Kitchen Gadgets, Appliances, Kitchen Toys

Martini Glasses, Shakers, Sets

December 26, 2004 on 10:51 pm | In Kitchen Gadgets | No Comments

Ah, martinis. Fine dry gin, a whisper of vermouth, ice cold warming your innards. OH, and the fun of the martini glasses, the martini shaker or pitcher, the ambiance of the whole set.

The classic “martini glass” is the cocktail glass in bartender lingo. Shaped like a cone, the glass is classic cocktail serving glassware. Today you can get the martini glass in some very non-classic styles that can actually enhance your drink.

For a party, try mini martini glasses! These perky little glasses hold 2.5 ounces. That means it’s still polite to have refills. Perfect if you’re serving several cocktails.

Mini Martini Glasses

To Fry Donuts or to Bake Donuts?

December 9, 2004 on 7:01 pm | In Kitchen Gadgets | No Comments

Hot donuts right out of the hot oil, sprinkled with powdered sugar, ahhhhhh. But don’t tell your cardiologist!

I’d heard of a local bakery that was offering baked versions of their donuts, and found this great little kit for baking donuts:

Very exciting for low fat donut alternatives, but I do love my fried batter.

Not far away was a really great gadget for regular “cake donuts”, as the cookbook I used growing up always called them. Use a non-yeasted quick bread recipe for this gadget:

Neither of these really addresses the ultimate donut in my life: the yeasted raised donut. Preferably filled with jelly or butterscotch!

Here’s my favorite recipe for raised filled doughnuts:

Dough:
2 packets active dry yeast (4 1/2 tsps)
1 Cup warm water
1/3 Cup + 1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/3 Cup melted and cooled butter, or 1/3 Cup oil
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk (reserve the white)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 Cup instant nonfat dry milk powder or toasted soy flour
3 1/3 unbleached flour (I actually use 2 1/3 cups white, 1 cup whole wheat flour)

Instructions:
Combine yeast, warm water, 1 tsp. sugar. Let sit 5 minutes, or until foamy. Add 1/3 cup sugar, melted butter or oil, egg, egg yolk, salt, instant nonfat dry milk powder, and 2 1/3 cups flour. Beat for 3 minutes. Then stir in remaining 1 Cup flour to make a soft dough.

Let dough rise 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until doubled. Knead for 2 minutes, rest for 10 minutes. Then divide the dough in half. Roll out each half to a 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out circles about 4 inches in diameter.

Beat egg white until foamy, then brush some over one circle. Place jam in center of circle. Make sandwiches, pinch closed, cover on floured board for about 1 hour or until doubled.

Fry in hot oil, and enjoy delicious calories.