What's new in the Kitchen Gadget World

Published March 04, 2015

Every once in a while I like to check out what’s new and exciting in the gourmet world.

There’s always a new kitchen gadget that’s changing the way we cook and a few others that make life a little easier in the kitchen. My recent stop at Bella Vita Home Essentials in West Vancouver (bellavita. ca) didn’t disappoint. There are a number of fantastic kitchen gadgets on the market, so I thought I would share some of my favourite finds that are selling very well.

The Spiralizer This one is at the top of my list for a reason. You may have already seen it on television and what it can do. The Spiralizer is a piece of kitchen equipment that allows you to make long, spiral noodles out of all kinds of vegetables. This is great for making pastas and vegetable salads. Not only are the results impressive but also it’s fun to use and clean up is a breeze. Use it on potatoes, squash, zucchini and carrots as well as other firm vegetables. The turning slicer features interchangeable, heavyduty, stainless steel slicing attachments to make spirals, spaghettis or rings. There is also a hand-held version that retails for less. Price range for small to large is $33-$90.

Lekue Citrus Spray When I first saw this sprayer I couldn’t believe that it actually worked. But after purchasing one and using it I’m now a big fan. The Lekue Citrus Spray is a plastic spray nozzle with ring that attaches directly on to a lemon or lime. When it is secured it sprays lemon or lime juice straight from the fruit. It’s great for spraying salads and pastas as well as seasoning cocktails. You can even season your seafood with just a few sprays. $20 each.

Viancin Silicone Covers I love the colours and styles of these silicone beverage covers. These are great for keeping beverages warm as well as creating an airtight seal for storing and reheating. They are also microwave safe, dishwasher friendly and BPA free. They retail for $12 for a set of two.

Tagines You may have wandered by these conical tagines when browsing the aisles in a kitchen store. Tagines have, in the past, been traditionally used for cooking North African dishes. Nowadays many food dishes may be prepared in a tagine. Typically made from ceramic or clay, the tagine’s shape provides an ideal hot and moist cooking environment for the food inside. The cone is a critical part of the cooking process whereby the steam rises into it, condenses and then falls down the sides of the clay pot into the food. They are gorgeous to look at and the slow cooking process allows food to reach its most tender state.

There are many sizes and colours of tagines. Some are stove to oven friendly and some are not. Be sure to inquire at the kitchen store about this if you plan on browning onions, for example, before placing your dish in the oven. Generally tagines run in the price range of $120-$180 each.