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New DMT Hardcoat Sharpeners with Diamond Abrasives
DuoSharp® HC Sharpener Extra-Fine/Fine with DuoBase™
DMT®, Diamond Machining Technology, introduces three sharpeners featuring the company’s new HardCoat™ Surface. Suitable for both ceramic edges and hardened steels, HardCoat is DMT’s toughest and longest-lasting diamond surface ever. These premium sharpeners will produce excellent, consistent results time after time, year after year and are made in the USA.
Diamond abrasives provide the fastest, easiest and most effective way to sharpen an edge, steel or ceramic. The popular misconception is that ceramic knives don’t need sharpening; but in fact they do lose their edges and are more prone to nicks and dings. The new DMT HardCoat Surface comes in three popular sharpener models.
The 8-inch DuoSharp® HC Sharpener Extra-Fine/Fine with DuoBase™ (W8EF-H-WB) is a double-sided sharpener with an interrupted diamond surface. The innovative, multi-patented bench stone is a precision flat, two diamond surfaced sharpener guaranteed to provide consistent, even sharpening every time. Designed to withstand the rigors of sharpening ceramic knives, this 8-inch DuoSharp Bench Stone, is an excellent counter and bench sharpener, with a larger, wider diamond surface for sharpening a variety of edges. DuoSharp features HC extra-fine diamond (9 micron/1200 mesh) to polish and refine a razor edge after sharpening with a coarser diamond; and HC fine diamond (25 micron/600 mesh) for a razor sharp edge. DuoSharp HC Sharpener with DuoBase has a suggested retail price of $138.
12-inch Diamond Steel™ Fine HC Sharpener
Like all DMT Sharpening Steels, the 12-inch Diamond Steel™ Fine HC Sharpener (DS2F-H) sharpens as well as hones. The tough, new surface is designed to stand up specifically to the rigors of sharpening ceramic blades. While all diamond steels can sharpen ceramic knives, the Hardcoat surface allows for extra high durability when used for ceramic blades. The diamond sharpening rod has a sanitary black plastic handle with large white guard and color-coded ring for easy grit designation and hang-up. The Diamond Steel has HC fine diamond (25 micron/600 mesh) for a razor sharp edge. It has a suggested retail price of $53.
Double-Sided Diafold® Sharpener Extra-Fine/Fine
The Double-Sided Diafold® Sharpener Extra-Fine/Fine with HC Surface (FWMEF-H) features two stage sharpening with compact convenience. The Diafold is one of DMT’s signature products and is now outfitted with the proprietary Hardcoat surface for extra durability when used to sharpen ceramic blades. Two different grits combine to create a lightweight sharpener that is great for home, camper, tool box, gardening shed and more. Diafold has a continuous surface that can be used for small or pointed edges. The HC extra-fine diamond (9 micron/1200 mesh) polishes and refines a razor edge after sharpening with a coarser diamond, while the HC Fine diamond (25 micron/600 mesh) is used for a razor sharp edge. Folding plastic handles protect the sharpener when not in use. The Diafold Sharpener with HC Surface has a suggested retail price of $49.
DMT has been in business since 1976 and all products are manufactured at the company’s Massachusetts facility. For more information, call 508.481.5944 or visit www.dmtsharp.com.
Hammer Stahl Cookware: Stainless Steel Made in the USA
Hammer Stahl offers retailers another choice for stainless steel cookware that is made right here in America. Of course, everyone is familiar with that other brand of stainless steel cookware made in the USA, so Hammer Stahl is differentiating itself by being exclusive to independent retailers. You won’t find Hammer Stahl at big box chains, national retailers or sold direct to Amazon.
“We’re protecting the independent retailers. We feel strongly the independent does a great job educating and connecting with its customers. So, we want to make sure the independent has a product they have a competitive advantage with,” says Bobby Griggs, Vice President of Business Development for Hammer Stahl.
Hammer Stahl’s stainless steel cookware was formally introduced to the retail market this year but has a manufacturing heritage that dates back to 1874. Now, the company is seeking to make a splash among independent retailers by offering exclusivity to them for the range of seven-ply multi-clad pots and pans that are made in Clarksville, Tennessee from Pittsburgh steel.
The brand is owned by New Era, which was originally apart of The Vollrath Company. Donald Henn purchased the direct to consumer division of Vollrath in 1982 and then launched New Era as a cookware company manufacturing for in-home direct sales. Hammer Stahl as its own brand was launched in 2009 with cutlery.
After the success of the cutlery, Henn and his business partner, Griggs, decided to launch Hammer Stahl Cookware. The cookware’s seven-ply design was actually first created in 1987 for New Era’s independent sellers, who would go to homes and fairs to sell the pieces. Three years ago, the cookware was on display at the International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago to see if there was interest among retailers. The products have been available online for two and a half years now, but it was only as of January this year that Hammer Stahl Cookware was officially introduced to the retail market.
“Originally, with The Vollrath Company, we used to deliver cookware by horse and buggy,” says Griggs. “We see the independent gourmet retailer as that same lineage of American economics. Maybe they’re not going from store to store, or from home to home, but what they are doing is engaging the consumer at a very personal level. They’re connecting, they’re building relationships, they’re holding cooking schools and classes, they’re educating, and that’s why we’re really drawn to the independent retailer.”
The cookware has seven layers, including a top layer of T-304 surgical stainless steel with titanium that is especially corrosive-resistant and is virtually non-porous. Within, there are three layers of aluminum for superior heat conductivity and even distribution. A layer of ferritic steel makes the cookware induction ready. The ergonomic handles are hollow so that they will remain cool to the touch under normal cooking conditions. The lids are heavy gauge and the cookware is dishwasher and oven safe with a lifetime warranty. A variety of sizes of fry pans, sauce pans, and roasters are available.
“Its very similar to waterless and greaseless cookware … We can pan sear a chicken breast with little to zero grease or oil because it heats so evenly,” says Griggs. “Our performance on top of the stove is going to be exceptional. It heats quickly and is very responsive on the stove top.”
Hammer Stahl is seeking to appeal to the independent gourmet retailer a couple of different ways. First, there is no minimum opening order, no minimum re-order, and free freight with orders of $750. Point of sales materials and a training program are also available. Aggressive try-me programs have low purchasing quantities so that it’s easy for a retailer to start the program, says Griggs.
Second, Hammer Stahl is working with well-known consumer publications to launch two aggressive promotions exclusively for the independent retailer. The promotional campaigns are designed to work with the retailer and drive more traffic into the local store.
“The idea is to be cutting edge fresh new and bring innovative designs to market. We are committed to being responsive and aggressive for the independents. We are passionate about small business in the United States,” says Griggs. “I think the consumer gets a tremendous amount of value, I think the economy gets a value, and vendors like us get value. So I think all three components of the economy win when we can support and empower local commerce. Not to say that big box doesn’t matter; it does and there’s a really good place for that, but there’s a real resurgence in this country about getting back to relationship commerce, and this is our primary focus. ”
This story was originally published in the September 2015 issue of Kitchenware News, a publication of Oser Communications Group.
Gift Baskets: From Base to Bow
Ah fourth quarter, that special time in a retailer’s life when shopping is at its peak and gift baskets have the potential to fly off shelves. As that time of the year quickly approaches, now is the moment to begin planning ahead so you don’t let yourself get caught behind or off-guard.
At AJ’s Fine Foods in Tucson, Arizona, the local gourmet foods retailer sells hundreds of gift baskets during the Christmas season. AJ’s begins putting the baskets together ahead of time in October for the 11 locations across southern Arizona. They use foods that will remain shelf stable over the coming weeks and brace for the rush while they continue selling everyday baskets on a daily basis.
Floral Boutique Manager Jenny LeGate says the store has been steadily moving gift baskets even during what is considered to be the off season during the summer. AJ’s gift baskets range in price from $50 for a fresh fruit basket on upwards to $140 for a basket with wine and cheese. LeGate has even seen a $300 basket filled with caviar, champagne and strawberries. AJ’s uses a formula for pricing baskets that accounts for the retail price of the contents, the price of the basket, and a make-up fee that is calculated based on the price of the contents. For example, a basket with $60 to $75 worth of product might have a make-up fee of $12 tacked on.
AJ’s does custom gift baskets by customer request and also has some on-hand at all times that are ready to go. LeGate finds that the most time-consuming part of creating gift baskets is the actual shopping for the items that will go inside. She must keep in mind the size of the basket that will be used and staying on a budget because one can easily get swept up in products that raise the price of the basket. She also takes the basket theme into consideration so that the result is cohesive.
“It is better to go with quality products rather than quantity because it makes a nicer impression,” says LeGate. “Quality items are usually the stuff you wouldn’t buy for yourself, so they make for a nicer gift too.”
Gift basket making at AJ’s Fine Foods in Tucson, AZ
After selecting product to fill the gift basket with, LeGate gets to work by filling the baskets with a natural coarse wood excelsior. Most of the baskets at AJ’s are for local gifting, so LeGate doesn’t do much else to create the basket base like other gift basket makers might if the basket is to be shipped.
Deb Condo is the owner of Gift Basket Junction, based in Goodyear, Arizona. Since she sells her baskets online and ships them all over the country, the base of the basket is of the utmost importance.
“It’s all about the foundation,” says Condo, who has had her own gift basket business for 10 years now and has taught gift basket design at the National Gift Basket Convention for the last four years. “Foundation, foundation, foundation. You cannot build a house without pouring concrete: it’s the same concept … You have to use pieces that are going to hold it together, whether it’s kraft paper or a box or foam – something that helps keep everything high and visual.”
LeGate finds that the excelsior filler AJ’s uses does a great job of providing height and being malleable enough that she can tuck in product here and there, with it actually staying in place. She does note that it’s not cheap, so if you are on a budget it might be best to explore other creative options.
Hand-making bows
After filling the basket base, she then rolls out enough cellophane to cover the front, back and bottom of the basket. Once the basket has been centered on the cellophane, it is time to begin filling the basket with product. LeGate approaches this by centering the largest item that will go in the basket. If the basket has a handle, it is easy to center the items around the midpoint of the handle. The rest of the items go around the larger centerpiece product with labels facing outward for a nice appearance. Since the baskets are displayed in the store’s floral section, LeGate like to make her baskets so that they can be viewed from either the front or the back, although she says that there is typically one side that is nicer.
While LeGate doesn’t bother with glue dots or any hidden adhesives to keep the products in place, this is a method that Condo takes advantage of for her baskets that move across the country. Both LeGate and Condo do rely on the cellophane wrapping to completely pull the look together.
“I like to use cello because it gives better for me. I can use it to wrap around the product to make like a tunnel, and so when I’m wrapping it, I can pull everything up and really tight,” says Condo. “I can still get a nice clean line like I would with shrink wrap, without having to get out a heat gun. I wrap it around things, I tuck it in things, and so when I finally do tuck it, roll it and tape it, everything stays. I do use shipping tape and glue dots, depending on how heavy the product is, to keep things stabilized – just like anybody else who’s shipping across the country or overseas. Be sure to always hide your mechanics too.”
Condo goes so far as to ensure her baskets will pass an upside down test, but for many local retailers this should not be necessary. After everything is in place, LeGate pulls the cellophane around the basket and neatly folds and tapes the sides with regular clear tape. She then pulls the cellophane to the top where she secures it with a chenille stem. She cuts a length of ribbon to make a bow by hand – a feat she can now do in about 30 seconds, but she says took her six months to learn! Opting for pre-made bows are a good option for busy retailers trying to multitask. The handmade ribbon is placed over the chenille stem holding everything in place.
Adding a fancy cut to the top of the cellophane
The last step is making the cellophane at the top of the basket look nice. Cutting it straight across is easy and doesn’t look bad at all. When LeGate has time, she does a fancier cut that is hard to describe. She bunches the cellophane in her hand and follows the creases that are created from the folds. She then cuts at these tips in an angled upward motion that results in fanned out points that almost have a leaf-like quality. Condo notes that she pays attention to the colors, patterns and textures going into the basket to help make it cohesive. For example, a yellow label on one of the items to be placed in the basket might help her to decide on the complementary bow. Or she might choose a different type of fill for the base if the basket is lacking in texture overall.
While there are many tips and tricks to making gift baskets, ultimately LeGate points out that, “There is a wrong way to make a gift basket, but there is really no true right way to do it.”
This story was originally published in the September 2015 issue of Kitchenware News, a publication of Oser Communications Group.
Perfect Bake: Smart Baking Companion
My simple notion of homemade baked treats has been shaken to the very core since Perfect Bake™ came into my life. The app-controlled smart baking system guides users through every single step of the baking process to ensure optimal results, from ingredients and prep, to baking and finishing. Perfect Bake is basically like having someone who knows a whole lot about baking hold your hand and walk you through a recipe.
The system includes a scale, three color-coded mixing bowls, an oven thermometer, and a tablet/phone stand. Perfect Bake works through a free app that can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Once the app has been downloaded, turn on the scale and connect your tablet or smart phone to it by plugging into the audio jack.
The next step is to choose a recipe, of which there are over 220 available with more added continually through app updates. The recipes have been developed and tested by trained pastry chefs from the Culinary Institute of America, and there are many categories to choose from including Getting Started, Simple, Advanced, Cookies, Vegan, Holiday, and so on.
A neat feature of Perfect Bake is the Pantry function where users can input all the ingredients they already have on-hand at home. Once you have added in all the ingredients, there is an option to display a list of recipes according to how many of the ingredients are currently in the pantry. The app will keep track of what you have, and when you select a recipe later, it will show a check mark next to the ingredients you already have.
Once a recipe has been chosen, select the BAKE! button at the bottom of the screen. The app will register that the scale is connected and prompt you to select OK to calibrate the scale. The recipes are broken down into color-coded blocks that match the included bowls and each block has steps within it. For example, if you’re making cookies, the Prep block might tell you to preheat the oven, and maybe pull out the butter and eggs to bring them to room temperature and get out the first bowl you will need.
There is a boxed question mark symbol next to each step that will reveal details about that aspect of the recipe. So if the step is to Mix/Cream and you are not sure what that means, clicking the question mark will take you to a new screen that describes what it means to cream, lists steps for creaming, and displays a table of KitchenAid Mixer speeds as they translate to Perfect Bake speeds.
Once you advance to the first step of the recipe and put the bowl on the scale, ingredients are weighed by the scale as you pour. A virtual bowl on the screen shows the progress in real time and a ding sounds when it is time to stop. If you overpour an ingredient, the recipe can be adjusted to compensate, but you do have to tell it do so. Otherwise, it will flag that there was an overpour, but not automatically adjust everything for you. When mixing is required, a timer will display and count down to ensure the perfect amount of mixing time.
When the recipe is all weighed, mixed, and ready to pour, a portion meter will weigh each cookie, cupcake, muffin, etc. as you place it on the cookie sheet or pour into a cupcake pan. The portion meter has an arrow that shows you if the weight is in the ideal range. Once the arrow lands in the range, it will auto-zero after detecting a steady weight for three seconds, and you can portion out another. The app will also indicate how far apart you should drop the cookie batter on the sheet. This is especially helpful for getting uniform cupcakes and cookies, or avoiding the dreaded mutant cookies that all run together.
Perfect Bake will then time out your baking and alert you when it is done or time to check on your creation. There is also a timer for the cool down time, if needed. Lastly, the app will direct you to any finishing touches, like dusting powdered sugar over cookies, and will also indicate the proper storage for the baked good.
What I like about Perfect Bake is that the way the recipes are presented makes it so any baking technique seems approachable. The second recipe I made was the Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream Frosting, which called for using a double boiler to combine the egg whites and sugar. Now normally, I would see a step asking me to use a double boiler and immediately choose to skip the recipe entirely. But this time I told myself it was completely doable and went for it – maybe it was because the recipe was under both the Getting Started and Simple categories of recipes. Whatever the case, I am glad I tried it because the frosting came out wonderfully and the cupcakes were amazing.
After that boost of confidence, I was super impressed with myself. “I can do stuff,” I told myself, and made Chocolate Chunk Cookies the next week that were so good my husband demanded that I not even attempt to share them with anyone. I made spur of the moment Red Velvet Mug Cakes for my friends that they are still talking about. The word “cookie” was mentioned in my house and I immediately volunteered to make some. I made Pecan Sandies that almost made me cry they came out so perfectly. I even toasted the pecans myself, another recipe step that would have previously caused me to skip the recipe altogether – but not this time. I toasted the chopped up pecans and those cookies were brilliant, I tell you.
With a suggested retail price of $69.99, Perfect Bake is great for bakers of all experience levels. There are advanced recipes, like Ricotta-Honey Cheesecake and Pâte à Choux, for more advanced bakers, and there are no bake recipes for those with a limited kitchen. If you want to get into baking Perfect Bake is good gateway product since it is essentially a smart cookbook that really doesn’t want you to mess up and even makes sure you measure correctly by doing this for you through the scale. Since using the system I have a new appreciation for homemade baked goods and may even kick my boxed mixes habit. I’ll need to try out a cake recipe first, and the Browned Butter Carrot Cake is certainly calling my name.
This story was originally published in the September 2015 issue of Kitchenware News, a publication of Oser Communications Group.
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Fun Wine Glasses for Casual Enjoyment
Lehmann Glass Oenomust Wine Glass
While they are many, many options to choose from when it comes to selecting a wine glass, for the uninitiated the choices can be daunting if you do not know the different characteristics that wine glasses possess and which are correct for your purposes. The wine glasses featured here are unique and should be considered solely based on their aesthetic appeal. These are not the glasses to pull out when the sommelier you happen to know is coming over for dinner. Rather, they are the glasses you use for a fun lighthearted experience that is more about the company than taking wine tasting to new heights. Although some could definitely be your fancy-pants selection to show off with, these are more likely to be the ones you whip out for a rowdy game night with friends.
Madeline Puckette is a wine expert and certified sommelier with The Court of Master Sommeliers. She started the blog Wine Folly in 2011 with her partner, Justin Hammack, and the two have a book coming out this month, “Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine” (Avery). Puckette explains that the experience of drinking wine from what might be considered the “correct” glass, is really a matter of preference.
“Once you learn how to hold a stemmed glass and feel confident in holding it and drinking out of it, it’s a psychological effect that happens,” says Puckette. “It’s the same way that a stemmed water glass makes you feel classy. You go to a fancy restaurant and they serve you water that’s in a glass, you pick it up by the foot and you have this sort of visceral experience of drinking water. The same thing happens for a wine glass.”
Puckette says that when helping a customer choose the best wine glass, it is important to ask the customer what kind of wine drinker they are. Are they the animated type who likes to talk with their hands and arms? Maybe point them to a glass with a large bowl that will help keep the wine in the glass. Do they like to enjoy their wine outdoors? Suggest a glass that is durable for this setting. Must it be able to go through the dishwasher? Are they drinking with kids and pets around? Suggest a glass that is not delicate and might withstand a tumble or two. Do they drink white, red or sparkling wine? There is a different “proper” glass for each type of wine.
The very basic information you need to know about wine glasses is that white wine typically goes in a smaller glass than red wine. This is because white wine needs to stay cool and the more surface area that’s exposed to the air, the more it will warm up to room temperature. A narrower bell shape on white wine glasses also aides in concentrating the zesty aromas that are commonly found in white wines. Glasses for red wine tend to have a bigger rounder bowl and larger opening that allows for more surface area and collecting more aromas from the wine.
Jackie Wine/Martini Combo Glass from B By Brandie
To enjoy wine at a basic level, Puckette suggests choosing a glass that allows space for the wine plus air. In America, a standard pour of wine is 5 to 6 ounces, while in Europe and Australia they are strict about a 150 milliliter pour, roughly 5 ounces. Puckette says that a 22-ounce glass will usually allow for a nice ratio.
“You need some space. You really need a little space to have aromas collect in the glass and be able to actually put your nose in the glass and smell them. It’s the baby bear effect, too small is bad, too big is bad, but just right is just right,” says Puckette.
The Oenomust wine glass from Lehmann Glass features a wide base that rises to a distinctive bulge where the glass then flows into the rounded and narrower upper part of the bowl. The glass was designed by Gerard Lehmann to enhance the wine-tasting experience through the generous shape of the glass that allows for controlled rotation and oxygenation of the wine without the fear of spillage. Six different Oenomust glasses are available, including a stemless spirits goblet and a flute for sparkling wines. The glasses range in size from 20.6 ounces for a vintage wines glass, to 11.6 ounce for a taster glass. Three different shapes and sizes of carafes are also available as well as a 50-ounce decanter glass. The Oenomust collection has suggested retail prices ranging from $63 to $96 for a set of six glasses.
The Jackie Wine/Martini Combo Glass from B By Brandie is the perfect glass for the hostess who doesn’t know what her guests will end up drinking and wants to be prepared for both a cocktail or wine situation. The glasses feature an 8-ounce wine glass on top and a 4-ounce martini glass on bottom. Simply flip the glass to accommodate either drink. The glass is inspired by and named after Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and is made in Poland. A set of two glasses has a suggested retail price of $64.
Saturn Wine Glass from SUPERDUPERSTUDIO
The Saturn Wine Glass from SUPERDUPERSTUDIO is made in California by a duo design team. The glass is shaped by hand before being blown into a mold by glass artisans, it is then cut and polished by hand. These spacey glasses are the reimagination of a traditional Italian glassblowing technique, which the designers appropriated to prevent messy spills and stains. Four years of research and refinement has culminated in the patent-pending Saturn Glasses that are surprisingly light and have a unique shape that makes them perfect for stacking. The glass has a suggested retail price of $52 each.
Oenophilia Wino Sipper
From Oenophilia comes the quirky Wino Sippers. The glasses feature a built-in sipping straw and a sturdy three-point base to prevent tipping. The glasses are just plain fun and something for guests to “ooh” and “ahh” over. They hold a standard 5-ounce pour of wine and are sold as set of two with a suggested retail price of $24. While they may not be the fancy glass for a $50 bottle of wine, they would be just great for making sure you polish off that box of wine with help from the built-in straw. Mini 2.75-ounce Porto Sippers for port are also available in a set of four.
Magisso COOL ID Glass
Magisso’s new COOL ID Glass in a 11.15-ounce size makes the perfect stemless vessel for enjoying wine outdoors. The cup features cooling ceramics that self-cool after being soaked in water for just 60 to 90 seconds. The longer the item sits in the environment the colder it becomes, and the effect lasts for several hours. The exterior is a matte black finish with a white rim. The surface is suitable for writing personal messages in chalk that can be easily wiped off, so you can skip the wine charms. A set of two has a suggested retail price of $40. COOL ID items are also available in a variety of serving pieces and barware, including shot glasses and a tumbler.
This story was originally published in the September 2015 issue of Kitchenware News, a publication of Oser Communications Group.
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