Tag: Japan

Painting with wine

Stemglass Tray

It’s not an artist’s palette, but after using this you can pretend you are one. Developed by a restaurant in Japan, the Stemglass Tray allows for easy carrying of up to seven wine glasses at a time. Complete with thumbhole for easy steadying, the wine tray encourages responsible drinking; it looks as if one gets too tipsy the whole thing comes crashing down.

Of course, this is designed for restaurant use, so there should be no problem with the waiters drinking on the job, since they’re all starving artists anyways. I’m sure they’re getting their drink on when attacking the canvas after work. Oh wait, waiters are often struggling actors, right? We might have a problem then.

(Boing Boing via TokyoMango)

Reusable chopsticks snap apart forever

Stickpecker by MicroWorks

First there was PuchiPuchi, the endless bubble wrap-popping gadget, and then there came Mugen Peri Peri, for those that can’t get enough opening of shipping envelopes. Now, there is Stickpecker by MicroWorks. However, unlike those two aforementioned toys, this gadget is useful. A small magnet holds the chopsticks together, necessitating that the soon-to-be diner pulls them apart. The action is meant to be reminiscent of the separating of wooden takeout chopsticks. A clever woodpecker design reminds us all that wooden chopsticks do in fact come from trees. Nice job, MicroWorks.

(Via Serious Eats)

There’s now a reason to show off your ladle

Tate Otama from Mikiya Kobayashi Design

Most utensils suffer from a lack of notoriety. It’s not the fault of any particular cooking implement; most are resigned to spend their time buried in the junk utensil drawer. While utensils, in general, do not seek out the limelight, they could use a little more face time with the kitchen.

Yesterday I wrote about the Swissarmius, a storage/display option for utensils, and following up on that trend, today we have the Tate Otama from Mikiya Kobayashi Design. The freestanding ladles offer an elegant design married with practicality. Always at the ready, the ladle stands tall and proud—if just given the opportunity.

(Via Domestic Geek)

Ultra-hyper-mega-cute animal drinking mugs

Upside Down Animal Mugs from Décole Japan

They look like little ultra-cute pieces of chotcke sitting on a shelf into you turn them over, and then you see these pieces from Japan’s Décole are actually drinking mugs. The Upside Down Animal Mug collection measures about 4 inches tall each (upside down or not) and come in three hyper-cute versions: cat, panda and piglet. These mega-cute little drinkers will set you back $20 each. Too much cute? Yeah, maybe.

***UPDATE 9/29/13*** Looks like things got a bit topsy-turvy at the link above; they are sold out. However, here is a link to the upside down panda mug: Decole Animal Face Mug – Panda. Hyper-mega-super-cute lives on!

Pasta Pasta Play-Doh Pasta (but better tasting)

Pasta Pasta Maker from Takara Tomy

It’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)

Grow your own $100 cucumber

Cucumber on a pizza?

You know how square watermelons (for some reason) sell for close to one hundred dollars in Japan? Well, now you can get in on the ground floor for the next big craze: fanciful cucumber design. Tap into your entrepreneurial spirit with Heart Shaped Cucumber Molds.

Working the same way as the aforementioned ovally-challenged watermelons, simply place your young cucumber into the device and let Mother Nature run its course. (Constricted by this contraption, that is.) When it’s time to harvest, remove the sleeve, and it’s off to market you go!