Prep Tools | Beyond The Kitchen Sink

Four times the cherries

Cherry season rules. Fresh cherries are in abundance seemingly everywhere you look. From roadside stands to farmers markets, the lure of the cherry is one not to be ignored. And who am I to argue with the intense flavor locked up in those dark red globes of deliciousness? I succumb to the call of the cherry, happily partaking whenever they are near.

While it may be fine to snack on cherries and simply discard of the pits one by one, if you have grander ideas for your bowl of cherries, the pits are going to have to go. Most cherry pitters offer a mechanism for pitting cherries only one at a time, but the Progressive Cherry-It Pitter can handle up to four. Simply place the cherries in the device and press down. Cherry pits are safely stored in the base, and you are left with four cherries ready for bakingâ€”if they make it that far.

Pesky fractions are no match for Kitchen Calc

Finding a recipe that looks interesting is usually just a starting point. The personal embellishments and preferences of the actual cook making the meal always trump what’s written down. Sometimes however, you want to follow a recipe exactly. Whether it be for reasons of taste or ratios, that recipe usually needs to be scaled up or down.

The Kitchen Calc works in units common to the kitchen such as fractions, Celsius and Fahrenheit. The handheld calculator converts cooking volume units and also units of weight. Even dash and pinch are represented. Of course, while the Kitchen Calc may handle those pesky fractions, it also works as a standard calculator too.

Pasta Pasta Play-Doh Pasta (but better tasting)

Itâ€™s no secret that cooking can be fun, but when it comes to making pasta, the Pasta Pasta Maker from Takara Tomy takes fun to a whole new level. Reminiscent of the Play-Doh Fun Factory (as is this), the machine uses a set of stamps and molds for creating eight different types of Italian pasta. This pasta-making machine may come to us from Japan, and the manual is in Japanese, but considering all the practice you probably put into making inedible Play-Doh patties and the such, I think you will be able to figure it out.

(Via Random Good Stuff)

Flavor your food with Prepara Oil Mister

Prepara Oil Mister

You know those store-bought spray oils in a can that you use for maybe one or two things? Well, say goodbye to those, because the Prepara Oil Mister makes it easy to use not only the oil of your choosing, but to flavor it with herbs and spices too. Simply fill the BPA glass reservoir with oil and whatever you want and the unique filtering system will keep the sprayer from getting clogged.

Use it to add a thin layer of (delicious) oil to salads, or anything else you can think of. I’ve always sparingly used those somewhat off-tasting spray oil cans on air-popped popcorn just to give the salt something to stick to. Now, I can ditch the can entirely and actually add some flavor too.

Find those leftovers with the Produce Saver Set

Refrigerators can become cluttered places. Adding to the confusion, amidst all the fresh food waiting to become meals, leftover ingredients lurk behind every corner. Sometimes you may know that you have a half-used tomato, but actually finding it becomes a chore in and of itself. Not so, when using the Produce Saver Set.

Designed to look like the food item they contain, the storage devices keep freshness and flavor in, while making it easy to find what you are looking for in the fridge. The twist-lock plastic containers are sold in sets of two and come as a red and yellow onion set, a garlic and tomato set, or as a lemon and lime set.

***UPDATE 12/4/24: I hope nobody ate the produce saver set because it is no longer available! Here though is a 4 Pack Fruit and Vegetable Storage Containers Set for Fridge, complete with handy dandy stickers for instant produce recognition. Except for whatever that yellow thing is in the bottom left.

4 Pack Fruit and Vegetable Storage Containers Set for Fridge, Avocado Saver Onion Storage Container Tomato and Lemon Keeper

Cherry Chomper hungry for cherry pits

Cherry Chomper Cherry Pitter by Talisman Designs

This cherry pitter looks hungry. In fact, judging by the expression, I’d say the Cherry Chomper Cherry Pitter downright loves cherry pits. Which is OK, because as much as this little guy appears to like ’em, I don’t like cherry pits.

The cherry pitter chomps down on inserted cherries — or olives too, but don’t tell him that — and collects the pits in a reservoir in his belly. Pop the cherry out via access in the back, and you’ve got yourself a fresh cherry ripe for eating. With the enthusiastic Cherry Chomper by your side, it won’t take long before you have yourself a nice big bowl of (pit-less) cherries. From Talisman Designs.