Zoku™
Slush & Shake Maker

KosherEye is always searching for new kosher products and culinary gadgets, and we instantly knew we had spotted one while attending the January 2011 AmericasMart Gift Show. There it was – the Zoku Quick Pop Maker, a fun, colorful, very happy, popsicle display in the middle of winter. And, yes, this innovative tool proved to be a huge success with both kids and adults!

Flash forward 2 years to 2013, and Zoku has done it again with its new Slush and Shake Maker. So much fun! You can shake up healthy slushies, energy drinks, milkshakes, smoothies, icy coffee drinks, ice cream sodas and even frozen cocktails in just a few minutes! It stores in the freezer so it is always ready to use. And it is easy to use too. Remove the frozen inner core from the freezer and place it in to the outer sleeve, pour in your ingredients, mix & scrape the cup with the spoon (included) and watch as the slush freezes before your eyes! Really!

Papergoods.com

KosherEye has made a new discovery and what a find it is! We try to follow up on suggestions from our readers, and so when a KosherEye friend recommended Papergoods.com we checked it out. We found a huge online store of disposables, paper and plastic goods for entertaining, everyday use, Shabbos and special occasions. In fact, we were so impressed that we contacted the company – requested samples and decided to share this site with our readers. Our sample order was shipped promptly and arrived intact. (According to comments on their site, this is the norm!) We don't know how they do it, but orders $49 and over are shipped free. Freight for orders under this amount, cost only $5. And, for even more savings, yes, KosherEye is very frugal-minded, we love their weekly "steals and deals".

A bit about the company: Sholom, the founder of Papergoods.com was brought up in a family of 9 children. His education includes yeshivas in the U.S. and England. While growing up, he shared many of the weekly supermarket shopping experiences with his mom and siblings, laboriously dragging home groceries and paper goods. So, as an adult, Sholom, realized how convenient, time saving and budget friendly it would be to have paper goods delivered. The option of affordable delivery was common for large offices, but not realistically affordable for families, especially small families. Thus, along with a childhood friend, he founded PaperGoods.com.

Zojirushi Virtuoso Bread Maker

Selecting a Breadmaker can be confusing – especially if one has not previously owned a bread machine. So many choices - one paddle or two? vertical loaves or horizontal loaves? A machine that makes a 1 lb. loaf or a 2 lb. loaf? Size of actual machine? Ease of use? Settings? Decisions... decisions... decisions!

So let's talk! We have recently tested the newest model, of the Zojirushi (pronunced zo-jih-ROO-shee) bread maker, the Virtuoso BB-PAC 20. In fact, since we have grown so attached to it, let's use its nickname, the Zo. It has moved to a position front and center in our kitchen, right up there with our stand mixer, Vitamix, Coffee Maker and food processor. Not only are we busily making whole wheat bread for weekday sandwiches, challah for Shabbos, and cinnamon rolls (yumm) much too often, but we have also made jam. strawberry jam to be exact. So simple! Making jam was so easy, that we plan to progress to blueberry and peach jam later this summer.

By Guest Columnist Chef Rachel Willen

I love spring. It's the tentative, yet warm, wet kiss of seasons. Who doesn't want the weather to warm, the sprouting bulbs to wend their way through the earth to find sunlight, and bare trees lining streets to explode into canopies of green? Yet, for me spring comes with one long melancholy sigh as I realize I will be seeing much less of my slow cooker over the next several months and much less of the comforting fall-apart meat I love that is the result of the low-slow process the utilitarian cooker gives us. While I was researching, testing and planning weeks of spring recipes for my blog, foodfixkitchen.com, I came across a recipe for a lamb stew that starting me thinking about a classic French "navarin printanier" we made in culinary school. Navarin means lamb or mutton stew and when vegetables are added, particularly blushing new spring vegetables like asparagus, baby turnips and English peas, that's when the "printanier" or spring part comes in.

With a little tweaking of the recipe normally done in the oven or stovetop, and the help of the smart new Cuisinart 6-quart Multi-Cooker I was given by Cuisinart recently to play with, I am happy to report a wonderful spring excuse for slow-cooking!

Freezer to Microwave to Oven to Table

We look at the Emile Henry bakeware and ovenware line as providing heirloom quality pieces for our kitchens. They are culinary accessories that although sometimes pricey, can last a lifetime and beyond. If a bride adds these to her gift registry, she can be confident that she will not have to purchase replacement pieces for a very long time. The company too is confident in the quality of its products and offers a 10-year warranty.

Our newest Emile Henry culinary wonder is the roasting/lasagna dish we have been testing. It is versatile, and our "go to" ovenware casserole dish for baking or roasting family sized entrees, sides or desserts. This rectangular baking dish is durable, functional and stylish. It multitasks...going directly from freezer to oven, to table, and then into the sink for a hand washing or into the dishwasher. And, due to the hard glaze, cutting and slicing in the dish is possible without the worry of damage or scratches. It is also resistant to chipping. Whew!

We tried our recipes in a large 16.7" x 11" – 3.8 quart family-sized dish, deep enough to hold mounds of ingredients, large enough to feed a crowd. We like the deep colors of the glaze – ours is in the sand color. Although this rectangular shape is popularly known as a "lasagna" dish, we think that its versatility reaches far past lasagna, useful for any casserole or layered recipe. Since we used ours for meat, we plan to purchase another for dairy. There will be no problem confusing the two, since there are many colors and sizes from which to select. In fact, for our dairy cooking, we likely will select a smaller one.

Since 1850, Emile Henry's ceramic bakeware and tableware has been made in Marcigny, France. It is still made from high fired Burgundy clay, a type of natural clay superior for conducting and retaining heat, keeping food warm longer than traditional bakeware.
Emile Henry cookware and ovenware is most definitely a KosherEye gift yourself gift others culinary selection. Any cook, beginner or seasoned will treasure this in the kitchen.

By Robin Saul - Finalist

When I read about the Manischewitz Cook-off I just couldn't resist entering. I was researching ways to gather funding for my daughter's education, and a $25,000 grand prize (cash and Maytag appliances) would surely help. I really did not think that I would become a finalist but, I do have a knack for creating original recipes that appeal to family and friends- a talent I do not take for granted. I created my original recipe inspired by a picture I had seen of a Panini that was so thin it looked like matzo, not bread. I added mushrooms, mango and balsamic flavors as the sandwich filler.

The contest rules encouraged simple, simple, simple – 9 ingredients, 3 of which had to be Manischewitz products. I found it easy to enter under these rules because I like to limit my ingredients anyway, and often take shortcuts for ease in cooking and preparation. Using Manischewitz products was not a problem for me, because they are readily available, and I find their quality superior to other similar products. I especially enjoy the broths to make soups, rice dishes, and also as ingredients in flavorful reductions.

Imagine how surprised and excited I was to receive the initial phone call from the Manischewitz PR representatives asking me questions specifically about my use of products and my reason for entering the contest. And then, I was even more excited when they told me that I WAS a finalist and I would be flying to Newark, New Jersey to compete on contest day, March 21st.

Prior to the trip, I tried to learn as much as I could about the Manischewitz Company, the history, the employees, the CEO's and their mission statement. I took being a finalist seriously and really felt they chose me and the other finalists to represent their company. After all, our recipes were all to be showcased on the Manischewitz site. I was honored.

Two Messy Thumbs Up!

When cooking, we use it all –  our heirloom recipe index cards, cookbooks, newspaper and magazine clippings and now our newest hi–tech kitchen resource, our iPad. However, using the iPad  has been tricky. We had to keep it far enough away from cooking areas to protect it from stray spills. And, we had to keep washing and drying hands and fingers to use it. That was the problem − now the solution.

We discovered the amazing Chef Sleeve, another “wish we had thought of that–ah–ha invention” and everything’s changed. This transparent sleeve completely encases the iPad and protects it from food, fingerprints and cooking mess. We absolutely recommend it for all iPad owners. We use our iPad protected with the Chef Sleeve primarily in the kitchen, but it can also be a handy iPad protector all around the house, including the garden and workshop!

Some features we like:
The Chef Sleeve has a resealable strip, which makes it easy to tightly fasten the sleeve. Made of an ultra–clear material, it is almost invisible when in use; we hardly realize that the Chef Sleeve is covering the iPad. The sleeve is touch sensitive, allowing the touch screen to work perfectly under the thin protective film. In addition, the fit is “tailored” since the product was designed specifically for the iPad, even covering the output/input ports.

The packaging  too is innovative, doubling as a stand, and allows one at a time release. When you're done making a mess, just dispose, re–use or re–cycle the Chef Sleeve. It is100% recyclable – good for the user, the iPad and the environment!.

In testing, we utilized a single cover several times and found that it stayed clear and the IPad was still responsive after many uses. And, of course, when we were messy, we tossed the sleeve.

This is a "gift yourself, gift others" KosherEye pick for the techie–cook in your life. It fits both the iPad and the iPad 2. We think that it is a must have for gardeners, home handymen, crafters, and dirty hands anywhere! Use it on the beach too, or wherever moisture, dirt, or spills might be an issue. Can you tell.. we love it! Make someone happy—-Buy it Now!

Price about $20 for box of 25. Available at Amazon.com. 

This innovative company has now developed disposable iPhone sleeves and a dishwasher save iPad stand that we can't wait to try!

Visit ChefSleeve.com.

An Artisan Winery

We are longtime fans of Israel's Recanati Winery, which offers very fine, highly rated reserve selections as well as several satisfying simpler table wines. The Recanati Winery was founded in 2000 by a group of wine lovers led by Lenny Recanati. Their goal was to create a new winery for the production of quality Israeli wines at reasonable consumer prices.

Two of our favorites are Yasmin white and Yasmin red; both appealing selections to keep on hand because they are terrific table wines at value prices. Added to our suggestions are several mid−priced exceptional wines as well as a few in the luxury category. What better time for a wine splurge than at the Seder table? Whichever of these kosher for Passover wines you choose, we hope that you sip your four glasses surrounded by family and friends.

Organic, Kosher for Passover Oil & Vinegar

At Kosherfest 2012 we found a wonderful selection of  oils and vinegars by De La Rosa Real Foods. What a treat − their products are from Italy and are OU certified kosher and kosher for Passover. Founded 28 years ago by Rabbi Asher Devere Girshberg, the company focused  predominantly on Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Grape Seed Oil, and Balsamic Vinegar. Two years ago  they saw the need and opportunity to expand their product line and in January 2013 introduced several new organic products.  From Yehudith Girshberg, " The objective of the company is to enhance and promote principles of environmental responsibilities... We want to help to educate people to eat healthier products. Our goal is to make AFFORDABLE Organic Products - or at least natural products - available to the marketplace,  including the neglected kosher marketplace."

The Oils:
Olive oil is a fat obtained from the olive, the fruit of the olive tree (fruit of Olea europaea; family Oleaceae), which is  native to the Mediterranean basin countries. Olive oil is considered by many to be one of the healthy oils. Italy is the second largest country in both production and consumption of olive oil. The De La Rosa Oils are imported from Italy and have  no GMO or additives are added.

Matzo – My Frenemy!

By Guest Columnist Chef Laura Frankel

Every day I like to feel as if I have learned something new. Kitchens are exciting places and food flavors and combinations are infinite.

This year, as I wrote these recipes, I decided to take a fresh look at matzo and matzo products. I have a love–hate relationship with matzo. We are truly Frenemies! I love it because I am proud of our heritage and we truly OWN matzo as a symbol and piece of history. I hate the stuff for its commercial taste and lack of nutrition. I avoid it and do not eat it except for the small amount required at the Seders.

But, I decided that I would play with matzo and see where it led me. These recipes are for family Passover dishes, specifically Chol hamoed. I think these are the days when creativity and diligence are needed to keep meals interesting and the family excited to gather together.