Gadgets to stimulate your inner chef
Humans hold two basic attitudes toward food preparation: There are those for whom the kitchen is a place of inspiration and refuge and those for whom it is forbidden ground. For the kitchen-averse who would rather trudge into a blizzard at 2 a. m. for Thai food takeout than whip up some eggs, there is a growing array of high tech inducements being designed to lure them in them into the mysterious world of cumin and golden flaxseed.
It’s gadgetry that promises to automate the Kraft Dinnermaking process and take the “ bore” out of Bordeaux. And so, this week we review a sampling of machines designed by those convinced the kitchen is the next frontier in technological advancement.
We begin with the Select- ASpice ($ 20 U. S.) automated seasoning dispenser from Kitchen Art ( www. kitchenart. com) — a gadget that presumes to organize the countless bottles and bags of multi- coloured powders stuffed inside your kitchen drawers. The device is essentially an automated turn wheel with 12 small reservoirs that centralize your far- flung spice collection and place any particular seasoning of interest at your fingertips. With the turn of a dial on each removable dispenser, you can automatically measure in precise increments. It can either sit on your countertop or mount underneath a cabinet. Some attention to your herbs and spices could prove constructive. There’s even odds that the bag of oregano leaves in your kitchen drawer right now dates back to 1991 and brings to your pasta dishes the delicate taste of mouldy shoe.
While such a device may inspire your inner chef, realize it won’t change the fact that you likely have no idea what to do with all of those nicely organized and labelled spices. All available wisdom says proceed with caution. No dining guest appreciates a spice zealot.
Next up on our tour of the techno- kitchen is the automated soap dispenser. The spread of food- borne disease in the kitchen is a problem that needs no introduction. Wrestle that raw chicken for a while then run your chicken oozed hands over some utensils, glasses and whatever else is in your way and your kitchen has just become a giant Petri dish. Those who have battled foodborne illness at its evil worst know the truth: It’s an ailment that leaves you praying to die. The so-called “Motion-Activated Soap Dispenser” ($ 25 Canadian) from Nexxtech (The Source by Circuit City brand) is a perfectly functional anti- bacterial solution. A battery- powered motion device recognizes the movement of your hands as you place them beneath the dispenser. A dab of suds drops into your palms. No need to touch the sink faucet or anything else.
Consistent with its price, this is not exactly a beautifully crafted device. Its rather ordinary white plastic finish might prove aesthetically offensive in stainless steel accented and halogen lighted modern kitchens. But when compared with a week in bed and the guilt of having poisoned your friends, aesthetics seem a reasonable concession.
The “Wine Master” ($30) from Excalibur Electronics is designed for those of us who long to wax poetic about wine but lack even the most basic understanding of the beverage.
It’s a handheld wine encyclopedia with a digital library of 10,000 listings including reviews, ratings, wisdom and cooking ideas.
Designed in the shape of a wine bottle, the neck serves as a somewhat clumsy navigation tool for moving through the volumes of information that appears on a small digital screen. This isn’t information you couldn’t find online on dozens of reputable wine sites. The novelty here, I suppose, is the portability of a device that can go with you into the liquor store. Choose a food, such as lobster, and the Wine Mater will choose the perfect complement ( chardonnay) along with a lengthy list of specific choices with reviews ( the Canyon Road 1999 chardonnay is a “ nice, clean wine” with aromas and flavours that “ tend toward green apples and peaches.”) Memorize a few key phrases contained in the database – such as “ poignant yet not overbearing” – and you’re locked and loaded for small talk at the cocktail party circuit this Christmas. Robert Cribb casts a critical eye on consumer technologies. He can be reached at rcribb@thestar.com