How many ways can you peel garlic? Apparently more than one or two ways and we've got proof. First, there is the electric garlic peeler called The Garlic Peeler from The Garlic Peeler, a division of FESCO Distributors. Its silicone ball spins around inside the machine and peels garlic without a scratch. There's also dual-speed action for high to heavy-duty peeling and chopping. You can also work more than just garlic in this interesting gadget -- it can handle a wealth of vegetables from carrots to cabbage. For more information, visit www.thegarlicpeeler.com, or call 212-260-0666.
Progressive International Corporation (800-426-7101) featured their MiracleWare Microwave Cookware Collection, a speedy and efficient way to prepare meals and snacks. A great niche for those time-starved consumers, the line includes a popcorn popper and steamers. Innovative products include spoons that change colors when the food is ready (they can be heated in the microwave), as well as Take and Make Bowls that are sized to prevent boilovers. For more information, e-mail info@progressiveintl.com.
Give kids a boost in the kitchen with the Boosty Yea! line of booster chairs. Created to add excitement to your child's meal, haircut, or storytime, the booster chairs are made with the highest-grade oilcloth fabric and therefore, are easy to keep clean. The fun, fashionable patterns can also be customized for booster chairs, custom totes, bibs, placemats, and picnic blankets. Designs include Diner Red, Gingham Pink, Faux Bois Walnut, Hibiscus, and more. For more information, call 562-426-1133, e-mail info@boostyyea.com, or visit www.BoostyYea.com.
Gil's Gourmet showcased a wide variety of delicious new products, including the Truffle Shooter. Black and white truffle oil is packaged in a test tube-shaped container. Twelve Black Truffle Oil Shooters and 12 White Truffle Oil Shooters are conveniently displayed on an acrylic rack that includes a point-of-purchase display. Also new were: Martini Madness Glazed Almonds; Zesty Lemon Stuffed Olives; Sundried Tomato Stuffed Olives; Wineglazed Peanuts, Almonds, and Cashews; and Merlot Chocolate Apricots. For more information, call 800-438-7480, or e-mail gil@gilsgourmet.com.
Artisan, a division of Workman Publishing, Inc., presented Vegetable Love by Barbara Kafka. Filled with 750 imaginative dishes, the easy-to-make recipes produce maximum flavor. Some of the recipes are radically new, while others are familiar old favorites. A 200-page Cook's Guide details everything you'll ever want to know about vegetables. A main selection of the Good Cook Book Club, Vegetable Love features 50 duotone photos. The hardcover book retails for $35. For more information, call 800-722-7202, or visit www.ArtisanBooks.com.
Nantucket Off-Shore's line of Simple Cocktail Mixers makes enjoying beverages from martinis to margaritas easy and extra tasty. For the coming holiday season, the company introduced the Peppermintini, a peppermint-flavored mix that comes with a red rimmer made of crushed candy canes. The kit comes with a 32-ounce icy cool peppermint-and-cane sugar drink mix and a 3.5-ounce rimmer to make 14-16 servings. The line also includes Apple Martini, Bloody Mary, Chocolate Martini, Cosmopolitan, Mojito, Mango Margarita, and more. For more information, call 508-324-9800, or visit www.nantucketoffshore.com.
When Chef Hilly's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997, he decided that he would use his culinary talents to make a difference. Chef Hilly donates a portion of the proceeds from the sales of his chocolate creations to the foundation his mother started, the Joy to Life Foundation (www.joytolife.org). Joy to Life gives funds directly to underprivileged women to get mammograms. Chef Hilly's products include: Original Chocolate Blend - packaged in a jar or individual serving packs, this new twist to an old family recipe can be used for homemade hot chocolate, chocolate milk, chocolate waffles, a dip for strawberries, and more; a Creme Brulee Kit complete with four ramekins and all of the necessary ingredients; and a Gourmet Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix. For more information, call 404-235-7713, or visit www.chefhillyskitchen.com.
Albemarle Edibles will introduce an exciting, new way for retailers to capture team spirit. The Tailgate Time Nut Mix will be packaged with a label in local football colors. The mix is filled with honey-roasted peanuts, cashews, pecans, sesame sticks, barbecue spices, and more to create a sweet and spicy mix that is ideal for tailgate parties. The 12-ounce cans will be available for a wholesale price of $3.75. For more information, call 434-979-0040, or visit www.AlbemarleEdibles.com.
P.J. Maxwell lends chefs a helping hand with Extra Hands. Shaped like curved hands, these serving pieces function as spreaders, dessert servers, scoops, slotted scoops, and of course, salad mixers. Another great aspect is that it's only $65 to order 20 pairs and they retail for $9.99 as a quick pick-me-up. All of the items available in a range of 12 colors feature a convenience rim-hook that sits at the edge of a bowl or dish. Call 888-929-9209 for details.
InedibleArt, which creates fun and functional kitchen textiles that resemble food, introduced two new product lines -- the "Pie-Casso" Hot Pad and the "Mittisse" Sub Glove. Pie-Casso is an 8-inch hot pad that looks like a raspberry tart with a flaky-looking lattice crust. Its aluminum-coated fabric on the back designed to resemble a foil pie pan makes the Pie-Casso cool and heat resistant. Mittisse is a 13 inch-long oven glove that resembles a submarine sandwich. Its extra length and thick quilting make it extremely handy, and the convenient thumb-on-back design makes gripping easy. The Pie-Casso retails for $8.99 and the Mittisse Sub Glove retails for $12.00 and is packaged in sandwich wrap with a Mittisse label. For more information, call 512-296-4633, or send e-mail to bfellman@inedibleart.com.
PlaceTile Designs offers a complete line of reusable table decor and home accessories, including CheeseTile cheese markers, MenuTile menu boards, vases, napkin rings, serving platters, and more. PlaceTile products can be reused countless times by easily wiping the ceramic clean. For more information, visit www.placetile.com.
JAZ Innovations was awarded the Cooking Club of America Seal of Approval for their Cool Touch Oven Rack Guard. It's easy to see why with this handy kitchen tool offers real protection against accidental burns from touching or brushing against oven racks. The product snaps easily onto the front rail of most oven racks and is safe for temperatures up to 500 degrees. Made from a Dupont NOMEX, the same material that protects firefighters, the Cool Touch Oven Rack Guard protects by slowing down heat transfers from hot oven racks to your skin. For details, call 866-529-5154, or visit www.jazinnovations.com.
It's one of those "so-cool" items from Associated Technology, the Onion and Vegetable Cutter juliennes perfectly, as well as minces and chops even the most delicate tomato. The cutting lid can also be used as a prep bowl, holding your food until you're ready to use it. Add this to Associated's complete Genius lineup and you've got a slew of products your customers will want to play with at home. The second generation of the Cutter featuring two interchangeable cups and lids for easy storage is coming in August. Check out www.geniusproductsusa.com, or call 888-686-2443.
Toastabags are an interesting new product that allows you to make mess-free grilled cheese sandwiches in your toaster. You can even reheat pizza, grill French toast, or warm apple turnovers. Simply place whatever it is you want to heat into a Toastabag and slip it into your toaster's slot. Made with a non-stick finish, the heat-resistant, reusable bags last for 300 toastings, so cleanup's easy -- by hand or in the dishwasher. For more information, call 845-469-2000, or e-mail cborner@csaideas.com
Built NY showed off their new 6-Pack byobag, which keep six packs cool to the last bottle (now available in Leaf Green and Navy Blue). Built NY's popular, award-winning line of byo bottle totes and lunch bags is also now available in Hot Pink. Made from neoprene, the stuff of wetsuits, the new Hot Pink line is more than just a pretty face. Products retail for $14.99 to $19.99. Minimum orders are 48 assorted pieces. To see Built NY's entire collection, visit www.builtny.com.
And if you're looking for something to pack in that lunch bag, check out the all-natural gourmet line of southern Italian foods from thatsanice! Their Sicilian Olive Mustard is the perfect topper for any sandwich with its blend of olives, garlic, honey, and Sicilian spices for a spicy kick. Check them out at www.thatsanice.com.
You may not be able to pack his or her pancakes in a picnic basket, but you'll definitely want to nibble Bo's Best Pancake and Waffle Mix. A newcomer to the marketplace, these mixes made with organic flour offer various flavors from Very Vanilla to Gingerbread. Orders are shipped six per case, with a minimum order of four cases. Foodservice packaging is also available. For more information, call 925-283-2321, or send e-mail to pancakes@bosbest.com.
