core fabrication is ideal for heat distribution and retention; it’s also stick-resistant, which is great for effortless cleanup.  The unique pan’s cover design includes a heat-resistant handle, an insert for a temperature probe, a glass see-thru window and a standing lid feature for resting on a surface; the latter frees up both hands for cooking; the pan has both a heat-resistant easy-grip main handle, and an end-grip handle.  My Take:  I made my own version of “Greek-Style Lamb” by sautéing aromatic vegetables (sliced fennel, fennel fronds, shallots, scallions, yellow onions, oregano, garlic, and Italian flat leaf parsley).  I then added cuts of seasoned lamb to the mélange and continued sautéing until lamb began to brown.  I finished the mix with adding Pinot Grigio, then covered and continued simmering until the lamb was fork-tender.  http://gunterwilhelm.com

Microplane Kitchen Elite Series Box Grater ~ Since 1994, when a woodworking tool was repurposed out of necessity by a Canadian housewife to use as an orange zester, the Microplane Rasp (Grater) has become the world’s most preferred and cherished prep tool by chefs and home cooks alike.  All of the Microplane Graters have precision-cut ultra sharp stainless steel cutting blades that won’t tear, rip or shred whatever is being grated or shaved, regardless of how fragile or dense the texture.  The new Elite Series Box Grater is a compact 5-in-1 implement with precision cutting blades for Fine, Coarse, Ribbon, Ultra Coarse and Shaver tasks.  Additional Box Grater features include a sturdy easy-grip stabilizing handle plus non-slip rubberized trim at the bottom; unique bi-directional grating blades on one of the sides; and, a removable measuring tray with see-through marked measuring guides with a capacity range up to 2.5 cups/600ml.  My Tip:  To avoid items being grated to stick or smudge along the blades and surface of a grater, such as cheese, first lightly coat the grating surface with a neutral tasting oil, or cooking spray; this will avoid items from sticking or smudging and also make cleanup easier.  http://us.microplane.com/index.aspx

WellnessMats Estates Collection, Coastal ~ Sunset/Bella ~ As soon as you step on WellnessMats, you’re immediately transported to another dimension.  The thickness of the material is a generous three-quarter of an inch that offers maximum support to the back, knee, and feet; weight is evenly distributed, alleviating any pressure to the joints.  I placed my product where long periods of standing occur, especially for prepping or cooking.  The first time I stepped onto the mat, I immediately noticed a difference in how I felt and how much discomfort had been eliminated, as compared to whenever I stood on an unprotected floor surface.  The experience was divine and much better than any result I had ever experienced, even while wearing my pricey prescriptive orthotics!  http://wellnessmats.com

~ Around the Home ~

Fresh Wave ~ I’ve always loved these all-natural products.  Their clean and green sustainable goodness comes from a full-range of home care products that are natural with pure ingredients like Lime, Pine Needles, Aniseed Clove, Cedarwood and Water.  Each product neutralizes and eliminates odors throughout the home.  Products tested included their new Fresh Pod (the perfect holder for their Pearl Packs), and their new Drain & Disposal Deodorizer.  Other products tested included their Home Spray, Vacuum Pearls, Home Soy Candle, Fresh Wash, Carpet Shake, Pet Shampoo (gentle enough to be used on humans!), and Crystal Gel.  Hands down, these products are the best of their type for the specific task at hand…all products are safe, green, and non-toxic.  http://www.freshwaveworks.com/

~ Out and About ~

Solvetta FlatBox-Lunch Box ~ This is one of those products that once you see it, you fully appreciate it’s genius design and wonder it took so long for someone to come up with the idea.  The patent pending FlatBox-LunchBox is a washable food container that’s perfect for lunches on the go, at school, picnics, or sporting events.  Its clever design allows for converting the FlatBox-Lunch Box from a compact and secure easy-grip zippered tote into a flattened protective placement; the conversion from tote to placement also eliminates any concerns about filthy eating surfaces.  http://www.solvetta.com

ZeroWater Stainless Steel Pitcher and Sports Bottle ~ With a patented filtering process of five different levels of purification, I was impressed with how pure and clean water from these items tasted compared to regular tap water.  My only complaint with both products is that the filter for each one is so large that it takes up nearly fifty percent of the container’s size, especially when you consider that all water to be filtered needs to be below the filter line; this was especially an issue with the Sports Bottle; the weightiness of the filter is another issue for the Sports Bottle, because it makes portability cumbersome.  Overall, however, these products are more effective in water filtration than their competition.  http://www.zerowater.com

~ Worth Mentioning ~

Although I didn’t receive any products to test from these brands, booth presentations and one on one interviews with key staffing and/or guest chefs made an impression on me; high quality products for the consumer, which made my mind race as to what I could do with them, were I to have them in my kitchen.

Meyer Corporation ~ Premier brands under the umbrella name include Analon, Circulon, Farberware, Rachel Ray, Paula Dean, Cake Boss, Bonjour, and Earth Pan.  Taking a guided booth tour of all of these brands gave me a much better appreciation of the breadth of functionality within each brand name.  I could easily restock my entire kitchen with all of these brands and cover all of my culinary bases.  Color was everywhere and a definite trend within these outstanding brands.  https://www.meyer.com/home_us.html

Lenox Corporation ~ Premier brands under the umbrella name include Lenox, Gorham, and Dansk.  The umbrella brand has expanded with the addition of two newlines…The Rick Bayless Cookware Collection (Gorham), and The French Chefs Collection (Lenox).  Following is a synopsis of my brief show interviews with Chef Rick Bayless, and French Chefs Daniel Boulud, Dominique Crenn, and Michel Richard.  http://www.lenox.com

Chef Rick Bayless ~ At the Gorham booth for The Rick Bayless Cookware Collection, Chef Bayless prepared his delicious Pork Stew and Simple Guacamole, using various components of his signature Collection.  Both were delicious; for a twist, the Chef used grapefruit, which surprisingly added a fresh and bright taste to the overall flavor profile.  I also had an opportunity to briefly ask him about his new Collection.  I asked him if he were to make a recommendation to a home cook just starting out, which pieces would he recommend to them as “must-haves”…he felt that whatever was going to be the primary types of prepared dishes, pieces that were matched to the preparation made more sense than acquiring every type of piece in the line, which may or may not end up ever being used.  I also asked him about the level of involvement he had in designing the Collection and he mentioned that from concept to production, his involvement was integral.  That makes sense, since his name is on the brand.  The entire Collection includes a range of prep tools, to bakeware and cookware; materials include silicone, cast iron, ceramic, stoneware and aluminum alloy.  http://www.amazon.com

Here are two links for each of the dishes he prepared booth side.  Each dish seemed simple to make, used simple and readily available ingredients, and his Cookware Collection was ideal for the preparation and execution of each recipe.  http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/simple-guacamole/  http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/pork-with-roasted-tomatillos-poblanos-and-potatoes/

Chefs Richard, Crenn, and Boulud ~ The French Chefs Collection was a collaborative effort between these three culinary elites.  The Collection is a beautiful array of must-have pieces for the home cook that includes pristine white porcelain serveware and dinnerware, bakeware and five-ply stainless cookware.  At a press conference I attended, I was able to ask each of the Chefs who the most influential person was in their lives that significantly impacted their pursuing a professional cooking career…each one passionately spoke of how family, especially their mother or grandmother, impacted them the most…not only from a supportive role, but from an educational and formative one as well…each also felt that throughout their entire careers, individual working situations always led to learning something new about their profession and allowed for growth and discovery.  http://www.thefrenchchefs.com

~ In Closing ~

I’ve enjoyed testing these products throughout my home and beyond.  These products are available at traditional brick and mortar retailers, as well as online retailers.  Be sure to check out each brand website and also their social media platforms to obtain additional information on each of these products.

That’s it for this edition.  Until the next one, remember to always celebrate yourself and your culinary curiosity.  Happy cooking…happy eating!

By Terry Herman

TERRY HERMAN continues perfecting her passion for food and wine.  She has been covering culinary related for many years as it relates to wellness and a healthy lifestyle.  Her popular blog, Terry's Spa, Beauty and Wellness Go-To has featured formidable reviews of cookbooks, restaurants, wine and food, food prep and tools, chef interviews, and coverage of prestigious events such as the International Home+Housewares Show, the National Restaurant Show and the Sweets and Snacks Expo.  She has been published since the mid-1990s in both consumer and trade publications, and is regarded as an expert in spa, beauty, wellness, travel and lifestyle, and is frequently interviewed by publications for her expert content.  She has also presented at major industry conferences, and has served with distinction on numerous governing and advisory boards.  She has a background in strategic and qualitative management, consulting, and motivational speaking.  Her social media outreach includes Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Don’t forget to “Like” her Facebook Page, “Terry’s Second Helpings”.  For additional information, email her at terry.herman@gmail.com.

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(Introductory photo from www.inventionhome.com; all other photo credits as represented by the specific brand.)