I don't know about you guys, but the moment the hot weather rolled into town I had a strong desire to grill out! My only problem is that I want to try new and exciting recipes but I have no idea where to find them! Luckily, I know the best place to go, and I am sure you would love to know!
Here at Heimerdinger Cutlery, we not only have the cutting tools you need for all your cooking adventures, but we also have the recipes you need. We offer tons of different cooking magazines such as Everyday Food: From the Kitchens of Martha Stewart Living, many editions of Cook's Illustrated, Everyday with Rachel Ray, and editions of America's Test Kitchen.
For great summer entertainment ideas, along with tips for shopping, eating healthier, or better techniques to cook things, you are invited to come in and check out some of the magazines we have in right now! When you stop in, bring by some knives to be sharpened, or maybe pick up a new one!
Just to give you some ideas of some great recipes offered in these magazines, Cook's Illustrated Magazine offers their summer edition entitled: "All-Time Best Grilling Recipes". Within the pages of this magazine are South Carolina Pulled Pork, Grilled Zucchini, Tomato-and-cheese Pizzas, or if you're in the mood for seafood they also have Fish Taco recipes and Glazed Salmon.
Martha Stewart also offers up some great recipes such as a Tomato-pesto Frittata, Vegetable Fried Rice, Herbed Ricotta Pasta with Corn and Zucchini, and my favorite summer time cooking adventure: burger spin-offs! In the edition this month, they offer a recipe for a Turkey-Cheddar burger.
If you want to check out any of the other recipes, you'll have to come in to see what we have! Hope to see you in soon!
Friday, May 11, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
The Heimerdingers have landed in Chicago!
Well, actually on Friday afternoon. And the windy city has been definitely that. Hats and hoods were flying. Made it to the International Home and Housewares Show yesterday. This is Carl's 4th visit to this incredible show and Nicole's first time. McCormick place has grown over the years to a three building exhibit destination that pales only to the Frankfurter Messe, in Germany, which now has 11 halls (each of which is larger than any of the halls here)! McCormick Place is huge, though.Our first stop was at the Wüsthof booth which was right on our way in. The South building, where we spent all of Saturday, is at least 3 stories tall, maybe more! Wüsthof had a magnificent booth and even had a second miniature level. They were constantly busy as far as we could tell. But, we didn't stop there!
Starting at 12:30, until about 5:30, we perused the South Hall, seeking out our familiar vendors and checking out all the new items that other companies had to offer. Along with Wüsthof, we visited Messermeister, Victorinox Swiss Army, Kai (the makers of the Shun knives), Opinel, Böker, and Kyocera. A lot of these companies are coming out with some really great new things and some exceptional improvements to their already known products.
A couple examples would be the new color Edge Guards that Messermeister has, as well as translucent ones which give you the capability to see the silhouette. Now you will actually be able to know what knife you're pulling out of the drawer. Victorinox is coming out with new block sets, and new colors in the paring and utility knives. Böker has some new manicure tools and scissors coming out. Wüsthof and Opinel are the most exciting in our opinion and we will be giving you the details later tonight!
We will have more details on what we saw for you later! Right now, we have some business to attend to!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Change is good!
Good News!
Our new website is live! Though you've probably already noticed that.
We've been working really hard to make the website user-friendly: reorganizing categories, giving you more ways to search for things, and cleaning up the check-out process. There is also a very fancy “Enlarge Image” option so you can get clearer pictures of things you’re ordering. One fun feature is the wish list, so that you can keep track things you might want to order in the future.
We’re also making the bridal registry more accessible and user friendly, though I believe that this feature is still in progress. (I could be wrong about that, everything is so new, I haven't tried it all yet!)
Some things are the same: same address, same great products, and same great service.
So, what do you think?
I think that change is not just good, but that it is totally awesome.
Our new website is live! Though you've probably already noticed that.
We've been working really hard to make the website user-friendly: reorganizing categories, giving you more ways to search for things, and cleaning up the check-out process. There is also a very fancy “Enlarge Image” option so you can get clearer pictures of things you’re ordering. One fun feature is the wish list, so that you can keep track things you might want to order in the future.
We’re also making the bridal registry more accessible and user friendly, though I believe that this feature is still in progress. (I could be wrong about that, everything is so new, I haven't tried it all yet!)
Some things are the same: same address, same great products, and same great service.
So, what do you think?
I think that change is not just good, but that it is totally awesome.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Kitchn Love
I don't know about you, but a lot of my resolutions this year revolve around food and cooking.
My most recent obsession is The Kitchn, part of a blog family that include Apartment Therapy and a few other fun places to waste time. I love the advice, I love finding out about strange spices, I love the product and book reviews.
Here are some of their knife-related articles that you might like:
(Hint: you should use sharp knives and we can help you with that one!)
How to Cope with Your Parents' Dull Knives
Don't be Shy: Sharpen Your Paring Knives
Knife Skills: Keeping Your Knife Sharp
Knife Skills: How to Hold Your Knife
My most recent obsession is The Kitchn, part of a blog family that include Apartment Therapy and a few other fun places to waste time. I love the advice, I love finding out about strange spices, I love the product and book reviews.
Here are some of their knife-related articles that you might like:
(Hint: you should use sharp knives and we can help you with that one!)
How to Cope with Your Parents' Dull Knives
Don't be Shy: Sharpen Your Paring Knives
Knife Skills: Keeping Your Knife Sharp
Knife Skills: How to Hold Your Knife
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Gourmet Retailer, woo!
Nobody tells me about anything!
Look at what I just ran across: There's an article about us in Gourmet Retailer, check it out!
Look at what I just ran across: There's an article about us in Gourmet Retailer, check it out!
Celebration week!
If you're in the area, I hope you've dropped by the store for our celebration this week.
Today is local chef day! Chef Sam Mudd from Sullivan University will be showing us knife skills while preparing a relish tray from 11 to 1 today. Then Chef Shaw Ward of Jack Fry's will be tempting us with his shrimp and grits from 1:30 to 3. Yum! We've invited a bunch of other people to drop in during the day. If you're reading this, you're invited, too!
Thursday September 15th
Thursday we will be honoring our military men and women. A special gift will be presented to the first 15 active duty soldiers that come by the store. This will include: an on-the-go insulated mug with the Knifemakers Guild logo, free passes to the Guild show (Friday thru Sunday, Sept 16 - 18 at the Seelbach), one of a couple of different t-shirts, and other special items. All you other active duty soldiers will still get free passes to the Guild show (and maybe something special, too). Retired military, don't think we've forgotten about you! Come in to get your show pass and a free knife sharpening coupon. We'll also have a special drawing just for you. The rest of you, come by, sign up for the prizes, and say a special thank you to our men and women in uniform.
Did you know: Any orders shipped to a military post office have free shipping at Heimerdingers.
Friday Sept. 16th
The Knifemakers Guild show starts today! Stop by on the way down to the show or on the way home. We'll be doing our very own oral history project, collecting your favorite stories about visits to Heimerdingers. Stop in to shoot the breeze and tell us all the things we've forgotten (or in my case, wasn't alive for). We are doing this because every now and then we hear about someone special we remember, or a product we produced, or just a fun story. Share them in the comments here or on Facebook, too! Also we are inviting any former employees to come by on Friday to say hello. If you know of someone, please pass the word along. We're really hoping that Kyle Ellison (maker of the fabulous Kentucky Springs salad tongs) will be able to be with us this day.
Saturday Sept. 17th
Our final day is shaping up to be an awesome one. We'll have Ed Bartush from Wusthof Trident and Cindy Milem from Kyocera ceramic knives in the store with us. Also, we'll have another very special guest, Mark Zalesky, the editor of Knife World. Special demonstrations will be the order of the day with Cindy and Ed. There will be quite a few specials that day with Wusthof, including a 'trunk show' special, allowing a one time special ordering opportunity of Wusthof knives at 30% off for prepaid orders (only on regularly priced stuff, no sale items, no other discounts or offers).
While all that's going on, Mark Zalesky will be signing some of the books Knife World distributes, as well as doing knife appraisals (sorry, no written appraisals).
No matter which day you come by, be sure to sign up for the prizes, and remember that the Knifemakers Guild show runs through Sunday. We won't be doing the drawing for the major prizes until next Monday (the 19th).
Come see us!
Today is local chef day! Chef Sam Mudd from Sullivan University will be showing us knife skills while preparing a relish tray from 11 to 1 today. Then Chef Shaw Ward of Jack Fry's will be tempting us with his shrimp and grits from 1:30 to 3. Yum! We've invited a bunch of other people to drop in during the day. If you're reading this, you're invited, too!
Thursday September 15th
Thursday we will be honoring our military men and women. A special gift will be presented to the first 15 active duty soldiers that come by the store. This will include: an on-the-go insulated mug with the Knifemakers Guild logo, free passes to the Guild show (Friday thru Sunday, Sept 16 - 18 at the Seelbach), one of a couple of different t-shirts, and other special items. All you other active duty soldiers will still get free passes to the Guild show (and maybe something special, too). Retired military, don't think we've forgotten about you! Come in to get your show pass and a free knife sharpening coupon. We'll also have a special drawing just for you. The rest of you, come by, sign up for the prizes, and say a special thank you to our men and women in uniform.
Did you know: Any orders shipped to a military post office have free shipping at Heimerdingers.
Friday Sept. 16th
The Knifemakers Guild show starts today! Stop by on the way down to the show or on the way home. We'll be doing our very own oral history project, collecting your favorite stories about visits to Heimerdingers. Stop in to shoot the breeze and tell us all the things we've forgotten (or in my case, wasn't alive for). We are doing this because every now and then we hear about someone special we remember, or a product we produced, or just a fun story. Share them in the comments here or on Facebook, too! Also we are inviting any former employees to come by on Friday to say hello. If you know of someone, please pass the word along. We're really hoping that Kyle Ellison (maker of the fabulous Kentucky Springs salad tongs) will be able to be with us this day.
Saturday Sept. 17th
Our final day is shaping up to be an awesome one. We'll have Ed Bartush from Wusthof Trident and Cindy Milem from Kyocera ceramic knives in the store with us. Also, we'll have another very special guest, Mark Zalesky, the editor of Knife World. Special demonstrations will be the order of the day with Cindy and Ed. There will be quite a few specials that day with Wusthof, including a 'trunk show' special, allowing a one time special ordering opportunity of Wusthof knives at 30% off for prepaid orders (only on regularly priced stuff, no sale items, no other discounts or offers).
While all that's going on, Mark Zalesky will be signing some of the books Knife World distributes, as well as doing knife appraisals (sorry, no written appraisals).
No matter which day you come by, be sure to sign up for the prizes, and remember that the Knifemakers Guild show runs through Sunday. We won't be doing the drawing for the major prizes until next Monday (the 19th).
Come see us!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Check us out!
Just a reminder that our 150th anniversary celebration is coming up next month, September 12-17th. Keep your eyes on our Facebook page for updates about when things are going to be happening!
But really, I'm just posting that as an excuse to share this link from io9.
"A brief history of the ancient science of sword making," is a very fun read.
But really, I'm just posting that as an excuse to share this link from io9.
"A brief history of the ancient science of sword making," is a very fun read.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Edge maintenance
I don't know if any of you read Lifehacker. Their tagline is "Tips, tricks, and downloads for getting things done." This can be an everyday basic sort of thing (how to set a table, fall asleep faster, pick the best email service), or wacky fixes for problems, or some complicated techno-gadget projects. (One guess about which sort of article I usually skip!)
Anyway, I love them and their top story right now is "How Do I Sharpen a Kitchen Knife?". Mostly the article deals with honing a knife using your butcher's steel, which is a breeze. They have really good instructions, so I'll just add one note to that: Watch your ANGLE! Holding the knife at a bad angle to the steel will just dull the edge even more. Not to mention the fact that it can leave some ugly scratches on the blade.
When it comes to actual sharpening, the article doesn't really go there. So I will.
A quick search will give you a lot of easy home sharpening methods, mostly in the form of pull-through or electric sharpeners. Carl's favorites right now are from Chef's Choice. But really the best way for you to sharpen things at home is to get a sharpening stone of some sort. Some people insist on diamond stones, other people use nothing but natural stones. It's a personal thing, really, but I can tell you that a Norton combination stone was the one that outsold the others last holiday season.
If you're not in a do-it-yourself mood, we can do it for you!
For those of you who live nearby, you can drop off your knives directly and we give you a call when they're ready to pick up.
If you're too far away, we have a mail-in sharpening service. Here's a list of the different packages we offer.
And remember the Big Three of Knife Care
1) Say NO to the dishwasher!
The heat, harsh detergents, and all the bouncing around are not good for your knife. This goes double (quadruple!) if your knife has a wooden handle.
2) Use a cutting board that makes your knife happy.
It doesn't like hard countertops or glass cutting boards. Stick with wood, bamboo, or plastic if you want your edge to last longer.
3) Store it safely and securely. Anything is better than tossing it in a drawer to bang around with you measuring spoons and garlic press. Even storing it in the cardboard or plastic sleeve it came in will help protect the edge, if you don't have the counter space for a knifeblock and an Edge Guard feels too professional-chef-y.
Anyway, I love them and their top story right now is "How Do I Sharpen a Kitchen Knife?". Mostly the article deals with honing a knife using your butcher's steel, which is a breeze. They have really good instructions, so I'll just add one note to that: Watch your ANGLE! Holding the knife at a bad angle to the steel will just dull the edge even more. Not to mention the fact that it can leave some ugly scratches on the blade.
When it comes to actual sharpening, the article doesn't really go there. So I will.
A quick search will give you a lot of easy home sharpening methods, mostly in the form of pull-through or electric sharpeners. Carl's favorites right now are from Chef's Choice. But really the best way for you to sharpen things at home is to get a sharpening stone of some sort. Some people insist on diamond stones, other people use nothing but natural stones. It's a personal thing, really, but I can tell you that a Norton combination stone was the one that outsold the others last holiday season.
If you're not in a do-it-yourself mood, we can do it for you!
For those of you who live nearby, you can drop off your knives directly and we give you a call when they're ready to pick up.
If you're too far away, we have a mail-in sharpening service. Here's a list of the different packages we offer.
And remember the Big Three of Knife Care
1) Say NO to the dishwasher!
The heat, harsh detergents, and all the bouncing around are not good for your knife. This goes double (quadruple!) if your knife has a wooden handle.
2) Use a cutting board that makes your knife happy.
It doesn't like hard countertops or glass cutting boards. Stick with wood, bamboo, or plastic if you want your edge to last longer.
3) Store it safely and securely. Anything is better than tossing it in a drawer to bang around with you measuring spoons and garlic press. Even storing it in the cardboard or plastic sleeve it came in will help protect the edge, if you don't have the counter space for a knifeblock and an Edge Guard feels too professional-chef-y.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
We're on TeeVee!
The store was featured on Fox 41 last night, after all that tornado stuff. This blogger was a little sad not get her 15 minutes, but alas we can't get everything.
If that link thing feels like too much work, you can just watch the clip below!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Closings
Our shipping department will be closed on the 5th and 6th of May and the entire store will be closed on Saturday, May 7th.
Why, you ask? Because the seventh is the first Saturday in May, which around here means it is Derby time! Schools close that Friday and there's a ton going on in Louisville. Everything from Thunder Over Louisville (one of the world's largest annual firework displays, nearly half an hour), a parade, a marathon, concerts, parties, and.. oh yeah, a horse race.
The other link is WLKY's Thunder video, but check this one out,too. You can't hear the music, but it's fun.
(The pause with lots of cannon fire is to clear the smoke for the finale. You know it isn't the finale unless you see the waterfall off the bridge, which starts around 2:31)
Why, you ask? Because the seventh is the first Saturday in May, which around here means it is Derby time! Schools close that Friday and there's a ton going on in Louisville. Everything from Thunder Over Louisville (one of the world's largest annual firework displays, nearly half an hour), a parade, a marathon, concerts, parties, and.. oh yeah, a horse race.
The other link is WLKY's Thunder video, but check this one out,too. You can't hear the music, but it's fun.
(The pause with lots of cannon fire is to clear the smoke for the finale. You know it isn't the finale unless you see the waterfall off the bridge, which starts around 2:31)
Friday, February 25, 2011
Louisvillians in the News
As you know it's our 150th year in business and we're doing some fun things. That includes some in-store specials this weekend to celebrate my grandfather's 85th birthday. And cake, yellow cake with caramel icing. Well, WHAS (a local station) came by the other day and we were on the news! Sadly, the video doesn't seem to have been put online, but here's what they had to say about us.
But it's not all about us. Check out all the Louisville chefs making a splash on the national scene!
But it's not all about us. Check out all the Louisville chefs making a splash on the national scene!
The March issue of Esquire is featuring a recipe by one of our (ok, my) favorite local chefs: Edward Lee. I can't link to it yet, but never fear, it is forthcoming. According to the C-J, the recipe shared i
s a "manly" take on breakfast: waffles and eggs with a chicken-sausage-green-chili gravy. I think the recipe has something to do with their Eat Like a Man blog, which recently featured bartender Joy Perrine, who
also co-authored The Kentucky Bourbon Cocktail Book.
And if you get the Cooking Channel (or can catch some of it on demand, which is how I plan to watch it), keep an eye out this Sunday (the 27th) at 9 p.m. for their episode of Food(ography) on Southern Cooking. Chef Dean Corbett of the eponymous Corbett's restraunt will be sharing his delicious recipe for fried green tomatoes. Sadly, I cannot personally confirm the deliciousness, but we'll take their word for it.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Year 150
You may or may not have noticed, but this year marks Heimerdinger Cutlery's 150th Anniversary! We have all sorts of in-store events (cake!), in-store sales, and yes we'll even have some things for you guys here on the internet. And did I mention the cake? Yum. Keep your eyes on this space for more info to come.
Now, we can't be entirely certain that 1861 was the year that the Store was founded, but it's a good guess. Why? Because it was the first year that it appeared in the Louisville City Directory, showing up as A. Heimerdinger--Cutler and Sewing Machine Repair. We know it couldn't have been founded too many years previous to that because August originally settled in Cincinnati, where he was married in 1857. His movement to Louisville can be tracked by birth records; in 1859 he had one daughter born in the Cincinnati area and another daughter was born in 1860 in Louisville. Gotta love genealogy.
Want to know more about our history? Check out my blog post here, or the website here. Sorry about the broken pictures, they were on the old website and so went away when it did. I can't find the digital files and I don't really feel like dangling off a ladder again to take new pics. You'll just have to wait for me to find a flatbed scanner. I'm sure you're just dying of antici...pation.
Now, we can't be entirely certain that 1861 was the year that the Store was founded, but it's a good guess. Why? Because it was the first year that it appeared in the Louisville City Directory, showing up as A. Heimerdinger--Cutler and Sewing Machine Repair. We know it couldn't have been founded too many years previous to that because August originally settled in Cincinnati, where he was married in 1857. His movement to Louisville can be tracked by birth records; in 1859 he had one daughter born in the Cincinnati area and another daughter was born in 1860 in Louisville. Gotta love genealogy.
Want to know more about our history? Check out my blog post here, or the website here. Sorry about the broken pictures, they were on the old website and so went away when it did. I can't find the digital files and I don't really feel like dangling off a ladder again to take new pics. You'll just have to wait for me to find a flatbed scanner. I'm sure you're just dying of antici...pation.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Chef Edward Lee is Amazing!
... but that's not news to anyone from Louisville who has had the great (and delicious) fortune to eat at his restraunt, 610 Magnolia, located a stone's throw from Central Park. 610 serves what they describe as New American Farm to Table Cuisine--I describe it as amazing. Not only is it some of the best food I've ever eaten, but it is also the only place in the world that could ever get my notoriously anti-fruit father to eat fig paste. Voluntarily.
But now the world (OK, everyone who watches Food Network) knows how awesome Edward Lee is, too.
Tonight on Iron Chef America Chef Lee took on the new Iron Chef, Jose Garces. Alton Brown pronounced himself Vice Chairman for the night, as we were sadly without the Chairman's presence. That seemed to suit Alton, he's always complaining that he never gets to eat the things he's smelling and talking about.
For those not familiar with this show, Iron Chef America is based on a Japanese show that I highly recommend. A challenger selects which of the Iron Chefs he wishes to cook against, they are given a secret ingredient, and they have one hour to create five dishes for three judges. They are then judged based on taste, plating, and originality, with taste having the strongest weighting.
Bobby Flay is one of the better known and oft challenged Iron Chefs, so I was really excited to see Chef Lee challenge Iron Chef Garces. You can get a full bio of Chef Garces here, but he is the least tried of all the Iron Chefs. You might have seen him on a previous season of the show The Next Iron Chef, you might have heard of one of his restraunts in Philadelphia, or you might have picked up a copy of his cook book Latin Evolution
.He specializes in the cuisines of Spain and Latin America, trying to bring to the fore what came before while showing off the potential of dishes. Garces says his mantra is that 'authentic' and 'innovative' are not contradictory words. A very nice change from Bobby Flay's southwestern style everything.
I admit to a bit of disappointment over the choice of judges for this episode.Of the three, one admitted to having never eaten any of the secret ingredients and one of the other two is notable mostly for his fashion designing. It's always fun to see two foodie judges contradict and subtly snub one another.
But I haven't gotten to the most interesting part of the show yet: the Secret Ingredient. Rumor has is that the contestants are given a list of five possible secret ingredients ahead of time, so that they can prepare potential menus. However, nobody can get that confirmed; we are left to speculate. Tonight's Secret Ingredient was... Tongue and Cheek! Ignoring any and all possible puns, what was presented to the challengers was tongue (beef, lamb, and duck) and cheek (beef and halibut). This presents a challenge, as both of these need to be cooked for longer times to avoid toughness. Our chefs got around this by using lots and lots of pressure cookers.
I think one of the most notable parts of Battle Tongue and Cheek was the somewhat relaxed pace of the two contestants. Normally the chefs jog around the kitchen and move at a hurried pace. Neither chef tonight displayed that frenetic energy. Both moved briskly but smoothly, with the challenger Chef Lee bringing a bit of pressure as he finished his plating with nearly a full minute to spare. Panicked plating that goes down at the last second is much more typical of challengers on Iron Chef America, but as one viewer commented to me "Not that I know him, but seeing how his restaurant is-- I couldn't imagine a frantic kitchen."
I'm missing nuances, but generally speaking, here are the dishes as presented to the judges:
As challenger, Chef Lee presented first. He described the secret ingredients as "historically humble" and usually "misunderstood" and told the judges that he planned to pair them with "equally modest" ingredients so that the secret ingredients would shine. His first dish was a cow tongue Reuben, served with a pickled okra mayonnaise and some sauerkraut soup with a cow tongue crouton. It was a little sandwich square, reminiscent of the itty BLTs served at 610. The second dish presented to the judges was a duck tongue wrapped in Thai basil and tempura deep-fried. It was served over a tongue curry broth with mussels that were, I believe, cooked in the same broth. It sounds disjointed, but apparently the tastes were wonderful together and had a very inviting smell. Halibut cheeks stuffed with a shrimp something-or-other were served third. I would give you more details, but I was too busy drooling at the screen. The general consensus of my viewing party was that it looked "really good, really really good." However good it was, the fourth dish was the one that wowed the judges. It was a lamb tongue and pork cheek arancini. If you follow that link, Chef Lee's looked about a million times better than the ones in the picture there. They were served in a wide bowl with this lovely green sauce. The fifth and final dish was a braised beef cheek served over corn grits with bourbon iced tea in a mason jar. The beef cheek was cooked in a barbecue sauce that included local sorghum molasses and black (fermented) garlic. His presentation included corn husks and some of the paper from the garlic. I think the bourbon made this a particularly hard act to follow.
Iron Chef Garces presented his take on the secret ingredient "with the world as a backdrop." His first dish was a deconstructed greek salad using the beef tongue, served with a lot of little dips and dots of things all over the plate, like a preserved lemon cream and a kalamata olive puree. His second dish took the tasters to Asia with a pork cheek bao that was served with a little salad of pickled stuff in a mason jar. The third dish was an italian beef cheek pappardalle, which my spell-check absolutely hates. In reality, it was a yummy looking noodle dish made with pine nuts and presented to the judges to eat out of a clear blue glass bowl with a ridiculously long fork. Iron Chef Garces' very small fourth dish was a bit lost on an expanse of white plate, but it was a slightly salty Halibut al Ajillo--Spanish-style halibut cheeks with garlic and I think some chorizo. The fifth dish, to me, had the most interesting presentation, but then I'm a fan of lots of little bowls of ingredients. This final dish was a do-it-yourself trip to Mexico City, with the secret ingredients as taco filling. I would love to tell you what all the little bowls of things to put with it were, but at this point my notes are just too scribbled and drool covered to make it out. One was a sauce made with chilies that was a bit on the spicy side for one of the judges.
After a break (and a commercial for those of us at home) the judges came to their decisions. Chef Garces was given twenty-five for taste, eleven for plating, and twelve for originality. Chef Lee was also given twenty-five for taste, but he broke free from any potential tie by being awarded fourteens in both plating and originality.
For deliciousness that you can taste yourself, and a truly fine dining experience, 610 Magnolia is absolutely one of the best places in town to eat. Even with constraints on time and ingredients, Chef Edward Lee was able to prove the superiority of the wonderful things he prepares. Might be worth seeing what he can do when he has plenty of time, hmm?
You can watch this episode at 1 am tonight (tomorrow) and again on the 11th at 9 pm eastern.
But now the world (OK, everyone who watches Food Network) knows how awesome Edward Lee is, too.
Tonight on Iron Chef America Chef Lee took on the new Iron Chef, Jose Garces. Alton Brown pronounced himself Vice Chairman for the night, as we were sadly without the Chairman's presence. That seemed to suit Alton, he's always complaining that he never gets to eat the things he's smelling and talking about.
For those not familiar with this show, Iron Chef America is based on a Japanese show that I highly recommend. A challenger selects which of the Iron Chefs he wishes to cook against, they are given a secret ingredient, and they have one hour to create five dishes for three judges. They are then judged based on taste, plating, and originality, with taste having the strongest weighting.
Bobby Flay is one of the better known and oft challenged Iron Chefs, so I was really excited to see Chef Lee challenge Iron Chef Garces. You can get a full bio of Chef Garces here, but he is the least tried of all the Iron Chefs. You might have seen him on a previous season of the show The Next Iron Chef, you might have heard of one of his restraunts in Philadelphia, or you might have picked up a copy of his cook book Latin Evolution
.He specializes in the cuisines of Spain and Latin America, trying to bring to the fore what came before while showing off the potential of dishes. Garces says his mantra is that 'authentic' and 'innovative' are not contradictory words. A very nice change from Bobby Flay's southwestern style everything. I admit to a bit of disappointment over the choice of judges for this episode.Of the three, one admitted to having never eaten any of the secret ingredients and one of the other two is notable mostly for his fashion designing. It's always fun to see two foodie judges contradict and subtly snub one another.
But I haven't gotten to the most interesting part of the show yet: the Secret Ingredient. Rumor has is that the contestants are given a list of five possible secret ingredients ahead of time, so that they can prepare potential menus. However, nobody can get that confirmed; we are left to speculate. Tonight's Secret Ingredient was... Tongue and Cheek! Ignoring any and all possible puns, what was presented to the challengers was tongue (beef, lamb, and duck) and cheek (beef and halibut). This presents a challenge, as both of these need to be cooked for longer times to avoid toughness. Our chefs got around this by using lots and lots of pressure cookers.
I think one of the most notable parts of Battle Tongue and Cheek was the somewhat relaxed pace of the two contestants. Normally the chefs jog around the kitchen and move at a hurried pace. Neither chef tonight displayed that frenetic energy. Both moved briskly but smoothly, with the challenger Chef Lee bringing a bit of pressure as he finished his plating with nearly a full minute to spare. Panicked plating that goes down at the last second is much more typical of challengers on Iron Chef America, but as one viewer commented to me "Not that I know him, but seeing how his restaurant is-- I couldn't imagine a frantic kitchen."
I'm missing nuances, but generally speaking, here are the dishes as presented to the judges:
As challenger, Chef Lee presented first. He described the secret ingredients as "historically humble" and usually "misunderstood" and told the judges that he planned to pair them with "equally modest" ingredients so that the secret ingredients would shine. His first dish was a cow tongue Reuben, served with a pickled okra mayonnaise and some sauerkraut soup with a cow tongue crouton. It was a little sandwich square, reminiscent of the itty BLTs served at 610. The second dish presented to the judges was a duck tongue wrapped in Thai basil and tempura deep-fried. It was served over a tongue curry broth with mussels that were, I believe, cooked in the same broth. It sounds disjointed, but apparently the tastes were wonderful together and had a very inviting smell. Halibut cheeks stuffed with a shrimp something-or-other were served third. I would give you more details, but I was too busy drooling at the screen. The general consensus of my viewing party was that it looked "really good, really really good." However good it was, the fourth dish was the one that wowed the judges. It was a lamb tongue and pork cheek arancini. If you follow that link, Chef Lee's looked about a million times better than the ones in the picture there. They were served in a wide bowl with this lovely green sauce. The fifth and final dish was a braised beef cheek served over corn grits with bourbon iced tea in a mason jar. The beef cheek was cooked in a barbecue sauce that included local sorghum molasses and black (fermented) garlic. His presentation included corn husks and some of the paper from the garlic. I think the bourbon made this a particularly hard act to follow.
Iron Chef Garces presented his take on the secret ingredient "with the world as a backdrop." His first dish was a deconstructed greek salad using the beef tongue, served with a lot of little dips and dots of things all over the plate, like a preserved lemon cream and a kalamata olive puree. His second dish took the tasters to Asia with a pork cheek bao that was served with a little salad of pickled stuff in a mason jar. The third dish was an italian beef cheek pappardalle, which my spell-check absolutely hates. In reality, it was a yummy looking noodle dish made with pine nuts and presented to the judges to eat out of a clear blue glass bowl with a ridiculously long fork. Iron Chef Garces' very small fourth dish was a bit lost on an expanse of white plate, but it was a slightly salty Halibut al Ajillo--Spanish-style halibut cheeks with garlic and I think some chorizo. The fifth dish, to me, had the most interesting presentation, but then I'm a fan of lots of little bowls of ingredients. This final dish was a do-it-yourself trip to Mexico City, with the secret ingredients as taco filling. I would love to tell you what all the little bowls of things to put with it were, but at this point my notes are just too scribbled and drool covered to make it out. One was a sauce made with chilies that was a bit on the spicy side for one of the judges.
After a break (and a commercial for those of us at home) the judges came to their decisions. Chef Garces was given twenty-five for taste, eleven for plating, and twelve for originality. Chef Lee was also given twenty-five for taste, but he broke free from any potential tie by being awarded fourteens in both plating and originality.
For deliciousness that you can taste yourself, and a truly fine dining experience, 610 Magnolia is absolutely one of the best places in town to eat. Even with constraints on time and ingredients, Chef Edward Lee was able to prove the superiority of the wonderful things he prepares. Might be worth seeing what he can do when he has plenty of time, hmm?
You can watch this episode at 1 am tonight (tomorrow) and again on the 11th at 9 pm eastern.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Fact Checking
Yes, the picnic knife comes in translucent purple, green, red, and blue. We also have it in opaque black, red, and lime green. The picnic knife is now available online, but you have to tell us what color you prefer. Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Look Sharp!
Nifty knives that will make you look sharp.
We aren't the only ones with a penchant for bad puns, the Courier-Journal is right there with us. They came by the other week and took some pictures for Phenom, a shopping feature which shows up in the Scene section on Saturdays.
While most of the knives featured were really colorful (like Messermeister's Picnic Knife, which they picked out in purple), they also got into some that are just really well designed. Example from our store that they selected for the article? An ulu knife, that we get from Knives of Alaska. Part of what makes it cool is that it comes with it's own dish-shaped, wooden chopping block*, which you can always flip over to get a flat block.
Check out the full thing here.
*Please note that the ulus we have online do not come with the block. If you're interested in those, drop us a line and we can hook you up.
And actually, the picnic knife isn't online either, so I should tell you that it is a colorful little knife that we sell for $5.20. What makes it special is that it has a slide-n-snap-on cover over the blade, so you can just toss it in a drawer (or a picnic basket, hence the name) without having to worry about slicing your fingers open when you try to get it out. I think the colors that we have in stock right now are translucent purple, red, and green. Maybe blue? I'll try to let you know for certain.
We aren't the only ones with a penchant for bad puns, the Courier-Journal is right there with us. They came by the other week and took some pictures for Phenom, a shopping feature which shows up in the Scene section on Saturdays.
While most of the knives featured were really colorful (like Messermeister's Picnic Knife, which they picked out in purple), they also got into some that are just really well designed. Example from our store that they selected for the article? An ulu knife, that we get from Knives of Alaska. Part of what makes it cool is that it comes with it's own dish-shaped, wooden chopping block*, which you can always flip over to get a flat block.
Check out the full thing here.
*Please note that the ulus we have online do not come with the block. If you're interested in those, drop us a line and we can hook you up.
And actually, the picnic knife isn't online either, so I should tell you that it is a colorful little knife that we sell for $5.20. What makes it special is that it has a slide-n-snap-on cover over the blade, so you can just toss it in a drawer (or a picnic basket, hence the name) without having to worry about slicing your fingers open when you try to get it out. I think the colors that we have in stock right now are translucent purple, red, and green. Maybe blue? I'll try to let you know for certain.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Strange things abound
You know, this cutlery store actually has some strange things tucked away.
Did you know that we sell magnifiers? We get a lot of people with macular degeneration referred to us because there aren't a lot of places in town that carry them. We also have things like the Optivisor that are good for hobbyists to use, even if it makes them look a bit like a refugee from a low budget sci-fi movie.
You may remember our clearance section from Ye Olde Website of ages past. Lots of strange things in there, a lot of them because in my great-grandfather's day the cutlery was also a hardware store. We still have bits of leftover stock tucked away. Dremel tool accessories, glass bubbles for levels, and a lot of screws and nuts. (Which reminds me, you'll let me know if you ever need any of those old iron stove/carriage bolts, won't you?)
Another relic, from the days when we manufactured scissors, is the barrel of scissor blanks. For our 135th anniversary, Carl and Glenna put in extra hours to hand-finish (sharpen, polish, paint) around 50 pairs. They ended up looking a lot like the traditional Wiss sewing/household scissors.
We have six different oyster knives in stock in the store. From one (one!) company. Did you even know they made that many different types of oyster knives? I admit that I did. I hadn't really thought about it before, but I noticed it while I was arranging things in a display case today.
We also sell a knife for cutting whole wheels of cheese. It's a Wushof and it never fails to get comments from new customers.
Nose and ear scissors. Essential, but on some level, hilarious. That doesn't mean I won't still get my husband one, just that I'm not cruel enough to do it for his birthday.
Silhouette scissors. Scissors that were designed to cut itty figures out of black paper. As you'd imagine, they're still great for any sort of highly detailed work, but you'd think they'd change the name.
We sell a lot of lightbulbs. Apparently it is difficult to find replacement bulbs for those Floxite light up mirrors.
Now, I don't have some great point to make. Just that we're a small family business that's accumulated a lot over the years. We have some fun stuff that's not entirely what you'd expect.
And that's what I like about us.
Did you know that we sell magnifiers? We get a lot of people with macular degeneration referred to us because there aren't a lot of places in town that carry them. We also have things like the Optivisor that are good for hobbyists to use, even if it makes them look a bit like a refugee from a low budget sci-fi movie.
You may remember our clearance section from Ye Olde Website of ages past. Lots of strange things in there, a lot of them because in my great-grandfather's day the cutlery was also a hardware store. We still have bits of leftover stock tucked away. Dremel tool accessories, glass bubbles for levels, and a lot of screws and nuts. (Which reminds me, you'll let me know if you ever need any of those old iron stove/carriage bolts, won't you?)
Another relic, from the days when we manufactured scissors, is the barrel of scissor blanks. For our 135th anniversary, Carl and Glenna put in extra hours to hand-finish (sharpen, polish, paint) around 50 pairs. They ended up looking a lot like the traditional Wiss sewing/household scissors.
We have six different oyster knives in stock in the store. From one (one!) company. Did you even know they made that many different types of oyster knives? I admit that I did. I hadn't really thought about it before, but I noticed it while I was arranging things in a display case today.
We also sell a knife for cutting whole wheels of cheese. It's a Wushof and it never fails to get comments from new customers.
Nose and ear scissors. Essential, but on some level, hilarious. That doesn't mean I won't still get my husband one, just that I'm not cruel enough to do it for his birthday.
Silhouette scissors. Scissors that were designed to cut itty figures out of black paper. As you'd imagine, they're still great for any sort of highly detailed work, but you'd think they'd change the name.
We sell a lot of lightbulbs. Apparently it is difficult to find replacement bulbs for those Floxite light up mirrors.
Now, I don't have some great point to make. Just that we're a small family business that's accumulated a lot over the years. We have some fun stuff that's not entirely what you'd expect.
And that's what I like about us.
Monday, July 5, 2010
A Rosy Outlook
Happy belated 4th of July! I was singularly unpatriotic this year, at least in terms of explosives. I'm really more of a sparklers sort of gal. I think I made up for it by going to lots of picnics and eating tons of picnic food.
I haven't really gone into it in this blog, but I happen to be a reader. I read a LOT. Lately I've been into a lot of nonfiction and one of the books has moved me to write a little about it. The book is Otherwise Normal People: Inside the Thorny World of Competitive Rose Gardening, by Aurelia Scott and if you want to know what I think, you'll have to go read about that at my book blog.
In honor of the rosarians out there, here are some of the tools we have that you find useful.
Now, I've talked about Felco pruners in general. Did you know that they make specific rose shears? These "cut and hold" rose shears, with rosewood handles, have a wide metal spring that is separate from the blades, which firmly grips the stem after the blades have cut it. Just open the shears to release the stem. This is also called a "cut and hold scissors" or a "harvester scissors". They'll hold flowers, grapes or anything else to be gathered. If I'm remembering my reading correctly, one concern is whether the stems get smooshed too much when they're cut. In my experience these shears don't really do much damage to the stems when they hold them, but I admit that I am far less particular than anyone who goes anywhere near a rose competition. If you've used them, I'd love to hear about your experiences in the comments.
I would also like to direct your attention to... pruner holsters! We have two different sorts, one that's a little more pointy and one that isn't. The pointy one (pictured), is probably going to be a little more adaptable to different sorts of pruners, but either will fit any of the Felco pruners. Both are made from heavy duty grain leather, waxed thread and have extra riveting for long lasting use.They can be mounted on a belt, or clipped to a pocket, so you can always have your pruners handy.
Something else you might find helpful, if you're into some serious gardening, are the various horticulture knives we have. Of the three, one is just a basic utility knife, another has a slightly hooked blade to be a good pocket pruning knife. The other is a grafting knife. Not being as garden-inclined as some, I do not actually have a very good idea of what you would do with this... maybe create some sort of franken-plant? I know that you can graft stuff with fruit trees, too, so if you have those you should check it out.
I'm off to look at roses online, my mom's thinking about trying to put some in and needs something unkillable. I've heard good things about.. shoutout? knockout? something like that.
Catch you all later!
I haven't really gone into it in this blog, but I happen to be a reader. I read a LOT. Lately I've been into a lot of nonfiction and one of the books has moved me to write a little about it. The book is Otherwise Normal People: Inside the Thorny World of Competitive Rose Gardening, by Aurelia Scott and if you want to know what I think, you'll have to go read about that at my book blog.
In honor of the rosarians out there, here are some of the tools we have that you find useful.
Something else you might find helpful, if you're into some serious gardening, are the various horticulture knives we have. Of the three, one is just a basic utility knife, another has a slightly hooked blade to be a good pocket pruning knife. The other is a grafting knife. Not being as garden-inclined as some, I do not actually have a very good idea of what you would do with this... maybe create some sort of franken-plant? I know that you can graft stuff with fruit trees, too, so if you have those you should check it out.
I'm off to look at roses online, my mom's thinking about trying to put some in and needs something unkillable. I've heard good things about.. shoutout? knockout? something like that.
Catch you all later!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Father's Day : Shaving up!
Now, let's talk shaving stuff.
Why you should be interested
Right now there's a swing away from the handy-dandy disposable razor and shaving-cream-in-a-can. Men of all generations are getting into their morning ritual and looking for better, more luxurious ways of doing things. Women get to pamper themselves all the time, why shouldn't men?
More importantly why should shaving be an every-day ordeal, when there are simple ways to make it much more pleasant? A lot of men find that "old-fashioned" razors irritate their skin less than fancy electric shavers and are cheaper than disposable razors. There are products that had fallen out of fashion that are making a comeback. Why? Because they make shaving more pleasant.
C-M's 1752 fine face care products:
I bring this bunch of products up mostly because you can get the whole range of products in the same scent (very important to some people) and also because it has one really neat product, the preshave oil. It's really good for sensitive skin, helping to prevent ingrown hairs and protect against razor burn. It's a combination of castor oil, olive oil, and sweet almond oil with some other beneficial extracts. Most people hear castor oil and think of swallowing it to, er... "keep things moving." I can see where the thought of rubbing it on your face would be a little strange. What most people don't know is that castor oil is anti-inflammatory when you rub it into the skin, which makes it great for keeping down irritation. (Castor oil is also awesome for sore back muscles. Just rub it in, then lay on a heating pad. The oil will soak in entirely and your back will feel so much better in the morning. Amazing.)
Our C-M 1752 shaving products (preshave oil, shaving cream, shave soaps, aftershave balm) are available in either Sandalwood or Almond scents. I think either one is wonderful, but I've had some people disagree with me. Almond products are more lightly scented, I find it to be a very clean smell. On the other hand, I've had at least one customer in the store telling me that he didn't feel that it was "masculine enough" which is why he preferred Sandalwood. Whatever floats your boat, I suppose.
Think you might want to get into this but you have no idea what to get?
If you're looking for a place to start, I'd start with something that can be enjoyed with regular shaving equipment. A badger brush and some sort of shaving cream, either a shave soap (in a lovely wooden bowl) or a little tub of shaving cream, which is wonderful for men who don't have as much time in the morning. Give us a call about the C-M Classic Shave Set, which we don't have on the website at present. It has the shave soap in a wooden bowl, a badger brush and a stand for the brush.
If the man in your life is already getting into this, look at what he already has and try to go with that. Maybe he needs a new shaving brush, or he's never tried using a preshave oil. Some new blades for his razor, maybe.
Maybe you (or your guy) might want to try a different scent of shave soap. I've been talking about Caswell-Massey a lot recently because of the promotion going on right now. But we also carry Col. Ichabod Conk shaving products. Their almond scent is a little sweeter and lighter than C-M's. Conk has a great traditional scent, Bay-Rum. It's perhaps a little old-fashioned, but I love it.
There are a few things that set Conk apart from C-M. The first is that their soap is glycerin based, which keeps the scent a little lighter and works better with some skin types. It lets them have the classic amber soap scent, as well as fun scents like lime. The second is that the amber, almond, and bay-rum scents are available in two different sizes, so that you can use your own shaving mug. Or, our third thing, the way that Conk soaps are packaged lets you use the resealable plastic as a shaving mug, if you aren't interested in making that investment right now.
If you are interested in shaving mugs, though, Conk brings us several options some with ducks and ships and "Dad" on them. We also have a few barbershop style shaving scuttles.What's a scuttle? Read all about it here.
Conk also carries brushes, like this useful travel brush, and some accessories like a mustache comb and razors stones. Speaking of brushes and razors, Conk knows that a wet brush should never be closed up, and the best way to dry it is hanging fuzzy side down. So we also have a couple of brush stands that will also hold your safety razor.
And that brings us to the most important thing for shaving: razors! Conk has some fancy track razors in chrome and gold finishes, which you'd recognize as "normal" razors with disposable blades. Very nice, but right now there are a lot of men who have started using safety razors (pictured at left). All of our safety razors are made by Merkur in Germany, for the Conk company. I keep trying to get my husband to start shaving more so that it'd be worth getting him of these, but he sadly going through a hirsute phase.
Why you should be interested
Right now there's a swing away from the handy-dandy disposable razor and shaving-cream-in-a-can. Men of all generations are getting into their morning ritual and looking for better, more luxurious ways of doing things. Women get to pamper themselves all the time, why shouldn't men?
More importantly why should shaving be an every-day ordeal, when there are simple ways to make it much more pleasant? A lot of men find that "old-fashioned" razors irritate their skin less than fancy electric shavers and are cheaper than disposable razors. There are products that had fallen out of fashion that are making a comeback. Why? Because they make shaving more pleasant.
I bring this bunch of products up mostly because you can get the whole range of products in the same scent (very important to some people) and also because it has one really neat product, the preshave oil. It's really good for sensitive skin, helping to prevent ingrown hairs and protect against razor burn. It's a combination of castor oil, olive oil, and sweet almond oil with some other beneficial extracts. Most people hear castor oil and think of swallowing it to, er... "keep things moving." I can see where the thought of rubbing it on your face would be a little strange. What most people don't know is that castor oil is anti-inflammatory when you rub it into the skin, which makes it great for keeping down irritation. (Castor oil is also awesome for sore back muscles. Just rub it in, then lay on a heating pad. The oil will soak in entirely and your back will feel so much better in the morning. Amazing.)
Our C-M 1752 shaving products (preshave oil, shaving cream, shave soaps, aftershave balm) are available in either Sandalwood or Almond scents. I think either one is wonderful, but I've had some people disagree with me. Almond products are more lightly scented, I find it to be a very clean smell. On the other hand, I've had at least one customer in the store telling me that he didn't feel that it was "masculine enough" which is why he preferred Sandalwood. Whatever floats your boat, I suppose.
Think you might want to get into this but you have no idea what to get?
If you're looking for a place to start, I'd start with something that can be enjoyed with regular shaving equipment. A badger brush and some sort of shaving cream, either a shave soap (in a lovely wooden bowl) or a little tub of shaving cream, which is wonderful for men who don't have as much time in the morning. Give us a call about the C-M Classic Shave Set, which we don't have on the website at present. It has the shave soap in a wooden bowl, a badger brush and a stand for the brush.
If the man in your life is already getting into this, look at what he already has and try to go with that. Maybe he needs a new shaving brush, or he's never tried using a preshave oil. Some new blades for his razor, maybe.
There are a few things that set Conk apart from C-M. The first is that their soap is glycerin based, which keeps the scent a little lighter and works better with some skin types. It lets them have the classic amber soap scent, as well as fun scents like lime. The second is that the amber, almond, and bay-rum scents are available in two different sizes, so that you can use your own shaving mug. Or, our third thing, the way that Conk soaps are packaged lets you use the resealable plastic as a shaving mug, if you aren't interested in making that investment right now.
If you are interested in shaving mugs, though, Conk brings us several options some with ducks and ships and "Dad" on them. We also have a few barbershop style shaving scuttles.What's a scuttle? Read all about it here.
Conk also carries brushes, like this useful travel brush, and some accessories like a mustache comb and razors stones. Speaking of brushes and razors, Conk knows that a wet brush should never be closed up, and the best way to dry it is hanging fuzzy side down. So we also have a couple of brush stands that will also hold your safety razor.
And that brings us to the most important thing for shaving: razors! Conk has some fancy track razors in chrome and gold finishes, which you'd recognize as "normal" razors with disposable blades. Very nice, but right now there are a lot of men who have started using safety razors (pictured at left). All of our safety razors are made by Merkur in Germany, for the Conk company. I keep trying to get my husband to start shaving more so that it'd be worth getting him of these, but he sadly going through a hirsute phase.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Caswell-Massey Promotion
What is the Promotion?
There's a promotion going on right now with Caswell-Massey products. Spend twenty dollars ($20) pre-tax on any Caswell-Massey products, and you can get a free full-size lotion in Rose, English Lavender, or Almond & Aloe. We'll be doing it while supplies last. This includes products from Caswell-Massey subsidiaries like Dr. Hunter's and Lucky Tiger.
How do I get my free lotion?
When you're finishing up your order of Caswell-Massey products, let us know in the comments which scent you'd like. If we're out of a particular scent, a different one of our choice will be substituted. They're all pretty wonderful.
Why would I want to buy something from Caswell-Massey?
I've said it before, but Caswell-Massey is a pretty cool company. They have tons of scents, especially the specialty soaps, which are triple-milled and last forever.
Also, this is a great chance if you're planning on buying something for Father's Day. Not only do you get a present for Dad, but you also get a present for yourself.
Ok, if you're so smart, what do you recommend?
As always, I am full of opinions. Check here to see the full list of C-M products, but here's what I think.
There are a lot of other C-M scents. If you'd like to smell them all, or if you're looking for a present for someone who is looking for a change, I'd get the Men's Fragrance Collection. I wish I had a picture of it for you, because the packaging is wonderful. There are six little .16oz glass bottles in a green and gold case. The scents include Number Six, Jockey Club, Tricorn, Greenbriar and Newport. For some reason, the catalog I have doesn't list the last one, but I think it's Verbena. Lime doesn't sound right and we don't stock Aura of Patchouli.
I love C-M's soaps. I can personally vouch for how well they last and how wonderful they smell (unless you're like my husband and don't like anything that smells like roses, then it's just listening to someone complain for a longer period of time than they would with a regular bar of soap). They're generally sold in boxes of three. I like these for gift baskets, hostess gifts, and as additions to attendant gifts that are classier and less cliche than something from Bath and Body Works. Plus, if you buy the soaps and split them up, you get to keep the box, which is pretty, smells nice, and is a good size for organizing things in drawers/closets/etc.
There are a few of the soaps on the website, like Almond Coldcream, Pomegranate, Sandalwood, and some of the Men's Fragrance Collection. We have a wider variety in the store, so if you're interested in any of the following, please give us a call: Vanilla Orchid (vanilla with notes of coconut and mango), Herbal Fusion (rosemary and tarragon), English Lavender, woodgrain Sandalwood, and maybe more.
Is your guy leery of splashing chemicals all over his face? Does he have sensitive skin and want to avoid alcohol? In need of something eco-friendly? I'd recommend Lucky Tiger products, especially the aftershave. Their products are made with certified organic ingredients, from a recipe that is essentially unchanged since the company started in 1935. I really like the light, clean scent of the aftershave. It would be a good choice if you (or who you buy it for) t isn't a fan of highly scented products.
There's also a ton of shaving stuff that you might be interested in for Father's Day, but I'll talk more about that in the next post, which will mostly be about shaving stuff.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Felco, for your pruning needs
Felco is probably one of the most recognizable brand of gardening tools. The signature red handles make their pruning tools easy to spot (for those of us who aren't color blind, anyway).
Felco tools are undeniably the tools of choice for horticulture enthusiasts. When Carl attended a meeting of the Master Gardeners Club, part of the Extension Service's ... uh...services, Felco was a visible presence. A Master Gardener is someone who is interested in learning about all types of horticulture, not just for their own benefit, but also to teach others. Master Gardeners are trained in things like plant pathology, pesticide use, fertilizers, organic gardening, and more.
Interested in being a Master Gardener? Check this out.
But which ones should you pick?
Perrenial (ha!) favorites are Felco #2 and #11. Part of their popularity lies in the fact that their slightly larger handles fit many sizes of hands. The former has a good sized jaw for medium limbs.Felco #6 is a close runner up. It has slightly smaller handles than the other two. It is lighter and a little more compact. All three of these have thin hooked blades that are good for precision work.
Other really popular models are the #9 and #10.They notable because it's for south-paws (lefties, those who are left-handed). Plus #10 has some very cool rotating handles.My favorite is probably the #8, though. It's a good size for me.
Another tool I would like you to direct your attention to is the #F600. It is a high performance pull-stroke pruning saw that is perfect for producing a clean, precise and easy cut. The steel blade is heat treated and covered with hard chromium-plating for an extra tough, rust resistant, wipe-clean blade. The ergonomic handle is made of non-slip comfort material, and the saw has an excellent locking system. One major bonus that you don't see as much with the folding saws is that the blade is replaceable (and we, of course, carry the replacements).
Blah blah blah... it has a cool handle and a blade, but you want to know what makes this so awesome? Ice storms. I don't know if you have those where you live, dear reader, but I have to say that this folding saw is a lifesaver when we have ice storms and limbs are falling off trees all over the place. This is an item that we don't just sell, we use it, too. One friend of the family has a bit of land around her house (and an awesome vegetable garden) which meant lots of downed limbs for her to deal with. She and her sister, both in their 60's, took this saw and dealt with an awesome pile of branches in just one day.
Felco tools are undeniably the tools of choice for horticulture enthusiasts. When Carl attended a meeting of the Master Gardeners Club, part of the Extension Service's ... uh...services, Felco was a visible presence. A Master Gardener is someone who is interested in learning about all types of horticulture, not just for their own benefit, but also to teach others. Master Gardeners are trained in things like plant pathology, pesticide use, fertilizers, organic gardening, and more.
Interested in being a Master Gardener? Check this out.
But which ones should you pick?
Perrenial (ha!) favorites are Felco #2 and #11. Part of their popularity lies in the fact that their slightly larger handles fit many sizes of hands. The former has a good sized jaw for medium limbs.Felco #6 is a close runner up. It has slightly smaller handles than the other two. It is lighter and a little more compact. All three of these have thin hooked blades that are good for precision work.
Other really popular models are the #9 and #10.They notable because it's for south-paws (lefties, those who are left-handed). Plus #10 has some very cool rotating handles.My favorite is probably the #8, though. It's a good size for me.
Another tool I would like you to direct your attention to is the #F600. It is a high performance pull-stroke pruning saw that is perfect for producing a clean, precise and easy cut. The steel blade is heat treated and covered with hard chromium-plating for an extra tough, rust resistant, wipe-clean blade. The ergonomic handle is made of non-slip comfort material, and the saw has an excellent locking system. One major bonus that you don't see as much with the folding saws is that the blade is replaceable (and we, of course, carry the replacements).
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