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Anyone who knows me knows how much I love my little microplane (the original 8.5 inch).  I also own the coarse grater microplane.  I like this microplane, but not nearly as much as my original.  This design has a few flaws.  The first problem I had with this microplane is the plastic casing that surrounds the blade.  The plastic casing is flimsy and is easy to crack.  With the old microplane you could hold the tip blade against the your cutting board and work, when I used this same technique with the coarse grater I actually cracked the plastic casing in half.  Now my blade is quite flimsy and has a tendency to flex when I use it.  The second problem I have with this grater is the handle.  The handle comes off of the blade and occasionally slips.  I also find when I wash this tool in the dishwasher, if I forget to take the handle off, I have water running down my blade the next time I use it.  The blade is sharp, just like the original.  It grates nicely, but the original design is much better.  Do you own any of the microplane products?  Please leave a comment to tell us what you think 

Recently, Stonewall Kitchen started carrying a new line of Barefoot Contessa products.  I have been meaning to get my hands on a boxed mixed and review it for you.  The price of these boxed mixes is astronomical compared with usual mixes.  Some of these treats can run you $15.00 for the box mix, without the extra butter or heavy cream that you may need.  I purchased the chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting boxed mix, it cost $10.00.  The mix also called for the use of 1 1/2 sticks of butter and some heavy cream.  Making this mix was a lot more complex than typical boxed products.  To start the recipe you need to cream together a stick of butter and a cup of the boxed chocolate cupcake mix.  This process involves a stand mixer or a hand mixer.  And then you add the rest of the mix and some water.  The frosting is pretty easy to make.  There are two packets - one with peanut butter and one with confectioner’s sugar.  You basically mix the packets with 1/2 a stick of butter and 4 Tbs. of heavy cream.

So how did it do in the flavor department?  These cupcakes came out nice and moist, the chocolate flavor was pretty rich, but not as rich as devil’s food cake made from scratch.  The peanut butter icing tasted very similar to what you would make at home.  I have to admit the flavor of these cupcakes was much closer to those made from scratch than any other boxed mixed I have tried.  But I think many people buy boxed mixed for two reasons - convenience and cost.  These cupcakes were a whopping $1.17 a piece (if you factor in the butter and heavy cream to the cost).  That seems like quite a lot, considering normal boxed mixes cost $1.50 per box (not cupcake).  The process of making these cupcakes took more time than the standard box mix.  Flavor = great!  Value for your dollar = not so great!  I leave it up to you if you want to give these boxed mixes a try, I know the flavor won’t disappoint you. 

 You can file this one under the “I would do anything for you, my readers” category.  This weekend I decided I would start doing a showdown with foods for my blog.  I started with ice cream, seems like a logical place to start to me.  If you need me to eat two cartons of frozen treats, then I am definitely here for you.  This is going to be similar to the Food TV face-off.  I take two products that are the same (example - balsamic vinegar) or similar (example - coffee ice cream vs. coffee frozen yogurt) and compare them for you.  I am not sure if everyone can get their hands on Gifford’s Frozen Yogurt, I know I couldn’t when I lived on the west coast for a year.  I apologize in advance, if you can’t get your hands on Gifford’s Ice Cream and Yogurt, some of their flavors are fabulous.

On to the match up.  The two products were Starbucks Coffee Almond Fudge Ice Cream and Gifford’s Cappuccino Low Fat Frozen Yogurt with Cappuccino pieces.  I know there is a huge group of people who hate Starbucks.  I have to say I am not a huge fan of Starbucks regular coffee, but do enjoy their fancier drinks, although that has nothing to do with today’s challenge.  I apologize if you hate Starbucks, but maybe next week I will try something you like so stay tuned.  Now on to the challenge.

The Starbucks brand had a smooth, creamy texture with a strong coffee flavor.  The chocolate covered almond pieces are divine.  I love ice creams with things to pick out.  The coffee flavor was rich and delicious and not in any way overpowering.    Now for the Gifford’s brand.  I have to say this is a frozen yogurt and I often find the texture is pretty different between frozen yogurt and ice cream.  I would dare say if you gave this to someone without telling them it was frozen yogurt they would say it was ice cream.  The Gifford’s product did not have as strong a coffee flavor and what it did have for coffee flavor tasted more artificial.  I am not sure what it was exactly, but there is a funny backnote to this frozen yogurt.  The texture was decent and there were chunks of cappuccino candy, but not very big chunks.(I would call them crumbles)  I would say for those watching their calories this may be a nice little treat every now and again.  While the flavor was not as good as the Starbucks, it was still a pretty good product.  The calorie savings between the two was substantial.  The Gifford’s came in at 110 calories per 1/2 cup and the Starbucks came in at 250 calories per 1/2 cup.  The difference in fat was nothing short of amazing - Gifford’s came in at 1.5 g total fat with 1 g saturated, while Starbucks came in at 13 g total fat with 7 g saturated fat.  So, I leave it to you to decide if you want to be good and eat the Gifford’s or if you want to walk on the dark side and eat the Starbucks. (I would highly recommend walking on the dark side every now and again.)

This weekend I decided to pick up a lime press and give it a try.  I wondered if this little tool would work better than my trusty old reamer.  Here are a few photos of me using the product. 

The first thing I would like to mention about the lime press is my lime was too large for the opening.  The way this tool works is you cut a lime in half and insert it cut side down into the press.  I tried to cram the lime in to place, but to no avail, it was still too large for the tiny little opening.  I finally decided to cut off a little piece of the lime and the press worked fine.  The design is very simple to use, but the pressure needed to squeeze the fruit is a lot more than one would expect.  You can see from the photos, in order to extract the most juice I really had to give a good two handed squeeze.  They also make these little presses from oranges and lemons, they promise no seeds and I didn’t see any seeds in my juice (although, I don’t often see anything but little seeds in my juice for limes).  This method is also suppose to extract the essential oils from the skin of the citrus fruit, I can’t really attest to that.  I thought it might be interesting to see if this method produced more juice than my trusty reamer.  I found that although a very small difference the old reamer beat out the press.  Here’s a photo.  The reamer is the glass on the left and the press is on the right. 

Overall, I would say that while this tool does what it promises, I still prefer my handy little reamer.  Sure, I still have to deal with seeds when I juice, but there’s something to be said for simplicity.  My old reamer is a classic for a reason.

If you know the motto of Stonewall Kitchen, then you know a little bit about their history.  Their tagline is jamming since 1991.  They, Jim Stott and Jon King, started what is now Stonewall Kitchen by selling jams at a local farmer’s market.  And fortunately for us the rest is history.  I must say, they know their jams.  My first taste of the Stonewall Kitchen line was the blueberry jam and I have been one of their patrons ever since.  The preserves that Stonewall Kitchen sells are spectacular to say the least.  The Wild Maine Blueberry Jam is rich in Maine blueberries without the syrupy sweet taste of most commerical jams.  The jam really highlights the fruit and that is why it is so good.  The Raspberry Jam is equally delicious with a slightly tart backnote.  I can’t say I have tried one of their preserves and not enjoyed it.  Recently, they introduced marmalades.  These marmalades have thick chunks of zest throughout.  The flavor is a perfect balance of sweet and tart.  I can’t say enough good about the Three Citrus Maramalade.  If you were lucky enough to have a grandma who made jams then you will find a definite familiarity with the Stonewall Kitchen line. 

Want to check out the extensive list of preserves Stonewall Kitchen sells then check them out at this link http://www.stonewallkitchen.com/navsubdepartment.aspx?L0=SpecialtyFoods&L1=Preserves.  Happy Jamming!

As you all know I can’t get enough information about food - thoughts about food consume my day - what I am going to have for dinner, what new recipe should I try, should I get that new kitchen gadget.  In the spirit of thinking about food, I subscribe to number of food and home magazines.  I enjoy each of them for different reasons.  If you only want to pick one there are so many choices, let me give you a run down of some of the major ones and maybe help make your choice a little easier.  Three of the biggies that I subscribe to are Gourmet, Bon Appetit, and Cooking Light.  

Let’s start with Gourmet.  I have to admit if there were such a  thing as food porn, this would be it. The pages of this magazine are filled with beautiful upclose shots of some of the fanciest food you will ever eat.  I love Gourmet for giving me a peak into a world I know I will never afford.  The articles are filled with fancy gadgets, great destinations, and expensive ingredients.  For example in the January issue the grocer’s corner on page 50 has an $89.99 bottle of balsamic vinegar, granted it probably is one phenomenal tasty vinegar, but who has $90 to drop on a bottle of vinegar.  Considering the bottle is only 100-ml, that’s like 90 cents a ml!  Now let’s talk recipes - the recipes can run the gamut from simple earthy things to very fancy and rich things.  I think some the recipes are an excellent way for people to try ingredients they may never have tried before, but sometimes those ingredients haven’t been tried because they cost so much.  Gourmet magazine - is just that a gourmet look at the world of food.  If you just want a peak like me then this magazine may work for you.  If you are looking for a magazine that will give you recipes you use everyday Gourmet may not be your best choice. 

Gourmet’s less fancy sister is Bon Appetit.  I will tell you from the start this is my favorite of the foodie magazines.  I anxiously await it’s arrival each month.  Bon Appetit tries to do many of the things that Gourmet does on a simpler scale.  Each month the desserts are fabulous, I love trying them.  The product guides cater to what is new in the world of food, but for the most part, at a price you can afford.  That’s not to say they don’t through in a few splurge items.  They have great recipes, that at-home cooks can actually use.  Their readers favorite restaurant recipes is an excellent section to get recipes from all around the country.  I think Bon Appetit packs a lot of punch for the buck. 

Cooking Light the third of the triumvirate, is an excellent healthier choice.  I love the layout of Cooking Light, it’s not only a food magazine, but a lifestyle magazine.  Each month Cooking Light includes sections on health and fitness.  I think this is an excellent choice for those looking to start the New Year off right.  My favorite section in this magazine is the cooking class section.  This section takes a look at a special ingredient or technique and explains it step by step to readers.  I think this is a great tool for those learning how to cook.  Not only do they teach you about the ingredient or technique, but they give you recipes to utilize them.  I think this magazine is overall an excellent choice.  Don’t we all need to learn about a more healthy lifestyle?

Earlier today I posted an article on chocolates, that article was more about baking chocolate.  Let’s revisit chocolate - eating chocolate.  The three types that I am reviewing are Ghirardelli, Godiva, and Lindt.  I love chocolate and especially love trying all different kinds. 

Ghirardelli sells a bunch of different filled chocolates.  One of the types I love is the dark chocolate/mint filled.  These chocolates are like the classic Junior Mint, but so much better!  The mint flavoring is just right, not overpowering, but definitely strong enough.  The dark chocolate is a lot smoother than Ghirardelli’s baking variety, no burnt taste in the background.  I also love the milk chocolate/carmel filled variety.  The carmel is rich and gooey. 

Godiva - where to start!  I love a lot of their chocolates.  I really love carmels and they make many varieties.  One of the ones I recommend highly is the carmel raspberry dark chocolate!  They are a must try.  The dark chocolate is intense with a strong, yet not overpowering raspberry filling.  They also make an excellent dark chocolate/mint filled.  The mint in these chocolates is less Junior Mint like and has a more spearmint flavor.  The price of Godiva can be a little intimidating, but for a splurge every now and again, well worth the cost.

The final chocolate I am reviewing is Lindt.  Lindt makes a number of truffle types.  I really enjoy the dark chocolate/raspberry.(As you can see I really like dark chocolate and think raspberry compliments it well)  Another truffle I love is the fancier variety they sell in the dark chocolate/orange.  These truffles are dusted in cocoa powder.  The flavor is rich and intense.  I have loved all the truffles that I have tried through Lindt.  I like to put my chocolates in the freezer and they are excellent with a good cup of tea.  The prices are much better than Godiva - at only $6.99 - $9.99 a bag. 

So do you have a chocolate variety you would like to share with the rest of us?  Please leave a comment.

Anyone who bakes is always looking for good quality products at a good price, unfortunately chocolate usually is not in this category.  Over the years I have tried many types of chocolate all the way from Tollhouse chips to E. Guittard.  I will have to say in advance that I love dark chocolate, I am much less interested in semi and milk chocolate, but I do use them in baking.  I find with semi sweet chocolate the stuff you can get in any grocery store isn’t too bad, just be careful to look at the chocolate and make sure it doesn’t have a dried out look to it.  You can never tell how long it’s been on the shelf. 

On the quest for great dark chocolate I tried many kinds including Santander, Ghirardelli, and E. Guittard.  Santander - The first thing I would like to note here is the extremely cheap price in comparison to other fine chocolates.  I really enjoyed the Santander.  The flavor is strong and smooth without and aftertaste.  Ghirardelli is one of the more famous lower end fancy chocolates.  I found the dark chocolate to have a good flavor, but what seemed to be a slightly burnt aftertaste.  In my baking the Ghirardelli performed well, the burnt taste didn’t carry over as much as when you eat it straight up, maybe the other flavors balanced it out.  Overall it is a decent chocolate.  The last major chocolate producer that I tried was the E. Guittard.  The E. Guittard had a nice flavor, but to be honest, it wasn’t any better than the much cheaper Santander.  The E. Guittard melts well and is a nice balance in finished dishes, but it you are looking to save a few bucks, try the Santander. 

Have any favorite chocolates - please leave us a comment, so we can check it out!

I thought it might be interesting to do a review of the boxed mixes that Stonewall Kitchen sells.  I have used many of the different mixes they have with pretty good results.  Probably my favorite is the plain pancake and waffle mix.  My husband is nuts over waffles and he absolutely loves the Stonewall Kitchen brand.  The mix makes equally good pancakes and waffles.  The mix is simple to use and produces a nice airy texture, especially in the waffles.  This is great to have on hand if you want to get breakfast done quickly.  All you need are eggs, milk, and a little butter to whip up an great batch of pancakes.  If you aren’t into the plain variety they also sell blueberry, apple cinnamon, pumpkin (tasty! my favorite), potato, and chocolate.  A flavor for every taste!

The boxed mixes have been real hit or miss for me.  I absolutely love the quick and easy mixes they make for biscuits and scones.  The texture is very similar to made from scratch and the flavor is equally delicious.  The boxed breads are another story for me.  I am not saying they aren’t good, but I love to make my own at home quick breads and I find the quality of the boxed variety is not as good as the ones I can make at home.  This is not to say that this mixes aren’t good if you just are too busy to make your own.  I find the texture to be drier and the spice mixtures taste a little off to me, but what can you expect from a box.  This box mixes definitely out perform the ones you can buy at the grocery store. 

Overall, I would recommend Stonewall Kitchen boxed mixes for those under a time crunch.  I would recommend the scone,biscuit, and pancake mixes even for those not under a time crunch. 

More Stonewall Kitchen reviews to come, in the meantime, feel free to check many of their excellent products at www.stonewallkitchen.com.