I'd like to know what you're smoking...

Weber's Fireside kits lets users find their faves

Smoking is in. That is, as in cooking foods slowly over low heat using various types of wood, not as in inhaling toxic chemicals that lead to a slow and painful death. Experts tell me that tastes in wood chips are as subjective as tastes in wine. For example, i hate Chardonnay and I don't care who knows it. If you want to experiement with smoking on the barbie, but aren't sure which kind of chips to use, try it out, consider picking up one of Weber’s Trial smoker kits, with four trays with hickory, cherry, apple, and  beech chips ($13) or  a six-pack of  mesquite, cherry,  apple, hickory, and  pecan, and beech  ($18) In Toronto, you can find them at Deer Park,  Dickson and  Sunnybrook Home Hardware stores, www.homehardware.ca, Sobies BBQ , Ontario Gas Barbeque , The Sign of the Skier  or online at  Weber. Never used chips before and don't have a smoker? Here's an easy how-to from Canadian Living.

 

Perfect for beach picnics, park or porch parties

Famously laid-back Vancouverites are not letting a cool and rainy start to summer diminish their enthusiasm for outdoor recreation and entertaining. In fact, says Fiona Wilson, who works at one of the Home Depots in the city, portable grills that folks can easily take to the beach or the park are big sellers this year. Those include Weber’s Q series. (Shown below at right.)

Speaking of portable, Canadian Tire has a sweet little portable propane grill/oven from Coleman that looks like it would be just the thing for gourmet campers who want to eat mroe than weiners and smores (although there's nothing wrong with that menu, imho).  It has two 6,000 BTU stove burners and a 3,000 BTU oven that will fit a 12-inch pizza, and which will run for about 90 minutes on high. Windscreens shield the grill from gusts.

The Quattro from Stok  (shown below) is also drawing attention from folks who “like toys”, says Reid, as it has special pull-out grills in which pizza stones, veggie baskets and other accessories can be inserted. Full discolsure - I have one of these and like it a lot - mostly because I can cook the entire meal on it including, if I do say so myself, a great little appetizer pizza with tomato, goat cheese and basil-infused olive oil. Served with rose wine, natch.

 

 

Hamilton Beach gets its grill on

 

 

Small appliance maker Hamilton Beach has ventured into the BBQ category, with two new grills that are available exclusively at Sears. The five burner Grillstation has  598 square inches of cooking surface, with four main burners (10,000 BTUs, or British Thermal Units) and one side burner with 13,000 BTUs. The three-burner model has three 11,000 BTU burners. Both (shown above) have rotisserie functions. Grates are cast iron coated in porcelain. It also features an extra large temperature gauge that displays temps for cooking zones, and interchanegable trays and baskets.  It's all designed to enable consumers to customize the culinary experience, which HB has identified as a significant foodie trend this year.Prices start at  about $400.

 

How to have a Canada Day party with pooping out the hostess

Outdoor barbeques are a standard feature of the Canadian summer landscape. Their popularity is well-deserved; after all, there’s nothing quite like enjoying roasted meat or fish on the patio or by the lake on a perfect summer evening, surrounded by friends and family. But let’s face it, BBQ parties do have their drawbacks, especially for the chef, who’s often forced to stand for hours over a hot grill, trying to juggle orders for rare, medium, well-done, cheese or no-cheese, vegetarian etc., etc, etc.

Not only is this sweaty work, but it forces the cook to focus on food rather than friends. That’s why I think the summer sandwich is poised to make a come-back. Sandwiches may well be the new “it” food – they’re easy to prepare ahead, highly portable, don’t require utensils and are easy to customize for folks with various dietary restrictions.

I’ve put together an easy make-ahead Canada Day party menu that I think will delight guests, and allow the entire gang to hang out together. My “inspiration” was a line of plain and flavoured hummus from Sabra, pickled beans and olives from Matt and Steve’s Extreme Bean line and PC’s regular and multi grain baguettes.

The gelato and sorbet were a breeze to make with the DeLonghi’s Gelatto Maker. Unlike previous generations of this type of machine, you don’t have to freeze the inner vessel before preparation - just quickly mix the various ingredients into a bowl, pour it in the bowl and turn it on. For the next half hour or so, the ingredients are churned and chilled. The taste and texture of what you get is, imho, far, far beyond just about any store-bought product on the market – including many premium brands. And you can be making the sweet treat unattended, while guests are nibbling on the main event.  I had such fun testing the machine with the DeLonghi recipe book, and it wasn’t long before I was coming up with my own recipes, including one for maple syrup gelato. 

Here it is:

Vicky’s Maple Syrup Gelato

1 cup minus one tablespoon cold milk

1 tablespoon cold espresso, or a heaping tablespoon of instant coffee dissolved in a tablespoon of cold milk

½ cup cream

½ cup sugar

¼ cup maple syrup

Pour into machine and follow manufacturer's instructions. By the way, you can make gelato without an ice-cream maker – it’s just a bit fussier. You can also dress this up by folding in a half cup of chopped toasted walnut or small chunks of dark chocolate (or both!)

A few tips for further reducing the fuss – keep serving dishes simple and practical. I’m not generally a fan of paper napkins, but cheap and cheerful napkins with a Maple Leaf are perfect for a Canada Day get-together.  In some cases, they can replace plates.

I also love the unbreakable serving pieces from Urban Barn that look like slate. They pair beautifully with plain white service dishes and lovely little tea-light holders with sweet little bird motifs in glossy white – also from Urban Barn. When arranging self-serve party food, I always suggest using several smaller platters rather than one or two large, centrally located ones. It means that food is within easy reach of conversational grouping and that there’s never a crush or line up in one spot.  It also tends to make people circulate, which helps any party.

Another tip – rather than having a set meal-time, consider an open-house format, in which you invite guests to drop in anytime between, say, 2 and 7 p.m. It makes it easier for families of different types (young couple with babies, empty-nesters, busy teen-agers) to get to the event, and staggering the arrival of folks also often means that you get more face-time with each.

Since music adds to the atmosphere of any party, you’ll want to crank some tunes outside. For that, I love the teeny iHome stereo speaker system that I found at HMV. It works with MP3 players, iPhones and iPads, delivering remarkably good sound from a small base. Also great on the dock at the cottage. You can pick one up for about $20 from HMV, where I also found a few new must-have Canadian releases; Rufus Wainwright’s Out of the Game, the Cowboy Junkies' The Wilderness and Neil Young’s Americana, which includes a cover version of God Save the Queen. 

Here are my food suggestions. Hope they inspire you.

Appetizers

Spicy hummus served with sliced radishes, baby carrots and baguette slices (for an elegant presentation, slice baguette into rounds, brush with olive oil and place in a 400˚F oven for 10 minutes.)

Pickled green beans wrapped in prosciutto

Cherry tomatoes with bocconcini, drizzled with basil flavoured olive oil

Baguette Sandwiches

Red pepper hummus with sliced red onion, roasted beets, goat cheese and red leafy lettuce on a plain baguette, garnished with a pickled bean

Roasted garlic hummus with Brie, sliced radishes and curly lettuce on multigrain baguette, garnished with a pickled olive (use a Canadian flag toothpick for a fun touch)

Devilled eggs made with black olive hummus (So simple. Slice a dozen hard boiled eggs in half. Carefully remove yolks with a small spoon and place in bowl. Add about a half-cup of Sabra Greek Olive hummus and few tablespoons of mayonnaise or thick plain yogurt. Mix together and spoon into eggs. Garnish with chopped onion. )

Dessert

Mocha maple syrup gelatto served in a chocolate Victoria cup and garnished with a chocolate wafer

Strawberry sorbet served with mashed strawberries and garnished with a lemon wafer

More on vacuums

There’s not one, but two, big bold labels on the new Eureka AirSpeed (shown left) claiming that it “cleans carpets better than Dyson at half the price”. The company backs that with data from ASTM F608, an industry standard test measuring how well a vacuum removes embedded dirt from carpets. Eureka, which is part of Electrolux, commissioned the  test to compare the AirSpeed vacuum and the Dyson DC-25, DC-33 and DC-41 vacuums. They say results show that the AirSpeed vacuum outperformed the Dyson models.

This design is based in part on two short tubes, which are supposed to decrease the distance for dirt to travel, increasing the amount of airflow and improving suction. Fourteen feet of hose and wand and 32 feet of cord give it a good long reach, and a pet-friendly “power paw” skims off pet dander another allergens. Like many new models, this one has a HEPA filter, which means that it captures 99.9 per cent  of dust and allergens. There’s a convenient light on the head of the base, which also has a lever for changing the bar for two depths of carpet and bare floors. Another lever on the side of the machine lets the user switch between using the floor function and attachments, of which there are three; a crevice tool, upholstery brush, and duster.

Personally, I can’t vouch for that, as my own testing is, of course, less than scientific. But I can say that there are a couple of design features I find inferior to the Dyson. While assembly instructions are clear and simple, I found it a bit tricky, for example, to get the tube at the back of the machine to stay put. The cord extends from lower down on the machine than it does on the Dyson 14 I have, and I found it got in the way.

But with a manufacturer’s suggested price of $140, there’s no doubt it’s far less expensive than the Dyson, and I know that’s an important consideration for many families. Check it out at Walmart, Home Hardware, independent vacuum dealers, or online .

I hesitate slightly to tell you about Shark’s new Lift-Around Vacuum, as it’s unlikely to be available in Canada before the fall. But it’s a dandy little cleaning tool, so keep an eye open for it. It’s being promoted as being perfect for pet owners, as it promises to capture 99.99 per cent of dust and allergens in the air. At six pounds, it’s a breeze to carry around;  it’s even got a strap to make hauling it about easier.Take note, though, that this is a corded machine and that the head on the attachment is quite small, as it’s designed for quick small jobs. The price should come in at about $160, and I’ll share availability as soon as I know.

Of course, if we’re speaking of compact models, I’ve got to also call out Dyson’s new DC35 Digital Slim. This is a very sweet machine. It performs beautifully, thanks to a digital motor that spins up to three times faster than conventional motors, and Dyson’s cyclone technology. This model has longer run time that the previous generation of Dyson hand-helds that I tried — 15 minutes of high constant suction, 13 minutes with the floor tool, and six minutes on a max setting, which turn on at the touch of a button on the handle.

The only complaint comes from  my 17-year old son, who says the handle space is a bit small for his great big paw — making it “hard” for him to vacuum the stairs and car. Too bloody bad, I say. Make it fit! On the other hand (ha!), my 19 year old daughter loves it for quick clean-ups, and is, I believe, angling to take it back with her when she returns to University in the fall.  We’ll see about that!

The well-sized motorized floor tool — with efficient carbon fibre filaments — can be used on hard surfaces or carpets, adjusting as it goes. Love that. The lithium-ion battery can be charged either from the docking station or through an independent charger. Accessory tools fit cleverly into the dock, which can be attached to a wall for storage.

But, as Sir James pointed out in a recent email interview, all those clever features are the result of research and testing, all of which costs money. Which accounts for the price-tag of $350 (at The Bay, Home Outfitters, Bed Bath and Beyond, Future Shop, Bestbuy.ca and Dyson independent retailers.) Pricey? Yes. But it’s a lovely little machine. 

Since it is wedding season, I’ll point out that this would make a wonderful gift, especially if the cost of it was shared among a few family members. Perhaps not as sexy as Waterford crystal, or French linen tablecloths (although both are great presents as well) but one that’s bound to help its owners on almost daily basis, in part by resulting in fewer fights over who does the vacuuming.

Let the sun shine in on summer decor

As promised, here are Janette Ewen’s top tips for switching up to a fresher, lighter, more summery décor.

The first step, she says, is to give your home a good old-fashioned spring-cleaning.
This means getting into all those dark, dreary corners - cleaning behind the bed, behind the fridge, and flipping/vacuuming/steaming your mattress.

To avoid overload, assign tasks to family members and put together a cleaning schedule. Before you begin, make sure you have the tools and cleaners you’ll need. Ewen is a fan of steam cleaning, and favours Hoover's Twin Tank, which lets the user clean with steam alone, or with a cleaning solution.

 Here is Ewen's step by step program for lightening summer decor:

• De-cluttering will clear both your mind and home. Start by tackling one room at a time.  Sort items into piles, toss, donate and keep. Ask yourself, is this something I can tuck away, need on hand or want to display?  Once sorted, place the items into the appropriate storage containers.
• Change your paint colour, even if it’s just a feature wall. Think of shades you see in nature in the spring and summer — sky blues, leafy greens and sunny yellows.
• Swap your accessories. Replace dark coloured accessories with lighter pieces in simple shapes - think  sleek glass vases and clean-lined bowls. Fill them with oranges or apples for a hit of colour.
• Replace heavy tablecloths with lightweight open-weave linens. When shopping for plates and placemats, opt for a seasonal palette of bold orange, lime green, lemon yellow and sky blue.
• Change your window coverings. Replace heavy fabric drapes, such as velvet, with bamboo blinds or drapes that are light in weight or colour. Try something sheer that lets the sun shine in.
• Put heavy and ornate area rugs into storage. If you have one, expose your clean wooden floor. Alternatively, try rolling out a light coloured sisal or sea grass carpet.
• Place airy arrangements of wildflowers throughout the home. Keep the look soft and natural by mixing a variety of flowers and using an assortment of vases. Or try an eclectic combination of old tin cans.
• Replace winter bedding with soft blankets and top sheets in relaxing colours like lavender, pale green and soft aqua.
• Bring the outdoors in with rustic metal or wood planters or vases planted with fresh herbs or spring annuals. Incorporate furnishings with floral motifs into your living space.
• Shop for art or photography that incorporates natural and outdoor elements that reflect the season.

It's not too late for spring cleaning

Spring sprung early this year and then took a back seat as winter made another late appearance, throwing the seasonal change-over off-balance. That meant that many of us skipped the annual ritual of the Spring clean-up.  But lifestyle expert Janette Ewen has a message on that point — better late than never.

“Spring is a natural time to tidy, because you are letting air in. It’s almost as it that flow works on a sub conscious on your mind as well," says Ewen. But if you missed the first wave of Spring, Ewen cautions against waiting until the next natural marker in the fall. And Ewen says it’s not just your mental health that can suffer from clutter — it’s your pocket book as well.

“Canadian Tire sponsored a survey that found 68 per cent of Canadians say they’ve rebought something because they couldn’t find it in their house and another 71 per cent say they’d rather toss things out than find a place to store them!”

Ewen has a well-honed system for keeping clutter udner control. “I do a mini purge about once a month. I sell some stuff on Kijiji, which lets me make a little money, some of which goes to a favourite charity. If I get lazy, my assistant makes me do it. Staying on top of it helps me avoid getting overwhelmed.”  To help you from getting suffocated by stuff, Ewen has some suggestions:

• Sort stuff into three plastic tubs — one for recycling, one for garbage and one for stuff you’re going to give way. Be disciplined — if you haven’t used it in the last year, you probably won’t. For sports equipment, she’ll stretch it to two years. Before you unload items, consider doing a swap meet with friends — a great way to extend the life of items that no longer work for you.
•  Allow yourself a cabinet for sentimental memorabilia. After all, some things are worth keeping.
• Designate a shelf system for various types of items; one for temporary pieces that you’re not sure you’ll need long-term or not, one for craft or hobby supplies, one for seasonal.
• Use modular storage systems to create customized units that fit different spaces throughout the home.
• Instead of keeping mountains of mags, go through copies and pull the pages/pics/pieces you want and put them in file folders that can be housed in attractive holders.
• Use dead space by, for example, putting shelves above a garment pole in a closet. Consider a second shelf even higher up for items rarely used. Keep a foldable stepladder for easy access. How about under-stair storage?
• Use an under-the-bed storage unit.
• In the kitchen, line the space above upper cabinets with baskets (make sure they have lids)
• Pretty storage items will motivate you to stay organized. Ewen likes Debbie Travis’ line for Canadian Tire.
• When purchasing new furniture for the home, look for pieces that offer functional storage, such as ottomans with lids or closed entertainment units.  Tomorrow —  tips from Ewen on switching up decor for Spring.

From frugal to fabulous - great Father's day gift ideas

Need more great gift ideas for Dad? Happy to oblige. 

Is Dad an aging hippie, or just an aficionado of amazing harmonies? He might like The Beach Boys new album, That’s Why God Made the Radio.  Available at HMV for $17. If his taste runs to something with a slightly harder edge, Rush's Clockwork Angels, also at HMV for $15.

You love Dad, but not his habit of wearing his old running shoes with short socks — even in public. We feel your pain. Kick up Daddy-O’s cool quotient with Sebago’s Triton Three-Eye (about $140) at The Dock Shoppe; Town Shoes; Little Burgundy; Locale; Browns or online at Sebago.

Also worth a look are Wolverine’s Fulcrum GTX ($300) line. These boots have more than rugged  good looks going for them. Waterproof leather uppers with a mesh lining, and a GoreTex membrane make them comfy and breathable.
But here’s the kicker — there’s a removable insole that sits atop a special disc that allows the wearer to customize support. Clever, no?

Does Dad love his coffee? Go all out with De’Longhi’s Gran Dama Avant Espresso Make, which makes perfect latte, cappuccino, Italian macchiato, espresso or plain ole coffee. It’s got touch-screen operation, an on-board grinder, and a plastic jug that stores netaly away in the fridge delivers milk directly into the cup (no fussing with steamer wands).
If the SRP of $3500 is a little too steep, remember that De Longhi has great lower price-point models the one I have does coffee and espresso (space saving) and comes in closer to $250.

Is Father Dear always running late? And do you have a healthy wad of cash burning a hole in your pocket? Tissot’s gorgeous T-Touch II ($950.00) is a stylish solution.
Other models from the same line start at $695.Just the watch to get if Dad’s taste runs to a touch-screen, Swiss-made watch that gives 13 functions, including an altimeter, compass, thermometer and alarm and is water resistant up to 100 metres.Plus, you can get it a funky orange silicone strap, if Dad happens to be a style-meister.  Available at Birks across Canada.

Caveat Emptor. But really.

Bargains hunters love thrift stores and storage auctions. But the CSA Group, a non-profit certification and testing organization, wants buyers to beware before they pounce on that special item. Some, because of age or uncertain history, might be hazardous. To help consumers separate the trash from the treasure, they’re offering the following tips:

Avoid electrical or gas products that don’t have a label from a recognized certification organization such as CSA Group. Check that the certification mark matches with the design and colour of certification marks from the same organization on similar products.

Check wiring and extension cords for wear and damage. In particular, look for worn insulation and splices on the cord and loose or exposed parts on the plug. To avoid shock and fire hazards, have a qualified electrician make any repairs.

Be wary of outdated power tools and building supplies that may not meet current standards or codes. Don’t operate any power tools or equipment without having them inspected.

Avoid used bicycle, hockey or construction helmets. Damage may be hidden, and a helmet that has been in a serious crash may have lost its full protective capabilities.

Check with local regulators to ensure products are safe for use. Some products may have been recalled or even banned for resale in some jurisdictions.

Counterfeit packaging is often poorly designed or has only partial illustrations. Misspellings and unclear printing on products and labels are a tell-tale sign. Check for discrepancies between the contents of the product package and its description, as well as missing product information or enclosures.

Products that don’t include a brand identifier or trademark may be a counterfeit. Look, too, for missing return addresses or company contact information.

Check the look and feel of goods - fake products often seem light and too flimsy.

Confirm CSA Group certification of a product by comparing the product's identification against the certification record.

 Educate yourself about consumer tips and safety advice.

Design DNA does its work

BREAKING NEWS -- Well, okay, maybe not. But it's news to me. Exciting news, in a stop-what-I'm-doing (which, technically speaking, was goofing around) kind of way. Sir James Dyson (a very dear friend of mine - see below) has, apparently, an equally brilliant and handsome son, Jake, who designs spleniforous lighting.

The Motorlight Floorlight  is described as the world's first variable angle uplight, allowing the user to adjust the beam angle between 8 and 60 degrees. As an aluminium wheel at the front of the luminaire rotates, the outer reflector raises and lowers,  increasing and decreasing beam span. Controls on the back of the light allow the angle to be fixed, or set to continually create waves of  light. The CSYS LED task light is a dimmable LED that produces a bright warm white, and its makers claim it will perform for upwards of 37 years. 

Love them both.  Sadly, they're not (yet) sold at any Canadian retail spots. Take a look. Magnificent, no?