Send questions and responses to LindaCiceroCooks@aol.com or Food, Miami Herald, 3511 NW 91st Ave., Doral, FL 33172. Replies cannot be guaranteed.
My annual list of holiday gifts from the hearth gets its inspiration from this year’s tropical colors splashing utilitarian white or soulless stainless kitchenware with Miami sunset hues.
— Tovolo has a whole line of silicone spatulas that are beautiful works of art. The Spatulart series comes in lots of cool colors, but the turquoise hibiscus, with etched wood handle, is my favorite. It is heat-resistant up to 600 degrees, BPA-free and fine to throw in the dishwasher.
Find it at various department stores and kitchen retailers, including everythingkitchens.com. About $8.50.
— I love the double-walled design and steam-vented lid on the Joseph Joseph M-Cuisine cool-touch dish that not only keeps splatters from coating your microwave, but keeps the exterior cool so you don’t need to fumble with potholders. The British kitchen brand known for clever cooking gear put this out in a non-stodgy orange. Perfect for storing and reheating leftovers and take-out.
About $12 for the dish or a companion bowl at josephjoseph.com.
— My old brown crockpot made its way to the charity bin ages ago. But when I saw this South Beach turquoise version from Black & Decker I actually wanted it on my counter, ready to inspire slow cooking. It comes in a turquoise wave perfect for mid-century modern enthusiasts, has three settings and a 7-quart capacity that will handle a crowd. The stoneware insert can pop in the dishwasher.
About $50 at department stores and online retailers such as Wal-Mart, Sears and Amazon.
— Bialetti’s Illuminate 10-inch sauté pans were created to publicize and fund worthy causes and the charities that support them, with 10 percent of all sales going to each pan’s designated cause. Illuminate Pink supports the National Breast Cancer Bialetti’s Sapphire Foundation; Illuminate Blue, supports Autism Speaks; and Illuminate Yellow supports clean water projects through charity:water. Illuminate’s coating is nontoxic by being PTFE-free and PFOA-free, and is eco-friendly because the coating is applied at a low temperature, leading to a lower emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Available at bialetti.com or amazon.com for about $30.
— Neoflam’s Retro cookware is a throwback to a classic style (your mom probably had one pretty similar, but in plain aluminum, by Guardian or Wagner Ware), but this comes in a fresh and trendy mint blue or gray. I love the look and the coated interior, and that it is much lighter than my cast-iron cookware. You do have to be careful and not use metal spoons or whisks; alas, the construction of the top means you can’t pop it in the oven. There are various items in the line, but I like the size and looks of this 3-quart stockpot.
Available at online retailers such as Houzz and Amazon for about $55.
— Bobble’s Infuse is a sleek, BPA-free water bottle with a carbon filter so you can fill it up anywhere. You can use the cage to add fruit or vegetables to the bottle so they don’t flow back into the nozzle. Available in six colors (poppy, sugar plum, citron, surf, peacock and fern). A wonderful way to break away from single-use water bottles. I use mine to add Key limes for a change of taste.
About $15 at waterbobble.com.
— Vividly colored and cushy-soft bottle stoppers from Rabbit are easy to push into an opened bottle of wine, olive oil or fancy vinegar, and the seal is airtight. They can be used again and again and fit all bottle sizes. With four in the package you can give them as gifts or personalize the bottle you take to a party.
About $8 at rabbitwine.com.
— Love, love, love the new Recap lids for Mason jars, with a pouring spout so you can use them for everything from no-spill on-the-go beverages to storing pantry items like rice or cereal to refrigerating homemade salad dressings. Best of all, they work on every jar I tried them on, including a Classico spaghetti sauce jar, making them very “reduce, reuse and save-the-planet”-friendly. They come in a great array of colors, with a pour spout or a flip-top lid.
About $7 at masonjars.com.
— Movie night will never be boring with a themed popcorn maker from Holstein, which does what theater popcorn makers do in a scaled-down size. It even includes interchangeable plates for the movie marquee top, with a chalkboard you can customize.
About $100 at retailers or holsteinhousewares.com.
About the Author
