19 December,2010 11:07 AM IST | | Kasmin Fernandes
Computers are taking over the kitchen, and intelligent cooking is saving time and effort through nifty gadgets that remember how you like your coffee and substitute knife skills. Kasmin Fernandes finds 10 deliciously-smart cooking gadgets
Non-staining anti-skid cutting board
So you don't have to hold the board from slipping away
Enchante's cutting board is made of Corian -- a breakthrough, non-porous, stain-resistant material. Its natural properties help it resist the growth of mould, mildew and bacteria. Since it is non-porous, it will not hold germs, stains or odors. Nothing will penetrate the board, so surface stains are easily removed. The colour and pattern are solid throughout, so they will not be worn or scrubbed away. The board can also be chilled to serve cheeses and hors d'oeuvres, for rolling dough and making candy. It comes with anti-skid rubber base to avoid slipping.
For: Rs 3,000 onwards
At: Enchante Shop no. 1, Arun Chambers, near AC Market, Tardeo
Call: 23532008
USB Coffee Warmer
So you don't know what luke warm coffee tastes like
Love drinking coffee while working? You've probably seen the taste, aroma and caffeine disappear as you work away at the computer while the coffee goes cold. This handy coffee warmer from Computer Kitchen will keep your coffee -- and masala chai -- warm as long as you want. All you have to do is plug the gadget into a USB port on your computer and it'll keep any liquid at a temperature between 122-140 F.
For: Rs 299
At: https://www.gadgets.in/
Nutrition counter
So that you keep track of the calories without doing the math
Do you need to make a reference to your trigonometry text book from Class Eight every time you try to count calories? Well, how about a scale that analyses your food by portion size/weight -- calculating total calories, protein, carbohydrates, sugars, fat, fibre, sodium, cholesterol, net carbohydrates and GI valueu00a0 for you? Salter's nutritional scale does just that. The information is displayed on a sleek LCD screen which can also remember what you ate throughout the day with a memory of 900 foods. The ultra slim technologyu00a0 comesu00a0 with a database of over 1440 foods and liquids. Your new diet buddy or just a healthy way to know what you put into your body, the Salter's nutritional scale works on battery-powered energy and comes in a glass body for hygienic usage.
For: Approx. Rs 4,600
At: https://www.amazon.com/
The see-through pot
So you feel like you have X-ray vision
World Kitchen's Visions cookware range can withstand extreme temperatures. Manufactured in France and the US, it is made from an amber-coloured glass ceramic, making it translucent and ideal for boiling liquids. You can cook your meals in the pots and actually see them cooking without having to open a lid to check. This is great because you can see all the way to the bottom to make sure the food is cooking evenly and not burning or scorching. Apart from the cooking stove, the pots can also be used in the oven, the microwave, under the grill, in the refrigerator and in the dishwasher. The pot also retains heat, making cooking convenient and energy efficient. There is a two-year warranty against heat breakage of the glass cover and a 10-year warranty against any cookware base that breaks from extreme temperatures.
For: Rs 1,695 onwards
At: Leading crockery stores in the city
Freeze-cook-serve bakeware
So you can zip-zap-zoom from freezer to dinner table
World Kitchen's CorningWare has a range of one-dish, freeze-cook-serve casseroles that can be taken directly from freezer to stove to the table. Made of Pyroceram, a glass ceramic, the cookware can withstand extreme temperatures. This promise to the consumer extends as far as a 10-year warranty against breakage from extreme temperatures.
For: Rs 1,795 onwards
At: Leading crockery stores in the city
The touchscreen coffee machine
A machine remembers what kind of coffee you like
Combining advanced technology with usability, Gaggia Platinum Vision is a 2.5-litre fully-automatic coffee machine. It grinds the right amount of coffee, doses, and brews, all at the simple push of a button. Whether an Italian "ristretto" or a long coffee, it maintains a truly unique creamy finish. Its drip tray can be raised or lowered electrically with a simple touch, allowing the use of different cup sizes. It features a touchscreen digital LCD control panel with programming information with alerts and a built-in ceramic burr grinder with adjustable grind settings. Its exclusive steamer swivels 180 degrees and produces hot water for tea, coffee, or instant soup, plus makes quick work of frothing milk for hassle-free cappuccino and lattes that even a novice barista could master.
For: Rs 97,889
At: Good Earth, Raghuvanshi Mill Compound, next to High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel
Call: 24951954
The hard-as-diamond ceramic knife
So you can slice through a person (if you want) without worrying if the weapon is sharp enough
Japanese tradition meets Swiss precision in Victorinox's Ceramic Line knives. The ceramic knife is light, weighing only half as much as a steel knife of the same size. It is resistant to corrosion and, thanks to its smooth surface, is insensitive to acids. Ceramic is also almost as hard as diamonds, so the blades remain sharp for an above-average period. The cutting edge blade of Victorinox Ceramic Line knives is manufacturedu00a0 under strict quality control in Japan, using Japanese technology, while the handle is made in Switzerland. Its polished white surface provides an elegant contrast to its Swiss-made ebony handles.u00a0
For: Rs 2,000 onwards
At: Victorinox, 91 C, Mittal Towers, Nariman Point, Churchgate
Call: 66288888 to orderu00a0
Heard this?
Culinary gadgets are shrinking
There has been a major shift in the realm of kitchen gadgets -- instead of purchasing high-end stoves and big ovens, people are buying smaller, more specialised accessories, which until now were reserved for kitchens of professional chefs, according to AllRecipe.com's Measuring Cup Report released on December 9.
With an increasing number of men in the kitchen, the tool of choice for men is the meat thermometer (men were also more likely to search for meat-heavy recipes), while women preferred colourful silicone spatula sets.
This one's powered by human tech
How about a bit of high-end gadgetry that doesn't use memory chips or super fast processors?
British inventor Christoph Thetford has come up with an ingenious food processor called the Kitchen Machine, which doesn't use electricity but physical force generated by pedaling a flywheel to perform a whole range of functions -- from grinding coffee to mixing, stirring or chopping.
There is ample storage room in the box-like appliance as well.
The trend forecast
'Coming up next is a slotless toaster, so that you can even toast a fat bagel'
says Dhaval Sonawala, director, Enchante India, a manufacturer of German modular kitchens in India
"Some of the most advanced kitchen gadgets available in west right now include digital ID fingerprint coffee makers, and electronic wine openers that retain the wine in the bottle at the desired temperature. In the next few months, we will launch a Digital Measuring Jug, a Slotless Toaster, a Touchscreen Recipe Reader and a Germ Killing Ultra Violet cutting board in India."
The Germ Killing Ultra Violet Cutting Board System is an ultra violet base sanitiser designed to kill up to 99.99 per cent of bacteria, viruses and germs. It will also keep food surfaces sanitised.u00a0 Washing only removes part of the germs and bacteria.
In the Slotless Toaster, since the bread is placed directly on the heated flatbed surface -- not inside narrow slots -- you can toast thick bagels, croissants and baguettes. You can select your preferred level of browning with a turn of the dial, and the under-mounted crumb tray slides out for fast, easy clean-up. When not in use, the slotless toaster can be stored on its side, freeing up valuable counter space.
