BEAUTIFUL AND UNIQUE HUUSK KNIVES ARE ESSENTIAL FOR EVERY DEVOTED CHEF
Huusk have designed the most exceptional chef’s kitchen knife the world has ever seen. People around the world demanded a special knife with more control and balance and they have delivered.
Huusk chef’s knife features a precision, laser-carved index finger hole for superior control. The blade is composed of high quality stainless steel ensuring a sharp, quality knife for the years to come. Premium beech wood handle is probably the most comfortable and secure handle ever created.
PERFECT GRIP
The handles consist of high quality Beech Wood. This is a type of hard wood with a characteristic dark texture, creating a perfect grip.
PRECISELY CRAFTED TO THE LAST DETAIL
Each and every detail has been checked and taken into account, providing you the best quality knives.
PLEASURABLE IN EVERY WAY
All Huusk knives are extremely sharp. They are perfectly balanced, which makes it comfortable to hold the knives. Cooking has never been more fun.
TECHNIQUES PASSED ON THROUGH GENERATIONS
The use of high quality stainless steel to craft flawless, durable and beautiful knives inspired by Centuries-old Japanese knife making traditions is what lies at the heart of these kitchen must haves. Each Huusk knife is carefully crafted using a 138-step design and goes through rigorous quality testing procedures before every shipment.
IN LOVE WITH THE ART OF KNIFE MAKING
Huusk knives were created out of passion for the art of cooking because they wanted to revolutionize the market by being the first to ever create a specialized Kitchen Knife with a unique blade. These traditional knife making techniques combined with a modern approach resulted in this fabulous Huusk chef’s knife.
SHARPNESS VS. COMFORT – WHY NOT HAVE IT ALL?
Some knives are sharp, but they come with the cost and risk of being fragile and therefore prone to chipping and oxidation. Huusk believe real kitchen chefs should never have such problems so all Huusk knives are made to exact specifications to be extremely sturdy and sharp. Quality stainless steel and beech handle guarantees great performance.
GE reveal® LED bulb provides the energy savings of an LED with color enhanced, full spectrum light to make vivid colors and patterns pop while filtering out dull, yellow rays
Unlike some LED bulbs, GE’s reveal® LED has the familiar size and shape of an incandescent bulb
GE Lighting has combined two of its most innovative lighting technologies—reveal® and LED—into one bulb.
Ideal for enhancing décor and architectural accent features in the kitchen, dining and living room, GE reveal® LED technology filters out dull yellow rays and delivers crisp, white light.
Making reds appear redder and whites whiter, this color enhanced, full spectrum of light illuminates bold design elements—such as an exposed brick wall and high-impact fabrics.
“So often we just take the color of light for granted—you flip the switch, and you get light. But GE reveal® transforms a room and dramatically reveals finishes and furnishings in a way that traditional lighting cannot,” said Mary Beth Gotti, GE’s residential lighting design expert and manager of the GE Lighting Institute. “GE reveal® LED lighting brings energy savings and a fresh new look to a room, enhancing colors and removing the yellowish haze that we don’t even realize is there until it’s gone.”
GE reveal® LED lighting appeals to the energy-efficient lighting consumer looking to make a design statement. The GE reveal® LED bulb uses 80 percent less energy than the traditional incandescent and lasts 13.7 years based on three hours of operation per day. The LED bulb also has the familiar size and shape of an incandescent bulb and offers dimming controls to create an ambiance for entertaining or simple everyday living. GE reveal® LED lighting is now available in 40- and 60-watt replacements for general purpose use, such as table and floor lamps, as well as the BR-30 indoor floodlight for track and recessed lighting in the kitchen, bathroom, dining and living room.
You can find GE reveal® LED lighting on store shelves at major retailers such as Canadian Tire. For more information about GE reveal® LED light bulbs, visit GE Lighting’s website.
A major money saving and environmentally beneficial smart kitchen app launched waaaaay back in 2015, on World Environment Day, and deserves another look as it still works well and saves users up to $1,000 every year and helps reduce food waste.
The “Smart Kitchen” EatBy App reduces food waste, saving households up to $1,000 per year and helps the environment.
The staggering amount of wasted food continues to make headlines and back when the app was first created, husband and wife developers, Steffan and Barbara Lewis were focusing their passion for finding a solution to the environmental issues surrounding food waste and came up with the idea to develop and launch “Smart Kitchen” EatBy as soon as possible.
“We had the idea one lunchtime after we had to throw out the food we’d hoped to eat because it had passed it’s use by date. That led to a purge of all the out of date food in our kitchen. And quite frankly, we were shocked and disgusted with ourselves when we realised how much we waste.” said Barbara Lewis.
They decided to make the app free to download and offer expanded use with an optional shopping list that can be activated with an in app purchase.
“It’s important to us that the app’s basic functions have to be free in order to gain and benefit the maximum number of users. Collectively we can all make a huge difference to the environment. And it’s an added bonus that we’ll save around £700 ($1,000) each year.”
And the numbers add up.
Recent reports state that the average household wastes $80 usd ($109.23 CAD) every month on un eaten food. With over 123 million U.S. households that’s $9,840,000,000. Factor in similar habits throughout the rest of North America and an equivalent amount in Europe, the tally is somewhere around a staggering $236 Billion each year. It’s known that about one third of all food produced is discarded but the real cost to the environment is misunderstood: 1.3 billion tonnes of wasted food contributes 10% of worldwide total greenhouse gases.
Many strategies for reducing food waste have been proposed by environmentalists, government agencies and industry specialists. But the husband and wife creators of the EatBy App claim their app is the first practical personal tech solution to the problem of food waste. It is a simple to use Smart Kitchen App that effectively helps manage the food in your kitchen and lets you know when food items expire. The optional integrated shopping list will also help reduce buying too much food in the first place.
“We are under no illusion that our app will immediately solve this global problem,” Said Steffan Lewis, “But if only a few million people download and use it, then it’ll already make an impact and that’d be a great start. Obviously, we’d like everyone to use our app and benefit from it!”
The EatBy App is available for both Android and Apple devices. More information about the project’s history can be found at https://www.eatbyapp.com
While spring brings warmer weather, sunnier days, and beautiful flowers, it also brings the reminder that it’s time to air out, declutter our homes, and do some spring cleaning. At the same time, it might be tempting to spray our homes with disinfectants, a lot of common household cleaning products are actually pretty toxic to our health. This is why we’ve provided you with some tips on how to get your home sparkling, but not at the cost of your health.
When it comes to cleaning products, we Canadians buy a lot of them.
In 2014 alone, we spent more than $641 million on products like window sprays and floor cleaners. When you break that down, we’re spending $200-$300 per household annually on products that we think help us maintain healthy homes, when in fact they could be doing the opposite.
Some of Canada’s most popular cleaning products contain harsh chemicals and fragrance ingredients that can harm you and your family’s health. (Tell the Canadian government that we need better protections from toxics in our personal care and cleaning products.)
We tested the homes of 14 volunteers and found that indoor air quality quickly deteriorates when some conventional cleaning products are applied.
The good news is that safer options are widely available. Even better, DIY alternatives for many spring cleaning items are not only easy to make, they can provide significant cost savings over store brands.
How concerned should we be about the impacts of cleaning products on indoor air?
We put some of Canada’s most popular cleaning products as well as certified green products and products that had non-verifiable green claims to the test! We sampled the air in volunteers’ homes while they cleaned their kitchens for half an hour to test for VOCs.
Things are pretty much the same in the United States.
(Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs for short, are a common type of air pollutant. VOCs are a broad category of chemicals, some of which are linked to asthma and other health conditions, including cancer. A key concern with VOCs is that some of them can react with other pollutants present in the air, and form other contaminants that are even more toxic).
So, what did we find?
For the nine homes where conventional cleaners were used, total VOCs increased by an average of 120 per cent.
For the three homes cleaned with certified green products with full disclosure labels, the VOCs increased by an average of only 35 per cent.
For the two homes cleaned with products that made a green claim on the label but did not disclose ingredients, total VOCs averaged 100 per cent.
Handy tips to keep your indoor air quality in good shape while getting the job done:
Choose green products that list their ingredients in full. Companies are not currently required to fully list their ingredients, but some forward thinking businesses offer this information to customers voluntarily.
Avoid cleaning products that list “fragrance” as an ingredient.
Keep rooms ventilated by opening windows or turning on fans during and after cleaning. This is especially important if you live in a condo or an apartment. Better air circulation will keep harmful VOC levels from building up.
Try some simple DIY recipes with two simple ingredients: water and vinegar.
Following these tips, and choosing green products, or making your own when possible, are great (and toxic-free) ways to get your spring cleaning done without dirtying the planet and your health!
For the Silo, Sarah Jamal Program Coordinator, Toxics environmentaldefence.ca
Here’s a cooking journal with a unique platform that helps you create signature recipes and becomes your personal cookbook. It’s a perfect booklet for all people who enjoy cooking and experimenting in the kitchen. The project first launched a couple of years ago on Kickstarter under the name Project Cookbook.
If you want to get more creative with your cooking, but still make sure your ideas don’t melt away as fast as the food from your plates, Cookbook is the perfect fit for your kitchen. Old Skool – This cooking journal with a unique interface helps you develop signature recipes and create a culinary heritage. And what’s the best part? It’s not connected to your smartphone. It is a physical booklet that will become your trusted cooking companion and is destined to become your personal cookbook.
If other similar booklets are meant to simply copy and gather recipes of others, Cookbook’s idea and purpose is much different: after you equip the Cookbook with recipes of your choice, they simply serve as a starting point of your future cooking experiments. It features a development platform for every recipe where you can keep track of all the changes to the original recipe – whether it’s tinkering with your cooking process or changing the ingredients.
After each try you can use the scoreboard to evaluate your dish, write down important notes for next time and keep a tab on who loves it the most.
The aim is to remind people that cooking is more than just following recipes. As the team puts it: ‘’We are hoping Cookbook will motivate people to develop their own recipes and create a culinary heritage, which they will be able to share with their friends, family and future generations.
Something like the notebooks our grandmothers used to have, but with a modern twist.
Cookbook also holds an encyclopedia which helps you with everyday pickles like finding the appropriate wine pairing or quickly converting cups into grams. A minimalist design of the book gives you a sense of coziness and at the same time allows you to personalize the final outlook of your Cookbook. For the Silo, Hana Gaber.
Ottawa, Ontario – To increase awareness against molds and their health impacts, Mold Busters has created a scholarship program which caters to select Canadian students. Molds are harmful organisms which grow as a result of water damage or excess humidity within the home or office. Whether it’s in the home or business, molds pose serious health risks and can spread fast, causing damage to the walls and furniture. Incidence of molds when not properly taken care of can consume the entire building and cause damaging health risks.
Describing the company, Mold Buster’s spokesperson said: “Mold and indoor air quality (IAQ) awareness is at an all-time high. Across Ottawa, Montreal and other larger cities, people are realizing that exposure to poor IAQ may be triggering recurring physical symptoms, such as sneezing, coughing, skin irritation and other allergies. It’s time to take action against indoor air pollutants like mold, asbestos and VOCs. We are Mold Busters, a reputable mold inspection and mold remediation company that offers comprehensive testing and removal services in cities all over Ontario and Quebec.”
The Ottawa-based mold removal company, Mold Busters, launched the biannual writing contest, an Environment Scholarship Program (https://www.bustmold.com/mold-busters-scholarship), for Canadian college and university students in a bid to raise awareness regarding the harmful effects of mold and of poor indoor air quality (IAQ). Students from any program in all Canadian post-secondary institutions are encouraged to submit an expository essay to qualify for the scholarship. The essays subject is based on mold, asbestos, or other indoor air pollutants. Participating students should explore causes and effects of air pollution on building structures and human health, and can also discuss the various remediation techniques and practical prevention tips.
Mold Busters since its establishment in 2005 has been concerned with the testing and removal of molds and other air pollutants from the indoor living environment thereby ensuring that the indoor environment is both healthy and safe for habitation. The company is certified by the National Association of Mold Professionals (NAMP) and operates in strict adherence to the IICRC remediation guidelines. Services offered by Mold Busters include inspection of homes in Ottawa and other neighboring cities as far as Montreal with the mission to provide fast and accurate information which will aid timely decision in combating incidence of mold. Additionally, Mold Busters offers testing services and a variety of remediation services including mold remediation, asbestos removal, ozone cleaning, and attic insulation removal.
Award-winning cookbook author, Lee Clayton Roper, shows home cooks how to explore their culinary creativity with her award-winning, delicious cookbook, Fresh Tastes. This beautiful book delivers over 170 flavorful recipes, essential cooking tips and delightful stories to spark inspiration in your kitchen.
Lee takes the “complicated” out of timeless classics, simplifying the process while ramping up flavors, using fresh ingredients when and where possible. She shares personal reflections on lessons she has learned in the kitchen from those who have inspired her, along with 65 beautiful food photos, along with process shots of key preparation steps.
Fresh Tastes epitomizes Lee’s culinary tastes, balancing an innovative approach with uncomplicated preparation techniques. Sophisticated in flavor and beautiful to present, the recipes in Fresh Tastes are prepared with the best quality, readily available ingredients designed to maximize flavor. Some of Lee’s delicious recipes include:
Prosciutto, Fig and Goat Cheese Tarts
Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Soup
Tomato and Peach Salad with Lime-Balsamic Dressing
Layered Salmon Salad with Avocado-Lime Yogurt Dressing
Grilled Rosemary-Dijon Chicken Breasts
Spicy Pork Chops with Argentine Chimichurri Sauce
Halibut with Celery Root Puree and Tomato Garnish
Chipotle Lime Shrimp Tacos with Tomato Mango Salsa
Roasted Root Vegetable Pot Pie
Peruvian Artichoke Tart
Pear Kuchen
Fresh Fruit with Brandy Custard Sauce
Drawing from her decades of experience, Lee provides readers with helpful advice on what is best for the dish, the flavor and the cook, considering such essential variables as seasonality and availability. Recipes in Fresh Tastes were evaluated by a team of volunteer testers across the country. Only the best, most flavorful, eye catching dishes made the cut. Fresh, flavorful and inspired, this collection of hand selected recipes in Fresh Tastes transcends the kitchen, reminding us all that every meal can and should be a simple yet sophisticated celebration of life.
“My approach with this cookbook starts with the confidence that, with the right preparation and a pinch of creativity, every dish can be extraordinary,” Lee explains. “I have intentionally kept recipes and ingredients easy to get, often providing alternative substitutions.”
Lee Clayton Roper is an award-winning cookbook author, cooking instructor, public speaker and TV personality. Her first book, A Well-Seasoned Kitchen received numerous rave reviews and is often featured in local and national press. In 2010, A Well-Seasoned Kitchen achieved national acclaim, winning the prestigious “Living Now” gold medal. With Fresh Tastes Lee expands her recipe collection, serving up fresh, delicious and sophisticated dishes guaranteed to inspire creativity in kitchen everywhere. Lee tours the country sharing recipes and cooking tips and techniques in sold-out classes, leading cooking demonstrations, and is a frequent guest on radio and television and in print.
“Roper’s follow up to A Well-Seasoned Kitchen expands on the approachable favorites that made her first cookbook such a hit, this time with a ‘fresh’ take on classics that lend themselves to parties and get-togethers. This is a solid effort with practical dishes readers will likely find themselves returning to.”
Publisher’s Weekly and Entertaining Inspiration
FRESH TASTES
From A Well-Seasoned Kitchen
By Lee Clayton Roper
Southwestern Publishing Group
Hardcover/$34.95 usd
ISBN-13: 978-0984116362
Try these fresh and delicious recipes (reprinted with permission from Fresh Tastes by Lee Clayton Roper):
APPLE, WALNUT AND STILTON CHEESE SALAD
SERVES: 6
The British have known for years that apples and Stilton cheese are a wonderful combination. In this delicious salad, they’re mixed together with spinach, walnuts and a walnut-flavored vinaigrette.I like to serve this salad with any grilled meat or alone as a meal.
2 large Gala or other red apples, unpeeled, cored and chopped
1 cup (6 ounces) chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
1 1/2 to 2 cups (6 to 8 ounces) Stilton cheese, crumbled**
*If you can’t find raspberry balsamic vinegar, use regular raspberry vinegar and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey. If you can’t find walnut oil, substitute olive oil and add a few more walnuts.
**There are 2 types of Stilton cheese: blue and white. Either will work in this recipe. If you can’t find Stilton, you can substitute Gorgonzola or other forms of blue cheese.
In a medium glass jar with fitted lid (an empty Dijon mustard jar works well), whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice and oil until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.
In a large bowl, toss together mixed greens, chopped apple, walnuts and cheese. Just before serving, toss with just enough dressing to coat the lettuce (you may have some dressing left over). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
VARIATION IN PRESENTATION: If you want to have a more formal, individually plated salad, then instead of chopping the apples, core and slice them. Toss the greens with part of the dressing and divide among six individual salad plates. Arrange the apple slices in a circular pattern over the spinach. Sprinkle the walnuts and cheese crumbles over the top. Drizzle with remaining dressing.
SEA BASS WITH A PISTACHIO CRUST
SERVES: 6
This dish comes together quickly and is delicious paired with green beans and roasted potatoes. It’s a bit on the rich side, so I suggest using fillets no more than 5 ounces each. If using one large fillet, you may need to increase the cooking time by a few minutes.
While the general rule of thumb for cooking fish is 10 minutes per inch of thickness, I’ve included the option to cook these filets for 12 minutes per inch. I find that with the crust on top, it can take a bit longer. It’s really to your taste — just remember, it will continue cooking after you take it out of the oven and let it rest.
6 (4- to 5-ounce) skinless Chilean sea bass fillets
1 cup salted, dry roasted pistachio nuts, very finely chopped (can chop in a food processor)
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 15- by 10- by 1-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
Place sea bass fillets in prepared pan. In a small bowl, combine the nuts, sugar, lemon juice, dill and pepper. Spoon the mixture evenly over each fillet, pressing down to adhere.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes per 1-inch of thickness of the fillet, or until fish reaches 140 to 145 degrees when measured with an instant-read thermometer. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
MAKE AHEAD: Fish with topping can be prepared but not baked up to 4 hours in advance, covered and refrigerated.
Like millions of others, each June you may find yourself struggling to find that perfect Fathers Day gift for the important “dads” in your life, whether that be your own father, husband, boyfriend, brother or other deserving and meaningful man. While most gracious gift recipients will dutifully smile and nod no matter how underwhelming the product pick, the reality is that it’s the gesture of giving, itself—the recognition of a job being well done—that’s what’s important. That said, there are certainly a myriad of gift ideas that’ll evoke genuine joy. Here are a few that I like this season.
Help Dad become a masterful home mixologist with a Father’s Day gift from Shaker & Spoon! The company offers a monthly subscription service that delivers the craft cocktail experience right to your home: think Blue Apron for cocktails! Each month Dad will receive a box via Priority Mail containing three brand new, original recipes created by world-class bartenders, and enough ingredients like syrups, bitters, mixers and even garnishes for 12 cocktails (4 from each recipe). All he’ll have to do is supply his favorite spirit to mix in. As well, an email is sent before each box arrives with suggestions for a libation that’ll work well with the recipes as well as bar tools he should have on hand. When each box arrives via priority mail, Dad will have everything he needs to take his cocktail game to the next level. He’ll surely be the life of the party.
Speaking of tasty libations, Dads with a passion for well-made spirits and cocktails will certainly appreciate a bottle of Rebel Yell Bourbon. It’ll add a smooth kick of flavor and a warm, cozy finish to your favorite mixed drinks. One recipe great for Father’s Day is “Mike’s Rebel Yell Boozy Bourbon and Bacon Shake.” Chef Mike Johnson, owner of the award-winning Sugarfire Smokehouse in St. Louis, curated this special boozy shake that’s sure to leave Dad’s mouth watering for more. All you need to do to create this delicious shake is blend Rebel Yell Bourbon, ice cream, caramel drizzle and crumbled bacon. Garnish with whipped cream, more caramel drizzle, and a slice of peppered bacon. Then, watch the smiles ensue.
Bring a unique and decidedly gorgeous touch to your kitchen with artisan drinkware from Uno Alla Volta (which means “one at a time”). Entertain your guests in superb style with the handcrafted drinkware items they offer, like hand-painted wine glasses and hand-thrown mugs fashioned by the hearts and hands of skilled artisans. Because each item is individually created by hand, no two will ever be exactly alike. The line of Sealife Wine Glasses of Verona is a show-stopper. Available in various designs like a seahorse, red fish, mermaid, dolphin and turtle, this glassware is handmade in a third-generation workshop in Verona, Italy where ordinary glass is transformed into stunning works of art. Each large format wine glass measures 8.5 inches high and holds 20 ounces, and is certain to add whimsical beach-chic style and an artful element to your wine bar. For hot beverages, the company’s hand-thrown stoneware Nautical Mermaid Mug is another gorgeous ocean-oriented option, and the masculine Mustache Mug is certainly a great fit for Father’s Day. Artisan JoAnn hand-throws each stoneware mug on a wheel, adds hand-cut details and a handle, and then fires, glazes and fires each one again—all from within her Pocono Mountains studio.
photo: Urban Mattress
Urban Mattress – The Perfect Loft Pillow – $70 usd
There might be no more valuable Father’s Day gift than a good night’s sleep, which you can help facilitate for Dad with The Perfect Loft Pillow from Urban Mattress. This impeccable pillow isn’t too hard or too soft thanks to a combination of Tencel —a natural fiber made from the pulp of the eucalyptus tree—and recycled polyester. Together these create an airy and light-feeling pillow, and then the addition of shredded natural latex adds just the right amount of support. The result is a pillow with the perfect amount of loft. What’s more, it’s customizable as the zippered Tencel cover lets users adjust the amount of filling to their individual preferences.
photo: Ozone
Ozone Socks – Starting at $9.50 usd
Ozone designer socks most certainly aren’t your typical Father’s Day sock gifts, as this brand effectively merges fashion and fun. The sock styles from this company are suited for every occasion, and the line includes fashion socks, club socks, novelty socks and even silly socks. This company is passionate about its products, never sacrificing on quality. Their eclectic styles have been seen in some of the industry’s leading fashion magazines over the past decade, helping set benchmarks for what’s cool and hip in footwear. With fresh and innovative concepts, the list of Ozone offerings is impressive and includes shoe socks, safe sox, hemp socks, radionic socks, tattoo socks, motorcycle socks, the replacement sock, and more.
photo: Cherry Americas
Cherry MX Silent Keyboard – $149.99 usd
When you’re wracking your brain for a Father’s Day gift for the guy who seemingly has it all, here’s a thoughtful and practical tech gift idea he’s sure to appreciate. Cherry, the specialist for computer input devices, recently unveiled their MX Board Silent Keyboard—a model based on their notoriously reliable G80-3000 mechanical keyboard design. Cherry combines this tried-and-true bestselling product with its new MX Silent switches to create a device that keeps keyboard noise—whether at home or in a hectic office space—to an absolute minimum. This new high-end keyboard is ideally suited for even volume-sensitive environments such as large open floor plan rooms or community offices, enabling silent keystrokes with Cherry’s patented noise reduction technology, but without sacrificing writing performance…or durability. In fact, Cherry guarantees a service life for this keyboard of over 50 million keystrokes. Functionality features include “N-Key Rollover,” allowing up to 14 keys to be pressed simultaneously without “ghost” keypress effect. Also, the MX Silent-switches have a uniquely shaped rubber pad compared to conventional switches. The MX Board Silent is offered in two versions MX Red or MX Black. Both exhibit linear switching characteristics but differ in the required release force: 45 centi-newtons for the MX Red Silent and for those who prefer a slightly higher resistance, 60 centi-newtons for the MX Black Silent.
For those ‘Boss Dads’ and other personal finance-minded fathers out there who are working tirelessly toward financial freedom, perhaps a new and fresh mindset will help them achieve those goals. Consider this CD series from self-made millionaire Wesley Virgin, which offers techniques intended to transform your mindset and install new beliefs so your goals and desires can be achieved faster. This includes what established millionaires and billionaires do on a monthly basis to “keep the money train moving in their favor,” resetting your relationship with money to that of a wealthy person (despite what’s currently in your bank account), eliminating “wealth destroyers,” the value of having a “millionaire mentor” in your life (and how to attract one), how to utilize body language to your favor, gaining the confidence and assurance needed to realize high-caliber success in a relatively short timeframe and how to push past your comfort zone to see and capitalize on new opportunities, among other tips and techniques. Since much in this video series promotes the power of positive thinking and taking control of one’s own destiny, in tandem with techniques taken from real millionaires and billionaires, with this gift idea Dad could very well listen, learn and laugh all the way to the bank.
For those food and entertaining-oriented dads who spend the majority of time at home in the kitchen undertaking epicurean exploits, here’s an apt assortment of tools to help ease and expedite those culinary endeavors.
photo: SharkNinja Operating LLC
Ninja Coffee Bar System – $199.00 usd
The Ninja Coffee Bar System will bring out the Barista in anyone. Far more than a coffee maker, this able appliance facilitates a coffee house experience in the comfort of your own kitchen. It comes complete with integrated frother, six brew sizes and five brew types, including the Ninja exclusive Café Forte that amplifies and enhances the natural subtle flavors of your favorite coffee. You can make a full carafe for visitors or different individual specialty drinks for yourself every day. The Ninja Coffee Bar System provides endless options for delicious, custom-crafted coffee beverages all without leaving home.
photo: Alumbre Coffee
Alumbre Coffee – $12.50 – $22.00 usd
Another great coffee find for connoisseurs—the bean itself—is from Alumbre Coffee—an exquisitely hand-crafted coffee line hailing from the legendary coffee fields of Costa Rica, Colombia, Sumatra and Ethiopia. Alumbre, named for the river that flows west facing the hills of the Tarrazu region of Costa Rica, is long revered as home to some of the finest coffee farms in the world. With hand-picked coffee beans from heritage growing regions, Alumbre roastmasters expertly coax the most alluring flavor notes to create five ultra-premium coffees. By wholly controlling the process from seed to cup to proffer a luxurious and authentically rich coffee experience, Alumbre Coffee stands apart from other brands. This new exclusive coffee can only be found on the Alumbre website.
photo: SharkNinja Operating LLC
Nutri Ninja Nutri Bowl DUO – $129.00 usd
Here’s a fab find for fitness-minded fathers. With one base and two interchangeable vessels, the 1200-watt Nutri Ninja Nutri Bowl DUO device easily switches from a powerful nutrient and vitamin extractor to a versatile nutrient fusion processor. The nutrient extraction feature unlocks existing hidden vitamins, minerals and other healthy components by blending whole fruits and vegetables, including portions that are normally discarded, and breaking them down to create an array of delicious, nutrient-rich juices and smoothies. The nutrient fusion function creates a blend from foods that contain nutrients like fruits, vegetables and other victuals, transforming diverse, fresh ingredients into flavorful meals, snacks and desserts.
photo: BELLA Housewares
BELLA 2.5L Air Fryer – $99.99 usd
Here’s a way Dad can enjoy “healthier” fried foods in the man cave, the tailgate or pretty much anywhere else, prepared with little to no oil and in a fraction of the time. Whatever you can deep fry, you can air fry with the BELLA 2.5 Air Fryer and save the fat and calories! It’s not just healthier, but also safer, like having a portable convection-type oven at your fingertips. This high-performance system heats food by circulating hot air around it, while the stainless-steel heating element allows for faster heat up (and recovery) resulting in quick and even cooking every time. It’s an efficient and easy-to-use deep fryer alternative, allowing you to indulge in all your favorite fried foods without cheating on your diet.
photo: BELLA Housewares
BELLA 6QT Pressure Cooker – $79.99 usd
Dad always pressed for time? Have a family dinner ready fast with this 6-quart electric pressure cooker also from BELLA. Life’s full of daily pressures and stress, so let this appliance take on the task of helping you prepare a quick and delicious meal for the family or for a get-together with friends. This versatile model comes with 10 pre-programmed functions including sauté, slow cook, stew and steam. It cooks up to 70% faster than conventional cooking and its removable non-stick cooking pot and accessories are dishwasher safe, so clean up is a breeze. Whether you’re whipping up a gourmet meal or looking for good old-fashioned comfort food, the BELLA 6QT Pressure Cooker can make dinnertime a no-brainer.
photo: SharkNinja Operating LLC
Shark Genius Hard Floor Cleaning System – $99.00 usd
Yes cleaning tools are a cool gift idea! Especially since cleaning kitchen and dining room floors in particular can be a huge hassle. These areas receive high traffic and often become messy even after a single cooking session. As so many people today have busy schedules, finding time to thoroughly clean the space can be futile and frustrating. Fortunately, the power of smarter cleaning can be at dad’s fingertips with the Shark Genius Hard Floor Cleaning System. An evolution in hard floor care, this system offers a flexible, tailored, all-in-one solution that delivers easy and convenient cleaning. Direct steam channeling distributes steam over the surface of the pocket, creating an ultra-wide cleaning zone for loosening dirt and grime. Steam blaster technology also targets annoyances like stains, stuck-on food, pet messes, grease and even scuff marks on command. And, since nobody likes changing a dirty, soaked pad during or after mopping, this touch-free technology ensures you’ll never have to. This is a great way to harness the power of steam to clean and sanitize your sealed hard floors with no harsh chemicals, and no residue to boot. It even removes up to 99.9% of common household bacteria.
As the Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List,” Merilee Kern is an internationally-regarded consumer product trends expert and hospitality industry voice of authority–a travel, dining, leisure and lifestyle expert who spotlights noteworthy marketplace innovations, change makers, movers and shakers. She identifies and reports on exemplary travel destinations and experiences, extraordinary events and newsworthy products and services across all categories. Reach her online , on Twitter , on Facebook and on Instagram.
***Some or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or service(s) detailed above may have been provided or sponsored at no cost to accommodate this review, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way.***
If you want to get more creative with your cooking, but still make sure your ideas don’t melt away as fast as the food from your plates, Cookbook is the perfect fit for your kitchen. 
Fresh Tastes epitomizes Lee’s culinary tastes, balancing an innovative approach with uncomplicated preparation techniques. Sophisticated in flavor and beautiful to present, the recipes in Fresh Tastes are prepared with the best quality, readily available ingredients designed to maximize flavor. Some of Lee’s delicious recipes include:
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