To purchase click here: Zojirushi Bread Maker (Amazon).

Selecting a Breadmaker can be confusing.

Especially if one has not previously owned a bread machine. So many choices - one paddle or two? vertical loaves or horizontal loaves? A machine that makes a 1 lb. loaf or a 2 lb. loaf? Size of the actual machine? Ease of use? Settings? Decisions... decisions... decisions!

So let's talk! We have recently tested the newest model, of the Zojirushi (pronounced zo-jih-ROO-shee) bread maker, the Virtuoso BB-PAC 20. In fact, since we have grown so attached to it, let's use its nickname, the Zo. It has moved to a position front and center in our kitchen, right up there with our stand mixer, Vitamix, Coffee Maker, and food processor. Not only are we busily making whole wheat bread for weekday sandwiches, challah for Shabbos, and cinnamon rolls (yumm) much too often, but we have also made jam. strawberry jam to be exact. So simple! Making jam was so easy, that we plan to progress to blueberry and peach jam later this summer.

Yes, the Zo is an investment ($275), but if you have the counter or pantry space available, and if you love fresh bread and preserves, we think that it is well worth the price. If you use it often, studies have indicated that over time, homemade bread costs substantially less than store-bought bread, and is, of course, healthier, (We guess that depends on your ingredient choices.)

Why did we select Zojirushi? – We compared many popular bread machines, some less costly, but liked the features on the Zo. The Home Bakery Virtuoso® Breadmaker (BBBAC20). If you plan to become a regular breadmaker...these features are important.

The Virtuoso bakes a traditional, horizontal-shaped 1 ½ - 2-lb. loaf, has dual kneading blades, 13-hour delay timer, easy to read clock, and many varied menus settings-including basic bread, wheat bread, gluten-free bread, sourdough starter, dough, jam, cake, quick bread and 3 homemade settings for custom recipes. Trust me, we are not techies, but the accompanying recipe book offers easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for each setting. Additionally, the Virtuoso has an exclusive lid heater, which makes even baking and proper browning possible. The dual paddles ensure thorough mixing and kneading and result in a higher rise. The bread pan includes easy-lift handles, ensuring quick and safe loaf removal of the loaves. And there is a large window to watch what's happening.
And, we must share one of our favorite features..the 13-hour delay timer – which allows us to go to bed and wake up to fresh homemade bread in the morning. Sounds so good, doesn't it? Yes, it's truly amazing. We also especially like the dough cycle, which is perfect for mixing up a batch of cinnamon buns, challah, and rolls.
We find the 2 lb. size loaf convenient, some to slice, some to store and even some to freeze. For Shabbos challah, the Zo delivers fresh challah in a hurry on a Friday morning. One 90-minute cycle provides enough dough to make two 1 lb. loaves. We shape them, place them in loaf pans or on our Silpat mat, let them rise for 1 hour, and bake for 30 minutes. Done! By the way, for those readers who are gluten-free, the Zo even offers a setting for you. So, dear readers, if you are in the market for a breadmaker, do consider the ZO, and share your thoughts (and recipes) with us.

To purchase click here: Zojirushi Bread Maker (Amazon).

*This is not a sponsored post. All recommended products are Koshereye tested. We hope to only provide you with amazing Kosher products and recipes. Koshereye may make a small commission if you purchase a product through our Amazon links. 

DotandArmy.com Cloth Bowl Covers 

Bonus!  In conjunction with our Bread Toast Crumbs cookbook giveaway, the creative team at DotandArmy.com
is gifting the first place cookbook winner with two of their very special cloth bowl covers. These are favorites of Alexandra Stafford, the author of the cookbook, and perfect for covering dough, including challah, when making bread! If you would like to know more about these functional, reusable and nostalgic covers along with other handcrafted creations, visit DotandArmy.com 
The winner is: Beth Meister, Milwaulkee, Wisconsin: Bonus Giveaway

Bubbles Your Way, Again

Design meets function. SodaStream has partnered with Yves Behar, world-renowned designer, to create the new SodaStream Play™ home carbonation system. Behar's minimalistic sleek design re-shapes the interface and shape of the SodaStream system, and makes it ultra-simple to use.
According to SodaStream chief innovation & design officer Yaron Kopel, said: "After a successful collaboration with renowned global designer Yves Béhar on SodaStream Source, we decided to partner with him once again to create Play – a machine which maintains the design language of the Source family, but still has a clear identity, is priced lower and appeals to more segments of the market."

Here's how to "PLAY"
You can turn plain water into sparkling drinks in seconds with the SodaStream PLAY home soda maker. It is the first SodaStream model to feature a new, innovative easy snap-lock bottle insertion and automatic auto lift slider. which carbonates tap water in just three seconds. The slider automatically returns to its original position after carbonation. It also includes a snap-lock mechanism, which locks the carbonating bottle into the bottle rest in one single-push motion. Why the name PLAY? We think the name is appropriate because of its lighthearted playful design and yes, it's is fun to use.

PLAY™ Starter Kits:

• PLAY home soda maker
• Reusable 1 Liter BPA-free carbonating bottle with fizz-preserving cap
• 1 15 Liter starter carbonator makes up to 15 liters
• The Play is flexible, and works with either the 60L or 130L CO2 cylinders,
• Sodamix flavor taste sampler (6 flavors)
• $89.99
• Available colors - white, black, red, blue
• 3 year limited warranty

The SodaStream Play is currently available at Wal-Mart and WalMart.com, and is coming soon to Bed, Bath and Beyond and major housewares retailers

See the SodaStream PLAY in action:

Special Note from KosherEye: SodaStream is headquartered in Israel and has numerous production plants; its principal manufacturing facility is located in the West Bank settlement of Ma'ale Adumim. The World Bank estimates the unemployment rate in the West Bank at 22 percent. SodaStream employs hundreds of Palestinian workers from East Jerusalem and the West Bank making it one of the largest employers in the area.

We encourage our readers to consider purchasing a SodaStream for either personal use or as a gift. Add SodaStream to your Jewish New Year hostess or corporate gifts. SodaStream produces superb products, and it employs thousands of Israeli Jews and Arabs. We encourage our readers to shop Israel, and shop SodaStream.

KosherEye Picks

For over 30 years, The Pampered Chef® and its sales force of Independent Consultants have been selling select kitchen products to help families create quick, delicious meals that are as much fun to prepare as they are to eat. The business was launched in 1980 by company founder, Doris Christopher — an educator, home economist and mother who saw the need for professional-quality kitchen tools in the everyday kitchen.

Capitalizing on her knowledge of food preparation techniques and talent for teaching, Christopher amassed an inventory of what she considered to be the essential home kitchen tools, promoted them under the name, The Pampered Chef®, and began showcasing them at in-home cooking demonstrations called Cooking Shows. The rest is history. The Pampered Chef is known and respected world wide, still marketing  a collection of  tools with the mission of making  cooking simple, easy and fun.

Simple Summer Sipping

Flash Chill Lemonade Maker
What could be better than refreshing lemonade on a hot day? The Takeya Flash Chill Lemonade Maker is easy to use and can serve a crowd healthful, tart, sweet fresh lemonade… like having a lemonade stand right in your kitchen.

Here’s how you do it:

• Fill the 66-ounce pitcher with ice
• Attach the juicer and squeeze about 7 lemons in the juicer (Yes, we wash our lemons first with a veggie wash solution)
• Remove the juicer top, add water to the pitcher, add desired sweetener and lemon slices (optional)
• Cover the pitcher with the lid and seal; shake gently
• Store the  lemonade in the refrigerator
• 
  

We loved this – it was so easy to make. We also tried the same recipe using limes instead of lemons. Delicious. And then, we added a few sliced strawberries to our lemonade mix. Lovely. And the piece de resistance: we created a refreshing lemon drop–like cocktail, adding in 6 ounces of vodka. Needless to say, we all toasted Takeya!

Oxo challenged bloggers to “slice it up” and create original recipes. What fun; we think that OXO is a cut above, and loved using wonderful chef friendly tools to chop, slice, cut and grate!

Our Toolbox:

Oxo Mandoline Slicer
This versatile V-Blade slicer makes cutting vegetables a cinch. It takes a lot of slicing to cup up 6 onions – but the mandoline makes even, thin slices in half the time. And, the vegetable holder protected the fingers of  “this cook in a hurry”.  By the way, slice thickness is adjustable, and all parts are top rack dishwasher safe except the blades.

Watch the OXO Mandoline Slicer video demonstration:

Oxo Box Grater
This is not your mother’s grater –which by the way – we still cherish as a kitchen heirloom. The Oxo Box Grater has sharp stainless steel blades, for easy bi-directional grating. We grated our apples using the medium grating blade, but could have chosen coarse or fine as well. There is even a slicing surface. It also has an attachable catch–container to catch, measure, and store freshly grated foods. And, once again, easy cleaning since the entire grater is dishwasher safe.

Oxo Swivel Peeler
Peeling apples is time consuming. We have had our Oxo peeler for years. (Guess, we should peel ourselves to the housewares store, since it’s likely time for a new one.) But, our peelers still work beautifully and accomplish the peeling quickly, efficiently and effortlessly.  The OXO Good Grips Swivel Peeler is an essential kitchen tool. The sharp, stainless steel blade removed our apple peels in a jiffy. (It also does a great job on potatoes, but that’s another food story.)  The peeler’s soft, ergonomic handle doesn’t slip even when our hands are wet. Yes, yes, yes, it too is dishwasher safe.

Presenting: The Recipes
So now back to the recipe challenge. We had so much fun creating these dishes, tasting them, testing them, tasting them, tasting them….. Both recipes are truly delicious, and both are easy to make using the right kitchen tools. We present two new KosherEye signature recipes – one sweet; one savory. Enjoy!

App-solutely Amazing Apple Tart
Caramelized Onion Tart

May 6, 2012

Like Standing on Marshmallows

The company, WellnessMats was founded in 1996 by Daniel Bouzide and has become the mat–of–choice for the Department of Homeland Security and TSA. They are popular in the healthcare field, beauty salons, hotels, professional kitchens, and in numerous retail locations across the country. In 2010 WellnessMats launched a line of consume–friendly mats to provide the same comfort and relief to people in their homes, offices, and more. And that’s where KosherEye comes in. Just as many other home cooks, we spend countless hours standing on our feet and preparing meals in our kitchens. After a long busy day this is wearing, especially when planning to entertain,or preparing for Shabbos and holidays. Oh, our aching feet!

We were delighted to discover our new therapeutic kitchen friend, WellnessMats. Although the company roots are industrial, their newest mats are the same quality, have the same attributes and the same warranty, as the original industrial mats, and are intended for home cooks, chefs, crafters, etc. WellnessMats understandably has many longtime  fans in the professional culinary world. These anti–fatigue floor mats provide both comfort and support. They are even high–heel friendly – but we ask, who wears high heels while cooking????

We found WellnessMats to feel like cushy marshmallows – soft, resilient, forgiving, “a pillow for the feet”. What a pleasure to stand on these mats while cooking and washing dishes. Here’s why…The company explains that the mats are made with 100% polyurethane – (Advanced Polyurethane Technology) to ensure maximum comfort, performance, and longevity. They are ¾” thick, have a 7–year warranty, one piece construction, beveled edges, are heat resistant, are anti–microbial and PVC free. All Wellness Mats are 100% made in the USA.

The mats are easy to clean. They can be vacuumed or swept, wiped with a damp cloth or sponge, or cleaned with a household product such as 409, Windex, etc. There are numerous sizes colors, patterns from which to select.

We think that a WellnessMat would make a welcome gift for Mother’s Day! After all, most moms and grandmoms need life made easier, more comforting, with less physical fatigue, especially in the kitchen.

Enjoy this recipe for making homemade Honey Vanilla Marshmallows while standing on your "soft as marshmallows" WellnessMat.

For product and purchasing information, visit WellnessMats.com.