Monday, June 27, 2005

It's here! It's Utensibility Week.

This week I am hosting an online event for all bloggers who wish to join in called Utensibility.
Some time between now and Friday, post about your favourite kitchen utensils, the items you couldn't live with out. Choose your favourite 'money no object' splurge kitchen gadget and, if you like, a smaller, cheaper stalwart item too. For more details about Utensibility, look at the original announcement post and the entry guidelines. Sometime after the deadline of July 1st, I will do and roundup of all the posts, thereby creating a food blogger's dream shopping list.

photograph picture of my salter electronic kitchen scale

If you were to ask me which of my kitchen utensils I love the most, the answer would most definitely be my beautiful orange Kitchen Aid, you know, the one that Fred used to make me cry. But the truth is, I could live without my Kitchen Aid. I wouldn't want, of course, but I could.

One thing it would be more difficult to get by without, would be my Salter Digital Scales which you can buy for $49 ior $69 from Williams Sonoma. The cheaper version can weigh up to 5lbs, whilst the more expensive set can cope with 11lbs (which I recommend).

If you enjoy trying a variety of recipes out from around the world, you will know how difficult it can be coping with the multitude of measurements that different countries use. The beauty of this scale is that not only can you switch between kilograms and pounds, it also copes with measuring liquids in fluid ounces or millilitres.

Another advantage is that you can measure everything in one bowl. Simply set your bowl on the scale and then hit the zero button to remove the bowl's weight from the calculation. The scales are super sensitive, allowing you to measure to the closest quarter of an ounce which is great for recipes that require just a tiny amount of a particular item such as yeast for bread making.

photograph picture of my pestle and mortar
One of my second favourite kitchen appliances is my pestle and mortar. It might actually be a little above the budget priceline, I don't know, I've owned for around 20 years. I just love the way it feels, the way it looks and the way it crushes spices and batters cloves of garlic. It's certainly not light, so the fact that I carried it across the Atlantic Ocean in my luggage is a testament to my fondness for it.


PS. The gorgeous, pink melamine bowl shown on the scales is one of a set of three, each in slightly different rosy hues, that was part of a Birthday present given to me by Del and Presd. More than just pretty, these bowls have a rubber ring on the bottom to prevent slippage plus a handy little handle and pouring spout. I am fairly certain they were from Williams Sonoma but the website doesn't currently list pink as an option.


Check out other blogger's thoughts on Salter Digital Scales:
  • Seattle Bon Vivant takes pleasure in a new purchase.
  • The Bacheolor Gourmet explains why measuring by weight is important.
  • MetaGrrrl considers buying an electronic scale to be a prority purchase.

  • tagged with and and and and and
    It's here! It's Utensibility Week.

    11 Comments:

    • At 27/6/05 07:51, Blogger Chubby Hubby said…

      Hi Sam,

      Just emailed you the details of my entry. Great meme!

       
    • At 27/6/05 07:51, Anonymous Anonymous said…

      I couldn't live without my Nespresso coffee machine.

      BTW, Michele sent me.

       
    • At 27/6/05 16:33, Blogger Unknown said…

      Just emailed mine off. that was hard! I wanted to include EVERYTHING in my kitchen.

       
    • At 28/6/05 04:21, Anonymous Anonymous said…

      Oh Sam, I haven't written my post yet - I've been using a Salter scale too (mine has a glass top) and I can't live without pestle and mortar either...

       
    • At 28/6/05 06:27, Blogger eat stuff said…

      oh I really need some scales... mine were dropped on the floor!

      I have been thinking about my entry for this meme since I read your initial write-up. But I keep flip flopping... :)

       
    • At 28/6/05 07:08, Blogger Sam said…

      Hey everyone - you have plently of time - until Friday to make your decisions, and as I probably won't complete the round up until the middle of the next week, I'll no doubt accept stragglers over the weekend too.

      Please don't think you can't repeat what someone else has already featured. - Afterall, I don't want to be the only person to love their digital scales!!

       
    • At 30/6/05 17:57, Anonymous Anonymous said…

      How wonderful!


      Huhu the bowl were coming from Williams Sonoma, yes, but guess what?


      It's been a long time I was thinking of your special day you know! You can't finf them anymore.

      I'll blog my stuff too. You'll laugh a lot!

       
    • At 1/7/05 18:28, Anonymous Anonymous said…

      Hi Sam,

      I loved responding to this meme just on my own. Waiting to see your compilation.

       
    • At 1/7/05 19:37, Blogger sylvie1950 said…

      This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

       
    • At 1/7/05 19:50, Blogger sylvie1950 said…

      I emailed you the details of my post. My splurge item is a set of Global knives.

      p.s. Sorry, I had to delete the previous comment.

       
    • At 2/7/05 11:44, Anonymous Anonymous said…

      Emailed mine in earlier. Looking forward to the compilation. I already need the scale. I may have a funding problem developing.

       

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