The Advantages of Owning a Kindle In the Kitchen

Just a couple more shopping days before Christmas and for those of you who are looking for a fun gift to give your favorite home cook, the Kindle may be something to think about. It’s one of the more popular gifts being given this year. Yes, it’s popular with those who like to read books, magazines and newspapers but what about us cooks?  Are there really any advantages to owning a Kindle and using it in the kitchen. I think so and here’s why:

More and more people are turning to e-book readers as a way to streamline they way they buy and enjoy books. Although many individuals find that there simply is no way to replace the feel of paper turning in your hands, sales of e-book readers like the Amazon Kindle continue to grow.

The reasons are obvious: It’s lightweight, portable, and can contain literally thousands of books on file. For readers, this is a great way to increase bookshelf space. For cooks, there are even more advantages. Using a Kindle in the kitchen allows you to have access to hundreds of cookbooks within minutes, and all at the touch of a button.

What is a Kindle?

The Kindle is Amazon’s version of an e-book reader. Although there are other options on the market (most notably from Sony and Barnes & Noble), Kindle was the first one to make a real splash on the market. It is small (about the size of a paperback novel), thin, and lightweight. Much like an overgrown iPod, it is an electronic device that requires some care and charging.

However, unlike most electronic devices, its screen simulates the real ink of printed books, so there is no strain on the eyes, and most people can’t tell the difference between the screen’s words and printed words. “Pages” are turned with the click of a button, and the Kindle can connect to the Internet for immediate book purchase and download.

The Kindle can also store music, and has a read-aloud feature much like a book on tape. It is available in two primary formats: the original 6-inch screen and a larger, more newspaper-friendly Kindle DX, with a 9.7-inch screen. Most of the books you purchase for the Kindle are less expensive than what you can expect to pay for paperback or hardback versions.

Kindle Features for the Kitchen

Although the Kindle wasn’t specifically designed for use in the kitchen (if that was the case, it certainly wouldn’t be white!), a number of its features have immense value for use in the kitchen.

•    File Size: The Kindle can hold thousands of books, including cookbooks. Whether this includes e-book cookbooks that you buy or files that you convert from your own computer, the result is one small, portable space to store all of your favorite recipes.

•    Annotation Features: The Kindle allows its users to take notes and make “bookmarks” of pages. You can flag favorite recipes, note changes you’ve made to the original recipes, and even keep a permanent record of tricky conversions. Because the notes are made right on the files, they will never get lost or misplaced.

•    Wireless “WhisperNet”: The Kindle can connect to the Internet from almost anywhere a cellular connection can be made. It is an internal device, so you don’t have to pay for a network or have wi-fi in order to tap into this feature. It allows you to browse and purchase books directly from your Kindle (via Amazon.com), and you can download and start using them immediately. Although you can connect to other websites, the Kindle isn’t really designed for it, so it can be difficult to look at other cooking sites on the screen.

•    Additional Features: The Kindle also has a number of features to make reading easier. You can increase the text size so that it is most comfortable for you. You can choose the audio feature, which will read aloud the text (including recipes) right to you. There is also the ability to view and zoom in to pictures, though the images will be in black and white, and can be somewhat grainy compared to the glossy, magazine-style pictures we’ve come to expect from cookbooks.

Despite the drawbacks, these features add up to an incredible tool in the kitchen. There are almost 900 cookbooks currently listed on the Amazon site for use with the Kindle, including the more popular ones from Food Network celebrities and current diet fads. (Don’t worry – the Joy of Cooking is on there, too!) You can also put your favorite recipes into Word documents on your own computer and have them transferred to files that are compatible with the Kindle. It is a great way to organize your recipes so that they are all available at the touch of a button, and in one convenient location.

Using a Kindle in the Kitchen

Of course, like any electronic device, the Kindle is somewhat fragile. If you plan on using it in the kitchen, where food and liquids can threaten damages, you might want to consider a stand or even a protective cover that will keep it out of the heavy spill zone.

A Kindle provides a great way to streamline the way you cook and use recipes. If you have limited space to collect the cookbooks you want, are looking for a great organizational tool, or find great value in getting new recipes at the touch of a button, the Kindle could be right for you. And while that cake cools or your stew simmers, you can sit back, relax, and read the latest New York Times Bestseller.

If you’re like most people, you spend plenty of time in your kitchen making meals for you and your family. And in most of my friend’s kitchens, including my own, there is a counter TV or access to a television in the attached family room. Yes, they are great for watching ballgames or keeping up with your favorite soap while whipping up a batch of tomato sauce, but there are also a number of other benefits to having a large flat screen television right in your very own kitchen.

Kitchens come in different sizes and shapes, and there’s never enough counter space for all of the things you need to have on hand. You’ve got pots and pans, recipe cards, canisters, and of course, some crazy and colorful cookies jar taking up entirely too much space.

At the same time, many kitchens also have too much wall space to decorate easily. It’s hard enough to come up with ways to liven up your living spaces, but a theme for your kitchen can become overdone in a hurry. You could find another picture of a rooster or a cartoon chef to paint on the wall, but now there’s a better option.

Instead of more would-be art, why not add some entertainment to the space with a flat screen television? They come in so many sizes that your only limit is the amount of space you have on your wall.

Technology in the Kitchen

A flat screen TV on your wall may seem like an indulgence, but really, it has so many uses. You can cook along with television chefs as you create meals and desserts in your own kitchen. Add a DVR or DVD player, and you can record, pause, and re-watch as many times as you need to master all of their tricks.

Not only that, but with a large screen you’ll be able to see their moves and recreate their tips so much more easily than with a bulky counter top television. You can bring Bobbly Flay or Ina Garten right into your kitchen big as life.

If you still have one of those under-the-counter sets alongside of your AM/FM radio and electric can opener, now is the time to upgrade and give your cabinets the respect they deserve. A flat screen television will have better quality, be easier to see, and add some panache to your cooking space.

Technology now also lets people hook up their computers to televisions. Imagine finding fabulous new recipes online, saving them to your computer, and pulling up the recipe in living color right on your flat screen television. You’ll be able to read the print with ease, and won’t have to hunt for pesky reading glasses that will only be steamed up over the pots on the stove, anyhow. Plus, you’ll have the added incentive of being able to examine photos of the completed dish that you can measure your success against, morsel by morsel.

Wireless Technology Built Right In

Some of the new television models are building WiFi right into the sets. New technology available through LG Electronics offers you access to streaming movies, cooking videos, and other entertainment right through the Internet and onto the screen.

By tapping into their NetCast Entertainment Access, which offers access to the Internet without the need for additional equipment, you won’t have to find the show playing on a cable channel or rent a video - it will be available at your whim, right in the comfort of your kitchen. You can find cooking videos from YouTube or The Reluctant Gourmet that show you the intricate details of deboning a fish or mastering soufflés without forcing you to squint to make sense of the images on a tiny, outdated screen or cookbook.

Having Fun in the Kitchen

If you are already familiar with your recipes or techniques, you may not need to display instructions or videos on the flat screen television. Instead, you can use the TV to catch up on the news or your favorite shows—or, if you tap into LG’s technology, you can get movies streamed instantly from Netflix.

Time is that precious thing almost no one seems to have enough of, which is why “multitasking” in the kitchen is one of the hottest new ways to stay current with your television needs while attending to things of a more culinary matter.

Keep up with national and world news while prepping for dinner. Watch and listen to classic rock bands, don’t miss a minute of the Phillies or your favorite team in the playoffs. For years I used to run to the kitchen during breaks in the game to make myself a sandwich. Now I can cook a whole meal and not miss an at bat or touchdown drive.

There are so many reasons to have a flat screen TV in your kitchen that it’s becoming more mainstream to see everything from screens built into the refrigerator to large flat screens mounted on a convenient patch of wall space. From cooking help and training to keeping up with your favorite shows, it’s easy to upgrade your kitchen with exciting new options in entertainment and technology.

Welcome Chef Big Brother

Which Food Processor Should I Buy? Kitchen Aid or Cuisinart

Before reading my review of these two top quality food processors that any home chef would be thrilled to own, be sure to read my web page called Choosing the best food processor.

A food processor is one of two small kitchen appliances (stand mixers are the other) that cost a fair amount of money. Although there are many brands from which to choose, in order to get a sturdy, reliable machine without spending $1000, the two most viable brands are Kitchen Aid and Cuisinart.

You really cannot go wrong with either of these brands, but the small differences between the two can ultimately help you choose the best one for your needs. Let’s look at two comparable models: The Kitchen Aid KFPW760 at $229.95 in one corner and the Cuisinart DLC-2011 at $179.95 in the other corner.

We’ll compare them according to power, design, basic features and extras. Then, you can make an informed decision on which food processor will work best for you. Keep in mind, neither of these two models have any real negatives, so either way, you will get a fantastic machine.

Power

The Kitchen Aid model boasts 745 watts and 1 speed while the Cuisinart offers 635 watts and three speeds. I wouldn’t necessarily make my decision based on wattage alone, however. Remember, the real test isn’t wattage, but horsepower and torque. I couldn’t find this information for either of the brands.

One speed is really all that is necessary (commercial models have one speed). Cuisinart offers a lower speed for mixing stiff doughs and a pre-set dough speed along with the standard processing speed.

Design

The Kitchen Aid has a 12-cup capacity, and the Cuisinart has an 11-cup capacity. For all intents and purposes, they are identical in this aspect. As well, both offer touch pad controls. This is a nice feature that makes the machine easier to wipe clean, because you don’t need to worry about any food getting caught in the tiny cracks between the buttons and the housing.

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