ENTERTAINING ~ TOOLS & TASTINGS

Summertime is the season for special occasions like Father’s Day, graduations, bridal showers, weddings, picnics, and backyard barbecues.  It’s also the time folks love to dine al fresco, even if the eats have been prepared indoor.  Two things the home cook prefers throughout the year…effortless prepping and ease of cooking.  Each of the following products definitely meets my criteria for effortless prepping and ease of cooking…and yes, the tastings added favorably to my experiences.

~ Tools for Prepping & Cooking Ease ~

Hampton Forge Tomodachi Gingham 4 Pc. Cutlery Set ~ While this set is playful looking, when it comes to precision cutting, this set is all business.  Tomodachi knives are known for their craftsmanship and precision forged blades.  This set is a great starter set or an addition set; it includes an 8” Chef Knife, 8” Slicing Knife, 5” Utility Knife, and 3.5” Paring Knife.  The overall blade to handle design is well balanced, with an easy grip handle.  Using these knives for various cutting, chopping, and slicing chores was made effortless by the precision blades.  Hampton Forge had a major presence as an exhibitor at the recent International Home+Housewares Show.  http://www.hamptonforge.com

Knork 3 Pc. Chef Knife Set + Cutting Board ~ This beautiful set includes an 8” Chef Knife, 8.5” Serrated Knife, 3.5” Paring Knife, and Cutting Board; the handles are made from dark Walnut Pakkawood and ergonomically designed with a smooth easy-grip curvature; there’s also a finger indent wear the blade ends for balance and ease of motion.  Each knife is forged from high carbon German stainless steel. The Cutting Board is made from Acacia, a hardwood, and offers a cutting surface that maintains its appearance; it’s also naturally non-porous, water resistant, and anti-bacterial.  Using these knives for various cutting, chopping, and slicing chores was made effortless by the precision blades.     

http://www.knork.net

Microplane Kitchen Rotary Grater ~ Since 1994, Microplane has always been prized by professional chefs and home cooks alike because of their products, which are made from surgical grade stainless steel blades; these precision crafted products simplify prepping, regardless of the task.  Their New Rotary Grater carries on this tradition; it’s conical design makes grating effortless by allowing the item being grated to be pushed more firmly against the rotating grating drum, once the cover is lowered and cranking begins.  Besides the ease of grating cheese, I also loved the fact that cleanup was incredibly easy; both the grating drum and crank handle are removable; remaining parts of the Rotary Grater are also easy to clean.  Microplane Kitchen had a major presence as an exhibitor at the recent International Home+Housewares Show.  http://us.microplane.com/microplanekitchentools.aspx

Starfrit The ROCK Frypan and 3 Pc. Multi-Function Specialty Knife Set ~ Starfrit has been Canada’s leading manufacturer of kitchen cooking and prep products; it entered the U.S. market in 2009 and remains a strong brand.  The ROCK cookware line uses a proprietary, patent-pending “steel ball impact” manufacturing process, which hardens the surface to form a durable and “rock-like” finish; the surface also has a three-ply layer on the surface of “QuanTanium”, a proprietary titanium-based finish, which makes for a durable non-stick cooking surface, while maintaining heated surfaces.  My Take:  I made three separate preparations in this Frypan; one was fried breaded chicken tenders using Canola Oil; another was pan roasted Brussels Sprouts using EVOO; and, the last one was scrambled eggs using butter.  Each preparation cooked quickly without burning, scorching, or sticking; I was able to use a medium to low flame, since the heat levels were maintained throughout the cooking process; cleanup was effortless.  The 3 Pc. Multi-Function Specialty Knife Set was unique; each blade is made from high carbon stainless steel, and designed for a specific prepping task.  The Multi-Prep 3-In-1 Tomato Knife has a 4” serrated blade that peels, cuts, and de-seeds tomatoes; it also has a removable and locking sheath, which functions as a peeler and scooper.  The Multi-Prep 3-In-1 Paring Knife has a 3.5” blade designed to peel and cut potatoes; it also has a removable and locking sheath, which functions as a peeler and bud remover.  The Multi-Prep 4-In-1 Cheese Knife has a 4.5” blade designed to slice and serve cheese; it also has a removable and locking sheath, which opens a cheese package; there’s also a slicing wire for softer cheese.  Each knife is well balanced and has an easy-grip non-slip handle.  Starfrit had a major presence as an exhibitor at the recent International Home+Housewares Show.  https://www.starfrit.com

~ Tastings to Please the Palette  ~

Echelon Foods Bacon-Wrapped Boneless Turducken Roast ~ This is the perfect time to be a carnivore.  Turducken is a unique culinary treat made from stuffing a turkey, with a duck that’s been stuffed with a chicken.  Echelon Foods has ramped up the concept with its line of premium Turducken products.  The latest is a Bacon-Wrapped Boneless Turducken Roast that’s stuffed with spicy Italian seasoned sausage, and yes, more bacon; the turkey, chicken, and duck are skinless, free of MSG and cholesterol.  The only preparation I had to do was to thaw and then cook the Roast.  The frozen Roast was approximately ten pounds, which would take up to three days to refrigerator-thaw; just to make sure a complete thaw had occurred, I gave it another day; total time was four days.  After thawing, I let the Roast rest and come to room temperature for about another one hour.  I got out my trusty Calphalon roaster with rack insert; do not add any additional seasoning to this product; Echelon Foods has done all of that prep work.  I also let the thawed Roast come to room temperature for about an hour before placing it in the oven. 

There were several cooking options; two involved the oven method, and the other, grilling; since I can’t grill where I live, I went with the low to high temperature oven method, which would take about four hours (or more, depending on the oven) to thoroughly cook.  My Tips:  Be sure to read the cooking instructions one to two times.  Place the thawed and rested Roast on a v-rack inside your roasting pan for better heat distribution.  Do not season, since the Roast is sufficiently seasoned.  Do not cover the Roast with anything while it’s cooking.  Do not open the oven while the Roast is cooking.  Do not baste, until the final cooking step.  After the Roast has reached its 165° F internal temperature, remove from the oven, cover with foil and allow to rest for thirty minutes; during the resting time, the Roast will continue cooking.  While the Roast was resting, I made pan roasted split Brussels Sprouts in EVOO and seasoned with Pink Himalayan Salt and cracked pepper mélange; in addition to this veggie side, the only other side I served was freshmade whole cranberry sauce.  The Roast was moist and flavorful, and the combination of turkey, chicken, duck, Italian sausage and bacon, made for a taste experience like no other I’ve had before.  The Trump Winery Sparkling Blanc de Blanc (2008) and Sparkling Rosé (2013) went exceptionally well with this delicious Roast (see below review on these products).  

Note:  This product is exclusively available online at Costco and is currently on sale at the time of publication.  With Father’s Day coming up June 21^st, you have plenty of time to order online, have it shipped, then thawed in time to cook it on that special day.

As a side note, and related to the current devastating outbreak of Avian Bird Flu, which is forcing the slaughter of millions of turkeys and chickens in the U.S., I strongly suggest you consider getting one (or more) of these products now, while they’re still available.  As I write this, some forty-five million or more diseased chickens and turkeys have been destroyed since April, and estimates are that the situation will continue for at least eighteen or more months; this is creating catastrophic implications industry-wide for both farmers and consumers.  Some industry insiders have even predicted a potential shortage of turkeys for Thanksgiving.  http://www.echelonfoods.com  http://www.costco.com

Trump Winery ~ The Trump name, eponymous with quality, has another star in its impressive business crown.  Eric Trump, President, is at the helm of this sprawling Estate that’s situated near the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in picturesque Charlottesville, VA.  Winemaking isn’t new to Virginia; its heritage goes back to the Jamestown Settlement of 1607.  I had the pleasure of tasting some of the Trump Winery prized reds, whites, and rosés, and while I’m not an expert, I do know what I like, which is what enjoying wine is all about.  I’m the type that will have a chilled red with fish, or a chilled white or rosé with fish, seafood, or pork.  If the wine pleases my palette, I’m good.  Here is the mix of impressive wines I tasted...(Whites) Sauvignon Blanc (2013)…a full bodied, crisp, clean, and strong oakiness; Chardonnay (2013)…light, crisp, clean, fruity; Sparkling Blanc de Blanc (2008)…reminded me of a crisp, sparkling, and refreshing Prosecco; (Rosés) Rosé (2013)…fruity, crisp, clean, beautiful color; Sparkling Rosé (2013)…fruity, crisp, clean, sparkling, beautiful color; (Reds) Meritage (2012)…fruity, well-balanced, mildly bold, beautiful color; New World Reserve (2012)…full bodied, rich and bold, deep rich color.  Both the Sparkling Blanc de Blanc (2008) and Sparkling Rosé (2013) went exceptionally well with the Echelon Foods Bacon-Wrapped Boneless Turducken Roast.   http://www.trumpwinery.com

~ My Entertaining Tips ~

No matter what the occasion, planning is a big factor in the success of any special event.  Following are a few of my tips on how to plan and achieve a successful event.

·       Have a plan, write it down and stick to it

·       Develop a menu and make lists for your food and beverage shopping needs

·       Stay within your means, develop a budget, and don’t deviate from it

·       Develop an overview of event segments (e.g. prepping, cooking day of event, serving, etc.)

·       Develop a timeline and estimate how much time will be needed for each event segment

·       Invite only the number of guests you’ll be able to facilitate and manage easily

·       Details are important…tablescapes, serveware, glassware, flatware, dinnerware

·       Recruit guests to bring sides, salads, desserts, or beverages

·       Do advance food prepping, cooking, and table setting of your event

·       Be prepared just in case the unexpected happens

·       Give yourself at least thirty minutes to rest and have some downtime

·       Don’t be a martyr…if you need help, ask for it

·       Make sure to enjoy your event and keep smiling

·       Try being a guest at your own event

~ In Closing ~

(Image from www.food52.com)

Lastly, any one of the featured products would make for the perfect gift…dad, hostess, bride, birthday, anniversary, housewarming, or another special occasion.  And, don’t forget to gift yourself!  Be sure to visit the websites for additional information, and consider following these brands on the various social media platforms.

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.  Please note that the "Comment Section" has been disabled.  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.hgtvgardens.com; all other photo credits as represented by the specific brand.)