Kitchenware News • January 2021

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Vol. 27 • Issue 1 January 2021 • $7.00

Sweet Basil Offers Complete Gourmet Experience

Advertiser Index . . . . . . . . . . . .18

BY LORRIE BAUMANN

Back when I was teaching Girl Scout leaders how to bake English muffin pizzas in a cardboard box or cook eggs and bacon in a paper bag held on a stick over a campfire, I also used to lead singalongs. We’d make s’mores or baked banana boats and sing ditties along the lines of, “All God’s creatures got a place in the choir. Some sing low and some sing higher. Some sing out loud on a telephone wire. Some just clap their hands, or paws, or anything they’ve got.”

Cont. on page 10

Santa Fe Style with Chef Johnny Vee SEE PAGE 6

Salad Sling Dries Greens

Winter Gift Shows Preview

SEE PAGE 8

SEE PAGES 12 & 13

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KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW • JANUARY 2021 • www.kitchenwarenews.com

from the

PUBLISHER Kimberly Oser

editor The other day I read a Washington Post story about a man who misses air travel so much that when he saw a pair of Delta Airlines first class seats on eBay, he bought them. His daughter came home from college to find out that her dad hadn’t been kidding when he’d sent her the picture from the eBay listing and the seats were now in the family’s living room. She made a Tik Tok video of her parents in the seats to celebrate what seemed to her to be the insanity of it, and that went viral; Delta’s CEO saw it and responded with a message congratulating the man on his good taste and offering three free round-trip tickets anywhere he wants to go, as soon as he feels safe to travel again.

I understand how that man feels because I miss travel that much, too. When I bought the house where I’m now imprisoned, I chose it for the empty back yard where I could make a garden. But when I chose the neighborhood to go looking for a house to buy, I chose it because it was halfway between the office where I still have a desk and a computer that are currently collecting dust and Tucson International Airport.

I deeply want to go back to the way of life where it’s helpful to know that the security checkpoints open at 4:30 and the coffee shop on the concourse opens at 5. I want to fly into LaGuardia and find that the terminal construction has completed to the point where they’ve moved the cab stand back in next to baggage claim instead of making us walk out to the parking garage. I want to tell the person monitoring the cab line just, “Midtown.” And then the next day to be tasting food and talking food while I’m being jostled from behind by someone else trying to get a bite of that ham or that jam.

Or fly into SFO and drag my bag down to the long tunnel to the BART station, buy a ticket, board the train, pull the suitcase in close and watch the stations go by. I haven’t been there often enough yet – the roll call of stations we’d pass is on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t quite remember how they go. Why didn’t I write down their names when I had the chance?

And oh heavens, but I miss Chicago and the Eataly counter where I once got a beautiful chunk of Rogue River Blue Owner’s Reserve. On sale!

But for all that, I’m not going to be putting airline seats into my living room any time soon – practically every inch of space that wasn’t occupied by furniture a year ago has now been converted into a pantry, and I do not have the space for them. I’m just going to have to wait and hope that world’s still out there waiting for me when the pandemic has passed.

Thank you, thank you, thank you all for being the folks who share those memories with me. I look forward to seeing you when it’s safe to board a plane to take me to the places I want to go again to meet the people that I desperately want to see again.

Bless you all and stay safe! KN — Lorrie Baumann Editorial Director

SR. ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Jules Denton-Card jules_d@oser.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Lorrie Baumann editor@oser.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Anthony Socci anthony_s@oser.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jeanie Catron jeanie_c@oser.com ART DIRECTOR Yasmine Brown CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER Susan Stein customerservice@oser.com CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Tara Neal CIRCULATION MANAGER Jamie Green jamie_g@oser.com ADVERTISING SALES Joe Bellon Keli Carpenter Alisha Dicochea Deborah Yarbrough EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Heather Albrecht heather_a@oser.com

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KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW • JANUARY 2021 • www.kitchenwarenews.com

Las Cosas

Rides the Wave of

Pandemic Shutdowns

BY LORRIE BAUMANN

Like retailers across the country, Karen and Mike Walker, the owners of Las Cosas Kitchen Shoppe in Santa Fe, New Mexico, are struggling to survive the COVID-19 that has swept the country.

New Mexico saw its first presumptive positive COVID-19 test results on March 16 and its first recorded death from COVID-19 on March 22. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced the first shutdown order on March 19 and then expanded that into a statewide stayat-home order on March 23. “In March, we couldn’t even do curbside for almost a month and a half because of the stayhome order,” Karen said. “We were just trying to do anything we could to keep it going.”

Fortunately, the Walkers had already begun upgrading their website in November. “We didn’t get it finished until July,” Mike said. “Our old website was better than nothing, but upgrading it and adding curbside pickup in the summer has made a huge difference in remaining accessible to our customers.”

Since then, the state has seen a tide of restrictive orders responding to a growing death count, then a cautious reopening that began in May as the state began allowing non-essential businesses to reopen for curbside pickup and delivery operations.

The Walkers welcomed the opportunity to take orders on their website and deliver

them at the curb despite the obvious disadvantages. “People still prefer to come in – the unplanned purchases happen when people come in and see different items.

You don’t get that kind of shopping when people are shopping online,” Karen said.

“When they go to the web, they’re more focused and they’re looking for a particular thing,” Mike elaborated. “When they’re in the store, they’ll browse and find things.

You don’t do that on the web.”

The governor issued a statewide mask mandate on May 15 as the state had 5,662 COVID cases and allowed retailers to open at 25 percent capacity. Restaurants were allowed to re-open their dining rooms to 50 percent capacity on May 28. Indoor malls were allowed to re-open at 25 percent capacity on the same day.

Las Cosas was certified in COVID-19 safe practices by the state after taking the state’s online training courses. The store only allows five to eight people at a time inside their 6,000 square-foot store to keep everyone safe, even though 25 percent of fire capacity is much higher. Once the doors reopened, customers rushed into Las Cosas to buy the JURA coffeemakers they’d been eyeing online but hadn’t wanted to purchase until they could touch the machines in person.

Then on June 25, Governor Grisham put the state’s reopening on hold as case rates spiked. Indoor dining at restaurants was banned again on July 13, and in August, New Mexico’s schools began

announcing plans to educate students while keeping them out of their classrooms as much as possible.

Then on November 13, amid dramatically escalating strain on hospitals and other health care facilities throughout the state, the state entered into its second shutdown.

Governor Grisham ordered inperson services closed for all non-essential activities through November 30. A few days later, the order was clarified to allow retail establishments to offer curbside pickup and delivery only.

“They were really strict. We actually had a policeman camping out outside our mall doors,” said Mike Walker. “It was a $5,000 fine if you let anyone in the store.”

With no customers allowed in the store, Las Cosas concentrated on social media outreach and email blasts. “You know it works because immediately we get all these web orders,” Karen said. “People are wanting to upgrade their cookware.”

“I think everybody said, ‘If I’m going to cook at home, I’m going to do it right,’” Mike added.

Having the store closed during Black Friday and Small Business Saturday dealt a fresh blow to a business that had been well on its way to recovering from the losses sustained during the earlier six-week

shutdown, so although Mike and Karen are nervous about their store’s ability to survive the coronavirus, they’re encouraged by the loyalty and support they’ve seen from their customers throughout the pandemic. “We feel that, going forward, as long as the state can keep the COVID numbers in control, we will be fine,” Mike said. “This was a horrible time to be closed, but people’s lives are more important than the dollars.

Business has been strong since we have reopened.”

Sales of food processors, bread machines, toaster ovens and Demeyere cookware have all been strong since Las Cosas was re-opened on December 2. JURA sales are also up for the year, despite the shutdowns. “People want to upgrade their cookware. We’re seeing a lot of cookware sales – and knives,” Karen said. “A lot of people have come in and said they had no idea how bad their knives were.”

“Santa Fe really does support local business. That helps us a lot. We have customers who’ve been with us for over 20 years,” she added. “We think moving forward in January, February, we’ll still see active limitations. We’ll have to stay conscientious and maintain our COVID safe practices in the store through the next year and continue to maximize our sales in a safe store environment.” KN

Santa Fe Style with

Chef Johnny Vee

BY LORRIE BAUMANN

Home cooks across the country are translating their experience of the COVID-19 pandemic through the food that comes out of their kitchens. In Santa Fe, New Mexico, the language that home cooks are speaking through their food is a dialect that’s also shaped by the region’s history and its ethnic diversity, according to Chef Johnny Vollertsen, who’s been teaching

home cooks how to communicate by cooking for more than 20 years as the instructor at Las Cosas’ cooking school.

Vollertsen, known as Chef Johnny Vee to the students who take his classes in how to prepare the tamales, chile verde and sopaipillas that they enjoyed at Santa Fe’s restaurants during pre-pandemic times, was raised in upstate New York and got his early culinary training there.

After he’d completed culinary school at

a community college, he decided to extend his education with a course in hotel management, where he discovered that the coursework was more about business management than about interacting with the guests. He opted out after a year to go find a New York City kitchen where he could get hands-on training to build on the skills he’d learned in culinary school.

He worked his way through the ranks until he’d put himself into position to receive a job offer from an Australian group that wanted to open an American-style restaurant in Sydney.

The restaurant developers thought Australians could embrace New Orleans’ Cajun cuisine, so they sent Vollertsen to New Orleans to learn that style of cooking.

After that restaurant became a success, they asked Vollertsen what he thought they should do next. By then, it was 1988.

Vollertsen had been taking note of Australians’ love of “Urban Cowboy,” which is set in Texas, and that suggested to him that Australians would also be interested in cowboy-style food. He was off to Santa Fe, New Mexico, to learn about Southwestern regional cuisine.

When he went back to Australia, the restaurant group opened a restaurant in Sydney that they called the Arizona Bar & Grill. “We ended up with six of them at one point,” Vollertsen said. Chefs for the Arizona Bar & Grills were imported Cont. on page 10

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KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW • JANUARY 2021 • www.kitchenwarenews.com

Salad Sling

Dries Greens

BY LORRIE BAUMANN

The Salad Sling is an idea that was born in Jill Visit’s kitchen during a day when the creative director had come home from her full-time job with Whole Foods and was rushing to get a meal for her two children on the table. Salad was on the menu, but Visit’s salad spinner was stored on top of her kitchen cabinet because it was too big to find a home anywhere else.

Visit didn’t feel like getting it down from its shelf, so she simply washed her greens, wrapped them up in a kitchen towel and whirled it around a few times. “It would make a giant mess all over the kitchen – but it worked,” she said. “I thought maybe there was an idea.”

She did some research to find out if anyone else had invented any version of her idea – a fabric tool to dry salad greens – and found that no one had.

At least, if anyone else had tried drying salad greens wrapped in a towel with centrifugal force, no one had patented the idea.

She began to experiment with different fabrics for her idea, looking for one that would dry her greens without making a mess in her kitchen. “I got serious about it, applied for a patent and found a manufacturer,” she said.

The Salad Sling launched into the American market in 2019, and Visit is planning to bring it to The Inspired Home Show in 2021. It’s made from two layers of cotton microfiber fabric sandwiching a

waterproof layer. “I tried tons of other fabrics, and nothing beat the microfiber for its absorbency,” Visit said. The waterproof layer forms a barrier that keeps the water from the salad greens from spattering the kitchen or dining room. It’s used by wrapping it around the wet greens and then twirling for just a couple of minutes.

Afterwards, it’s just hung up to dry from a loop on its side.

Children particularly enjoy getting

to do the twirling, according to Visit, and the Salad Sling will also be appreciated by people who don’t have enough storage space in their kitchens to house a rigid plastic salad greens dryer. “People like it because it’s a simple idea. It’s not techy; it’s not a complicated gadget,” she said.

Gardeners who like to harvest their greens directly from their gardens and give them a quick wash before sending them

to the table are also likely customers for the Salad Sling, she added. “A lot of people buy prewashed salads, but a lot of people don’t want that,” she said. “There are lots of different groups that find it appealing.”

Salad Sling is machine washable, and it

can be tumble-dried on low heat. It’s available only in a bright green color, but Visit is toying with the idea that she may offer it in other colors and perhaps also in a smaller size in the future. “In thinking about the product, I wanted to be really clear what it was at a glance on the shelf,” she said. “I felt that the color would create an association with lettuce and greens right away.”

The Salad Sling is packaged for sale with a simple belly band to retail for $19.99. It’s manufactured in China and ships from Austin, Texas.

For more information, visit www.saladsling.com. KN

a tabletop line inspired by the

Mystery Moon of the

Villeroy & Boch’s newest collection, NewMoon, was inspired by astrology and reflects a current design trend that’s being reflected across the fashion, food and interior design industries. The NewMoon collection features a bold and unique crescent-shape, asymmetrical design that mimics the phases of the moon. The shiny, glazed premium porcelain offers a simple and simultaneously eye-catching design.

The NewMoon collection includes six different plates, coffee cups, espresso cups and mugs, with and without handles, and matching saucers. There are also six bowls,

from small dip bowls to large salad bowls, all of which can be used for various purposes and stacking. A large, round serving plate completes the assortment and sets the scene for a gorgeous tablescape.

The collection also features high-quality stainless-steel cutlery with a surprisingly innovative and ergonomic shape. The triangular shape of the back side was designed to fit perfectly in your hand and is suitable for left- or right-handed users.

The cutlery collection includes spoons, coffee spoons, dinner knives, forks, cake servers, espresso spoons, serving spoons and salad servers. The five-piece set

includes a soup spoon, coffee spoon, dinner knife, fork and dessert fork.

The stemmed crystal glassware is available in white wine glasses, red wine glasses, champagne flutes and a variety of high tumblers, all of which have a noticeably beveled rim to complete the exquisite table setting and add a wow factor.

The ceramic pieces are made from premium porcelain, and they’re safe in dishwashers and microwave ovens. Cutlery pieces are made from stainless steel, and the glassware is made from crystal glass that’s also dishwasher-safe. KN

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SWEET BASIL Continued from page 1 At Sweet Basil Gourmetware, Cooking School & Market Cafe in Scottsdale, Arizona, cooking is like one of those singalongs, with everybody having a place in the kitchen, whether they think they already have a culinary voice or not. Scottsdale is an upscale suburb in the Phoenix metropolitan area, and the choir leader there at Sweet Basil is Martie Sullivan, co-Owner of the 3,900 square foot store she founded in 1993 along with her husband, John Sullivan. “We are wanting to be, for this community, the go-to place for a total gourmet experience,” she said. “The goal has always been to be the resource for people who like to cook and entertain.”

Sweet Basil’s customers are generally enthusiastic about food, although not necessarily sure about how to put that enthusiasm into practice in their own kitchens. They’re well-educated and welltraveled. They’re interested in using food as a vehicle for reproducing the memories of

their travel experiences for themselves and their friends or for feeding their dreams about where they’ll go when they’re free to travel

CHEF JOHNNY VEE Continued from page 6 from Santa Fe. It all made sense at the time.

“Aussies were fascinated,” Vollertsen said. “We did fajitas and chile con queso that they loved.”

Eight years in, he decided it was time to come back to the United States, and he decided that Santa Fe was where he wanted to land. “When I got here, it was just sort of when the trend started that kitchen stores were adding cooking schools,” he said.

He was waiting tables in a local restaurant when Karen and Mike Walker came in for a meal, and one of his colleagues pointed them out to him. “They were such foodies. That was when they were planning the store,” Vollertsen said.

“I guess I gave them my card. They said, ‘Yeah, come and talk to us.’”

Vollertsen urged the couple to include a full classroom kitchen in their store, and when all was said and done, he’d agreed to come and manage a cooking school there. That was 21 years ago.

The school operates as an independent enterprise, with Vollertsen and the Walkers consulting with each other to coordinate

KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW • JANUARY 2021 • www.kitchenwarenews.com

again.

In addition to its kitchenware retail store and its cooking school, Sweet Basil is also home to the Sweet Basil Cafe, which is open for lunch Monday through Friday and offers take-out for dinner. The menu includes salads and specialties like fish tacos, crepes and fresh soups. “We make our desserts,” Sullivan said.

“The customer for the cafe tends to be people who work in the area, those living in the area or ladies who lunch.”

Customers for the cooking school classes have very wide-ranging interests. “They may want to learn about world street foods, or they might want to learn how to cook a chicken,” Sullivan said. Three times a year, Sweet Basil offers a 12-week class in basic cooking techniques for culinary novices, and many of the students come back for multiple classes. “It’s interesting to see customers who take a class or two get inspired and come back and back and back,” Sullivan said. “What tends to happen is that a group will take a bunch of classes, learn a lot, and then a new group of customers will come in.”

Her store’s kitchen includes three ovens, an electric stovetop and gas stovetop, stand mixers and all countertop appliances that are found on the store’s sales floor, so that customers involved in a class can try their hands with equipment that they’re familiar with or with equipment they’ve been fantasizing about for their next kitchen or their holiday gift list.

While the class schedule at Sweet Basil Gourmet was, perforce, trimmed in honor of COVID-19 restrictions, the store was still able to offer about six to eight classes a week, varying from a 12-week hands-on class in cooking basics and live couple’s nights with a three-course menu to

short virtual sessions demonstrating how to prepare a Thai menu. Teachers for the classes are recruited as much for their teaching ability and communication skills as for their culinary skills, although they’re all professionally trained, and the shop’s inventory is coordinated with the class content, so that a student who comes to revive the memories of her trip to Valencia with a class on how to make a paella will be able to buy the paella pan on her way out of the store afterwards.

“We try to keep it fresh and alive so that if you’ve taken a class on pasta, you can come back a year later and see something different,” Sullivan said. “Menus and recipes are fresh and going with what’s current and what people are seeing in magazines and in the cookbooks that they’re seeing.” offer “We fundamental classes, a sauces class, a grilling class and then have a whole bunch of cuisines,” she added. “We do a fair amount of baking classes and a couple of kids and parents classes. We really explore cuisines from around the U.S. There’s a lot of interest in Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines, so we do a fair number of that.”

The store’s calendar also includes a lot of kids’ birthday parties, anniversary parties and corporate team building events. The most popular corporate event is a Gourmet Challenge. For this event, the group is divided into teams that are each provided with a market basket full of ingredients that will generally include either a steak or some sort or a chicken along with several vegetables to make an appetizer, entree, a starch dish, a vegetable dish and a dessert.

“It’s something that we’ve come up with so

that we have enough of everything for each team,” Sullivan said. “For our classes, we have a shopper who does all the shopping for all the classes.”

Each team works together to come up with what they’re going to make from those ingredients, execute their menu and then have their result judged. They’re allowed to ask questions of the chef who’s leading the class. “Every time we do it, the teams come away and they have had such a good time,” Sullivan said. “They have really had to stretch their imaginations and their expertise.”

As has been the case elsewhere during the pandemic, baking has become very popular in Scottsdale, and that’s reflected in Sweet Basil’s class schedule as well.

For a holiday class, cookie students were divided into teams of two, with each team making two cookie recipes from premeasured ingredients. At the end of the class, everyone took home 16 to 18 cookies from each of 10 different recipes. “By the end of this class, you’ve got cookies for all the gift-giving you might need and all you want to eat as well,” Sullivan said.

Birthday cakes, Bundt cakes, and desserts of all kinds have also been popular topics.

“Bread is only part of it,” Sullivan said. “What we’re really seeing is people used to going out frequently are doing it less often, so they’re cooking at home. They’re doing cakes for special occasions and desserts for special occasions. I’m seeing people get tired of takeout.” KN

the cookware and the ingredients that Las Cosas offers for sale and the menus that Vollertsen wanted to teach his students to prepare. “By then I had a good background in New Mexico regional cuisine and could easily see what types of equipment people needed,” he said. He plunged into teaching his students how to make soups and stews that melded the corn and beans of New Mexico’s indigenous culture, the chiles that are thought to have been introduced to the area in 1598 when the conquistador Don Juan Oñate brought crops from Mexico, including chiles, that had never been grown in the region before and the pork and chicken imported by early Mexican and American colonists. “My favorite class to teach is New Mexico favorites. Chiles can be a study in itself,” he said. “We usually make a red chile dish and a green chile dish to let people know that chiles aren’t all hot. You don’t have to be afraid to try different heat levels.”

All of those ethnic influences are still strong in a multicultural population in which those who can’t claim Latin descent are outnumbered by those who do.

Vollertsen taught them that while their ingredients for a chile verde might be unique to the Southwestern U.S., preparation of the dish relies on universal

techniques echoed in Mediterranean cuisines, and his students have explored those with Italian braised dishes and Moroccan tagines – all cuisines that, like New Mexico’s native cuisine, reflect a long tradition of home cooking shared with family and friends rather than the studied elegance of haute cuisine.

While it’s possible to be a good cook with nothing more than a cutting board and one good knife – Vollertsen likes the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Pro Chef ’s Knives and John Boos cutting boards – having quality cookware just makes it all easier, even with a comparatively simple recipe, Vollertsen tells his students. “We want people to realize that with better cookware, it is easier to be a better cook,” he said.

“But I give them options and say that if you’ve got your grandmother’s cast iron skillet, that works, too.”

Even the homey recipes benefited from an investment in quality cookware, Vollertsen told them. “I would be getting people to be making their pinto beans in a $300 Le Creuset pot, and they would recognize that the culinary quality makes a difference,” he said.

“I love to teach ethnic cooking because there’s so much to learn about the ingredients,” he added. “I do a lot of Thai

classes. Paella class is very popular. We brought in the rice, the chorizo and the saffron. We have that here so people can use it. Smoked paprika is so fabulous. We used to have to go to a restaurant to have it, but it’s a one-dish wonder.” He advises students that a $30 paella pan will work, but a better-quality pan will produce a better result. “If they’re really interested, the $200 Mauviel is amazing,” he said.

Vollertsen also offers frequent classes to teach students how a pressure cooker can help them adjust their cooking to Santa Fe’s 7,000-foot altitude. That’s a piece of equipment that students are often wary of and much more likely to purchase after they’ve had a chance to try their hands with it under the guidance of a teacher who can pass on his confidence in the safety of modern pressure cookers, Vollertsen said. “They trust that you are being honest with them about telling them that this is a good gadget to get,” he said. “By demonstrating something, you realize the power of showing people how to use something.

People like to see it live. You could watch a video on how to use a pressure cooker, but seeing someone actually do it can really encourage people and make them feel confident.” KN

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KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW • JANUARY 2021 • www.kitchenwarenews.com

preview winter gift shows HomArt Pierson Urn

HomArt is bringing its Pierson Urn to showrooms across the country this winter.

Made of cast aluminum, it’s a classic shaped urn with a modern flair. Its possibilities are endless: it can be massed with flowers to make a centerpiece for the table, filled with wine bottles on ice or piled with fruit.

Cast from aluminum with a polished nickel finish, it’s 13.25 inches high, and it’ll require a 22.5-inch by 18-inch footprint. The minimum advertised retail price is $216.

Minimum order is one, but a discount is provided for an order of four.

See it on the 10th floor of Building 2 at Atlanta Market, on the 10th floor of Building C at Las Vegas Market, in the Goetz showroom at Dallas Market and in the Fine Lines showroom at Los Angeles.

For more information, call 888.346.6278, email service@homart.com or go to www.homart.com.

Coffee Brings Life into Focus

This is a remarkable and accurate reproduction of a genuine camera lens with just one big difference – it’s actually a high-quality coffee mug. For shutterbugs and coffee lovers alike, this mug from Original Source features a stainless-steel liner and fun camera details. It’s available from Gifts of Nature, which will be exhibiting it on the eighth floor of Building C at Las Vegas Market this winter. Otherwise, call Gifts of Nature at 800.733.7783, email info@gonreps.com or visit www.giftsofnaturethestore.com.

Indie Boho Printed Towel

A beautiful floral print towel from Split-P will add life and character to the kitchen with a fun and colorful design; a perfect combination of form and function is met with this towel. Made from absorbent and durable 100 percent cotton, this towel is part of a full tabletop assortment. See it this winter in Las Vegas, call 800.326.3382 or visit www.parkdesigns.net.

CASA STONE Oven-to-Table Bakeware

CASAFINA will be exhibiting its CASA STONE collection this year at Atlanta Market. This new bakeware collection in fine stoneware imported from Portugal is designed to make everyday moments joyful. The size and depth of the pans are perfect for lasagna, casseroles, roasted meats and vegetables. Also wonderful for baked desserts, the pans transition beautifully from oven to table. They’re offered in White, Black, Emperor Red, Aqua and Pistachio.

If Atlanta isn’t on your itinerary this winter, email Matt Hullfish at matt@casafinagifts.com or visit www.casafinagifts.com.

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www.kitchenwarenews.com • JANUARY 2021 • KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW

A Towel with a Dry Wit

Let your kitchen towels do the talking!

From Lunar Designs, this towel exclaims, “I’d agree with you, but then we’d both be wrong,” and features the wild and whimsical art of Linda Drake. This towel is truly a fabulous way to bring a little bit of spice to your kitchen. It’s available from Gifts of Nature, which will be exhibiting it on the eighth floor of Building C at Las Vegas Market this winter.

Otherwise, call Gifts of Nature at 800.733.7783, email info@gonreps.com or visit www.giftsofnaturethestore.com.

Melamine Serveware from Tablecraft

Tablecraft combines the beauty of hand-thrown ceramics with the durability and ease of melamine in its exclusively designed Pulito Collection™. Featuring the effortless, clean look of porcelain that will be a welcome addition to any table, indoors or out, the collection includes multiple service items and can be seen on the 11th floor of Building C at this winter’s Las Vegas Market. You can also call 847.672.0136, email Judy Wolf at jwolf@tablecraft.com or visit www.tablecrafthome.com.

Wood Pedestal from Bloomingville

Bloomingville is introducing its 11-inch Round Wood Pedestal (AH1635) in Building 2 at this winter’s Atlanta Market. Made from mango wood from the Philippines, the pedestal, with its wide legs, will make a base for displaying appetizers, or it can be used as a base accessory for tabletop decor throughout the modern, natural home. If you miss seeing it at the show, you can call Bloomingville at 866.323.2264 or email customerservice@bloomingville.us. Visit www.bloomingville.us.

Wood Service Pieces from Creative Co-op

Creative Co-op will be showing off wooden serveware in its Building 2 showroom at this winter’s Atlanta Market. Products include a 10.5-inch Mango Wood Spoon with Bamboo Wrapped Handle that’s a practical serving piece but is also beautiful enough to display, and a 6-inch long Mango Wood Slotted Serving Spoon perfect for serving at dinner time or putting out with a salad. For a party, Creative Co-op’s 11-inch Acacia Wood Pear Shape Bowl is ideal for setting out nuts during a cocktail hour or candies to accompany a digestif. If you miss them at the show, email customerservice@creativecoop.com, call 866.323.2264 or visit www.creativecoop.com.

Table Linens from Pom Pom at Home

Pom Pom at Home is introducing a new placemat this winter on the fifth floor of Building C at Las Vegas Market. Oakville is made from 100 percent stonewashed cotton velvet in five colors that perfectly represent the company’s lived-in elegance design aesthetic. They’re made in a diamond quilt pattern and feature a soft weave texture and frayed edges. If you can’t visit at the show, call 818.847.0150 or email Joanna@pompomathome.com. Visit www.pompomathome.com.

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Featured Products

FRANMARA NATURAL OLIVEWOOD BOARDS

Add rustic style to the kitchen with Natural Olivewood Boards, handcrafted with unique patterns, grains and color variation.

The 6652 Olivewood Trunk Cutting Board is truly a unique presentation. Genuine olive wood, it’s approximately 18 inches wide, 7-1/4 inches high and 5/8 inches thick. Supply is limited. The cutting board is made from natural wood, so each piece will vary slightly in shape.

This eco-friendly wood resists both mold and stains, and it is 100 percent all natural, lightweight, and durable olive wood. Its popularity has picked up recently. The board retails for $29.95.

Franmara, Inc has many more cheese accessories, wine accessories, barware and cigar accessories that are all available in its new 50th anniversary catalog and online.

See the new catalog at viewer.zoomcatalog.com/franmara-2020-no-pricing.

Franmara Inc. 800.423.5855 www.franmara.com

TWINE TABLET COOKING STAND

The Twine Tablet Cooking Stand from True Brands, crafted from acacia wood, is perfect for the new wave of inspired at-home-chefs, and accommodates tablets, smartphones and analog cookbooks – wherever recipes are found. (Item 4692, case of four, $20.99 wholesale each.)

Twine brand provides heartwarming home goods that are inviting and comfort-based, in both design and functionality. Inspired by vintage styles, natural materials and rustic elegance, Twine products are perfect for adding warmth and a welcoming touch to the modern household. Readily curate items that evoke a nostalgic sense of quality by combining cheese boards, glassware, countertop accessories and more.

As always, ordering with True Brands is easy and comes with no quantity minimums, free 90day returns, fast shipping and 100 percent satisfaction. Ask about seasonal offers for extended discounts and free shipping.

True Brands 800.750.8783 www.twineliving.com

COOK PRO’S HIGH DOME ROASTER & FISH POACHER

The 23 Pound All-In-One Stainless Steel High Dome Roaster & Fish Poacher from Cook Pro is an essential piece of cookware for family dinners, parties and holiday celebrations. The high dome, quality stainless steel roaster with roasting rack is designed to hold turkey, chicken or any type of large roast. Riveted stainless steel handles make placing the roaster into the oven and lifting it out safe and easy. It also includes a steamer plate that doubles as a fish poacher.

The set includes: 16.75-inch by 12.25-inch by 7-inch roaster, 14.25inch by 8.5-inch roasting rack, 13.5-inch by 9.5-inch by 3.25-inch steamer rack and oval cover. Suggested retail price is $119.99.

Cook Pro Inc. 951.686.8282 www.cook-pro.com

PRODYNE: IT’S TACO TIME

Home cooking is booming as pandemic lockdowns have consumers spending more time at home preparing meals and ramping up Taco Tuesday with Prodyne’s newly released It’s Taco Time™ Prep & Serve Taco Bar, a dual-purpose taco holder and toppings server, which complements the company’s distinctive and extensive line of crystal clear acrylic-based serveware.

It’s Taco Time features a generous four-taco tray holder/server as a primary function, but flips to reveal a secondary function as a three-bay toppings server for cheese, salsa, lettuce and other popular taco condiments. The product comes packaged as a set of three trays capable of serving 12 tacos or nine tacotopping condiments. Prodyne’s designers fashioned the attractive dual-purpose taco server from dishwasher-safe, BPA-free, crystal clear SAN polymer, which makes for mouth watering colorful taco presentations.

Suggested retail price is $17.99.

This year, Prodyne celebrates its 50-year anniversary year manufacturing dynamic designs for good living. To see Prodyne’s full line of quality kitchenware, serveware and barware, visit www.prodyne.com to download the online catalog.

Prodyne 800.822.4776 www.prodyne.com

CREATEMYPLACE.COM KITCHENWARE MARKETPLACE

Retailers can start selling online immediately with GC Buying Group’s local online shopping option. CreateMyPlace.com is the marketplace for kitchenware stores, including MAP-protected pricing, geo technology, drop ship opportunities and easy importing of products. The program includes payment of all credit card processing fees, collecting and remitting for purchases, and all state sales taxes collected and filed for you. Site maintenance and hosting are an important part of the program.

For a limited time, there’s no monthly fee – just pay 10 percent on retail selling price only for items sold. Join GC Buying Group and sign up for www.createmyplace.com.

GC Buying Group 214.855.0005 www.gourmetcatalog.com

PARCHMENT PAPER CHEESE LEAVES

Inspired by the French tradition of turning to nature for decoration, these unique, foodgrade parchment paper designs can be used under cheese, fresh fruit, home baked breads or as coasters under glasses and bottles. They are fanciful enough to be used in a table decoration, written on, used as place markers, or in any way or place your imagination may lead. The natural, unbleached Kraft paper package makes for an attractive and eco-friendly product.

These parchment leaves have been sold in the North American markets under both the Sisson Imports and EuroQuest brand names for more than 33 years. Sisson Distribution is now the sole provider of parchment cheese leaves in the United States.

Both the leaves and packaging are printed in the USA. Sisson Distribution LLC 941.214.5373 www.harvestleaves.com

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STYLE COMBINES WITH UTILITY FROM ACCENT DECOR

Accent Decor will be in Building 1 during this winter’s Atlanta Market with Acacia Wood Cutting Boards handcrafted in India. They’re safe for use with food, but they’re also beautiful enough to hang on the wall as decor.

The Rina Pitcher is also just as much a showpiece. The clear pitcher has a handle that’s wrapped in cane knitting that pairs beautifully with a display of fresh flowers.

Accent Decor 770.346.0707 www.accentdecor.com

SOUP AND SANDWICH SETS FROM DEMDACO

An inspired design, this bowl-and-plate combination from DEMDACO conveniently merges two serving pieces into one easyto-use dish. Deep-toned neutrals highlight the look of hand-sculpted stoneware, giving it decorative appeal. The set retails for $30. See it in dark gray, light gray, blue and cream at this winter’s markets in Las Vegas, Dallas and Atlanta.

DEMDACO 913.402.6800 www.demdacoretailers.com

LINENLESS ACTION STATIONS FROM SOUTHERN ALUMINUM

Southern Aluminum designed the GL Table specifically for creative action stations and buffets that inspire employees and patrons alike. Available in an array of color combinations, the GL’s aluminum top is cloaked in a scratch-resistant laminate to perfectly coordinate your linenless service setups to match your décor.

The GL Table is extremely sturdy and allows for easy mobility with multiple leg options and casters that make it useful in many unique ways. Whether you are looking to serve food or beverages, the accessories available for the GL Table, such as enclosure panels, speed rails and shelves, allow you to activate event spaces to fit your operational needs.

This innovative product will enable you to enhance all of your buffets, banquets, and events while providing a multi-use piece of equipment for staff.

Southern Aluminum 800.221.0408 www.southernaluminum.com

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KITCHENWARE NEWS & HOUSEWARES REVIEW • JANUARY 2021 • www.kitchenwarenews.com

The Pantry ANCIENT HARVEST VEGGIE PASTA

A blend of green lentils, kale, spinach and cauliflower bound together with natural tapioca starch, Ancient Harvest Veggie Pasta has an al dente-like bite that gets a big thumbs up even from traditional pasta lovers. Each 2-ounce serving offers a full serving of vegetables, while an equivalent helping of wheat-based vegetable pasta contains only one-half serving of vegetables, 8 grams of protein and various additives.

The new gluten-free pasta line comes in penne, rotini and spaghetti options and is certified by the Non-GMO Project. Suggested retail price is $4.49 per 8-ounce box.

Ancient Harvest www.ancientharvest.com

FAVA BEAN FUSILLI

Fava Bean Fusilli from Explore Cuisine is the first and only organic, gluten-free pasta-alternative made from fava beans. The Fava Bean Pasta is Explore Cuisine’s closest pasta yet to traditional pasta in terms of taste, texture and appearance.

With three times the fiber and two times the protein than traditional wheat-based pasta, Fava Bean Fusilli provides up to 25 grams of protein and 8.75 grams of fiber per 3.5-ounce serving and contains less than half of the total carbs. Mild and creamy in flavor, fava beans are also known as broad beans.

The Fava Bean Fusilli is also naturally vegan, 100 percent organic and cooks in just five to seven minutes. There are no additives such as potato starch, binders or gums. The Fava Bean pasta line will also be launched in different shapes in the coming months.

Explore Cuisine www.explorecuisine.com

GINDO’S SPICE OF LIFE HOT SAUCE

Award-winning Gindo’s Spice of Life Hot Sauce is one of the few truly handcrafted, artisanal hot sauces available in today’s marketplace. Created by a husband and wife team, all-natural Gindo’s Spice of Life Hot Sauce is made in small batches with fresh whole peppers and ingredients that are sourced locally from Illinois farms whenever possible.

Gindo’s Year-Round Hot Sauces are gluten free and include three yearround pepper sauces: Original Fresh & Spicey, a medium heat, everyday Louisiana-style red sauce; Jalapeño Poblano, a milder green sauce; and Honey Habañero, a Caribbean-inspired sauce. Gindo’s Spice of Life Hot Sauce only uses peppers that are picked at the peak of freshness.

Gindo’s Spice of Life 855.444.6367 www.gindos.com

NEW VEGAN SOUPS FROM UPTON’S NATURALS

Upton’s Naturals has debuted three vegan soups: Chick & Noodle Soup, Chick Tortilla Soup and Italian Wedding Soup. The Chick & Noodle soup is a comfort food creation made with thyme, rosemary and hearty pieces of Chick Seitan along with rotini, generous cuts of carrots, celery and onion. The Chick Tortilla Soup is made from simple ingredients such as black beans, white corn, tomato, cilantro and Chick Seitan. The addition of lime juice, chili pepper and paprika provide this soup a zesty kick, while a touch of corn flour captures the taste of tortillas. The Italian Wedding Soup is made with Italian Seitan, loads of pasta and delicious speckles of spinach. Spices like garlic, fennel, thyme and rosemary create a robust and savory stock.

Providing plant-based protein (6 to 8 grams per serving) and only 120 to 160 calories a bowl, the new vegan products are non-GMO certified (NSF); plant based certified; contain no added colors, flavors or preservatives; and are completely free of cholesterol and trans fat. Made in the USA, Upton’s Naturals soups will be available for retailers nationwide to carry this winter or spring 2021 with a suggested retail price of $3.99 per 14.5-ounce can.

Upton’s Naturals www.uptonsnaturals.com

MEAL ESSENTIALS

TURKEY GRAVY FROM KEVIN’S NATURAL FOODS

Kevin’s Natural Foods, which produces a line of healthy sous-vide entrées and signature paleo, keto and gluten-free certified sauces and seasoning blends, is launching seasonal items for the holiday season. The seasonal line includes Turkey Gravy, a roasted turkey broth simmered with garlic, sage and thyme, as well as a paleo-certified Cranberry Sauce, a Butternut Squash Soup and a Cauliflower Cheddar Soup.

Kevin’s Natural Foods www.kevinsnaturalfoods.com

BONE SUCKIN’ SEASONING & RUB

Your customers will wonder how they ever lived without Bone Suckin’® Seasoning & Rub. It is a proprietary blend of brown sugar, paprika, garlic and spices that is perfect for marinating and barbecue – even popcorn and salads. It’s also great on ribs, pork, beef, chicken, seafood, venison, beans, pasta, vegetables, steaks – just about anything.

Bone Suckin’ Seasoning & Rub is certified by the Non-GMO Project, gluten free, fat free, kosher, pareve and contains no MSG.

Ford’s Gourmet Foods 800.446.0947 www.bonesuckin.com

PLANT-BASED TOONA

Sophie’s Kitchen has launched a new and improved version of its canned Plant-Based Toona. With a pea protein base, the brand’s new Plant-Based Toona formula is completely vegan and replicates the taste, shred-able texture, smell, look and color of its animal counterpart. Debuting in its two classic flavors, Sea Salt and Black Pepper, the Plant-Based Toona is soy free, gluten free and non-GMO, which sets it apart from competitors. The new 6-ounce cans will be rolling out at specialty retailers nationwide. Suggested retail price is $5.49 per 6ounce can.

Sophie’s Kitchen www.sophieskitchen.com

KETO-FRIENDLY SOFT BAKED BREAKFAST BISCUITS

HighKey’s Soft Baked Breakfast Biscuits are the first and only keto-friendly, readyto-eat breakfast biscuits. These soft, individually wrapped biscuits provide a wholesome pick-me-up full of real ingredients like chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, bananas, cranberries and chocolate chips. Every biscuit has 1-2 grams of net carbohydrates, is gluten free and grain free. Low in carbohydrates and sugar, they’re the perfect solution for busy mornings or grab-and-go fuel. They’re available in two flavors: Mixed Berry and Banana Bread. The suggested retail price is $14.97.

HighKey Snacks 816.674.3422 www.highkey.com

A D V E R T I S E R

I N D E X

Cook Pro Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Franmara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14, 15 Gourmet Catalog & Buying Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 International Market Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Kikuichi Cutlery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Prodyne Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 R&M International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Sisson Distribution LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 True Brands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Utica Cutlery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Vesta Precision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 White Coffee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

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cooking

New Ciabatta Baker from Emile Henry

Delicate and flavorful Ciabatta, a rustic Italian bread with a crisp and a chewy crust and an airy, honeycomb-holed interior is easy to make at home with the new Emile Henry Ciabatta baker. This ceramic baker is designed specially to achieve ciabatta’s unique crumb structure.

The magic offered by this new bread baker is in how it captures humidity. This pan creates the ideal environment for baking bread dough, transforming regular ovens into bread ovens. Cooks no longer need to add steam to a hot oven to get a good crust because the domed lid and ceramic walls trap the humidity released from the baking dough resulting in fully expanded loaves with crackling exteriors. Made in France of Burgundy clay, this new baking mold makes two 14-inch long loaves at a time.

Recipes are included, and it retails for $130. For more information, visit www.emilehenryusa.com.

Paesana Plant-Based Bolognese Sauces

Paesana’s Plant-Based Bolognese Sauces are made with Beyond Meat. Available in Hearty or Spicy, this fresh take on an Italian classic satisfies consumers who crave a robust pasta sauce, but who also want to make a positive impact on the environment. With 4 grams of protein per serving and no cholesterol, soy, gluten, hormones or GMOs, it’s a delicious, guilt-free and eyecatching addition to any retail setting’s red sauce display.

The product also features a newly designed clear/transparent label with a sleek look that still maintains the instantly recognizable Paesana logo. Gain consumer confidence and be first to market this new and unique product, a premium pasta sauce that, like all Paesana tomato-based sauces, is made with 100 percent imported Italian tomatoes.

For more information, visit Paesana Products at www.paesana.com or call 631.845.1717.

Anolon Chrome Plated Manual Pasta Maker

This classically styled culinary tool is easy on the wallet and will inspire pastaloving cooks to get creative in the kitchen. The durable steel construction ensures it will hold up, while the gleaming chrome plating is so attractive that it can live on a counter for added kitchen style. The smooth gear manual hand crank is easy to operate so cranking is a breeze, even for novices. This pasta maker easily attaches to any size table or counter, and there are seven different width settings, plus two separate cutters for the two most popular dishes—spaghetti and fettuccine. Suggested retail price is $39.99. For more information, visit www.anolon.com.

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Bialetti Stainless Steel Multi-Pot

The Lock and Strain Multi-Pot is the newest addition to the Bialetti line of cookware products. Made of 18/8 stainless steel, it features an aluminum core base that heats up quickly, while a secure twist-to-lock lid and oversized handles provide safe straining. Its signature oval shape allows room for long pasta without breaking. The Multi-Pot is perfect for seafood, pasta, potatoes, vegetables or anything that needs straining. It retails for $99.99. For more information, visit www.bialetti.us.

Anolon 2-Piece 10-inch Pizza Peel and Pizza Cutter, Teakwood

This duo tools set includes a 20x14-inch size tapered teak wood pizza peel and a durable, stainless steel blade pizza cutter with matching teakwood handle. The well-designed peel is ideal for slipping medium and large size pies into the oven with ease, and it can also double as a cheese and charcuterie board. The sharp cutter can tackle any toppings while maintaining a clean slice. The set retails for $69.99. For more information, visit www.anolon.com.

Otamot Vegetable Sauce a Pantry Staple

Offered in Organic Essential Sauce and Spicy Organic Sauce varieties, Otamot is the nutritious and delicious choice for elevating any sauce-based dish. From pizza and pasta to even Bloody Marys, simply swap in Otamot for a tasty twist. Packed with 10 to 12 vegetables including butternut squash, red beet, sweet onion and more, each sauce is also Whole30-Approved, certified non-GMO, certified organic, certified vegan and gluten free. The retail price is $12.99 per jar. For more infomation, visit www.otamotfoods.com.

Hestan CopperBond Essential Pan

Hestan’s 3.5-quart CopperBond™ Essential Pan is perfect for simmering a ragu. It’s part of an ultra-premium collection that modernizes the look, function, durability and versatility of traditional copper pots and pans. Hestan also offers the original, ultra-premium NanoBond® with highly resilient molecular-titanium technology, and recently introduced, premium ProBond™ with one-of-a-kind cold forged stainless steel technology.

Not your grandma’s copper cookware, Hestan CopperBond distinguishes itself with a supremely elegant design that smartly combines gleaming copper with an innovative, wrap-around, magnetic stainless steel base for enhanced durability, induction use, and easier cleaning. Completing CopperBond’s contemporary, jewel-like styling is a chic collar rim of highly polished stainless steel, and matching stainless steel lids, handles, and fittings. For more information, visit www.hestanculinary.com.

Bariani Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Nestled in the Sacramento Valley, Bariani’s medium density orchards of indigenous Mission and Manzanillo cultivars yield a genuine extra virgin olive oil with organoleptic qualities specific to the region. Bariani estate-produced olive oil is cold pressed, unfiltered, and is certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and OU kosher.

For more information, call Bariani Olive Oil at 415.864.1917 or visit www.barianioliveoil.com.