This month we are going to focus on fun new Tech that is designed to make working in your kitchen a little easier.
The Smarter Microwave - with Accupop
Now a microwave, while convenient, is nothing new. However, this particular microwave has several features that make it a cut above most microwaves. This microwave has a feature that allows you to steam cook vegetables, fish or rice with a provided steamer. This feature also converts to allow steam cleaning. It also features 'sensor cooking' which adjusts cooking times based on the food itself. It also has the Accupop technology, which adjusts popcorn cooking time using sound sensors. That's right, it listens to your popcorn as it cooks and when the popping slows down it recognizes that this means the popcorn is almost done.
It may seem frivolous but burned popcorn can stink up your whole house and put a serious damper on movie night.
At Home Sous Vide Machines
If you've never heard of Sous Vide (pronounced Sue Veed), don't worry you are not alone. The only placed we'd ever seen it before was when chefs got particularly adventurous on Top Chef. However this method for cooking meat is gaining popularity, especially now that Sous Vide machines are available for home cooks.Sous Vide is the process of cooking food by placing it in a vacuumed sealed bag and keeping it at a steady temperature. This usually means cooking it in hot water. So what's so great about Sous Vide? T. Susan Chang from NPR's Kitchen Window has the answer:
Why would you want to do this? Because careful temperature control results in a kind of protein sorcery. You can get perfectly cooked delicate fish because it can't dry out or overflake. You can coax meats into meltingly soft braises because the protein never gets hot enough for the fibers to turn to string. You can get eggs that are never rubbery. You can melt the layers in pork belly without liquefying them in the process. You can even keep chocolate from losing its glossy temper when melted.
Find Chang's entire article here on NPR's Website. Cooking sous vide at home without any special equipment is possible, however it can be difficult to keep the water at a steady temperature for the length of time it takes to cook your meat. You can buy Sous Vide Circulators which help regulate the temperature for long periods of time while circulating the water to keep it from boiling down. These are less bulky than the Sous Vide Machines.
Sous Vide Circulatorimage via Serious Eats
Sous Vide Machine
image via Sous Vide Supreme
Smart Refrigerators
The newest technology in refrigerators allows them to do so much more than just keep things cool. The smart refrigerators have touchscreens which allow you to make shopping lists and even keep track of expiration dates for foods. LG is working to create the ability for users to text their refrigerator to ask questions like "Are we out of eggs?" or "How long until the milk expires?' from their smart phone, even while in the middle of a grocery store.
There are even WiFi enabled refrigerators that allow you to take phone calls, surf the internet, listen to music or even watch television right on the fridge. No more missing out just because you're stuck cooking dinner or cleaning up after.
Smart Ovens
Refrigerators aren't the only appliances getting in on the new technology action. GE has several oven models that work with their app GE Brillion, which allows you to turn on the oven, pre-heat, or change the temperature from your phone or tablet. These smart ovens also have built in meat probes to tell exactly when the meat has reached the right temperature and will alert you by text when the meat is ready.
(image via GE Brillion)
Of course, with all these features comes a pretty hefty price tag, at least for some of these devices. However it should be long before these technologies become more common.
For now we're stuck listening to our own popcorn to make sure it doesn't burn.
(image from DeludedDiva)
What did you think of these fancy kitchen appliances? Comment and let us know what you think! If you'd like more information on these or any other library services, you can call your local library branch or contact us on Facebook or Twitter.
Please note: This is intended to be purely informational and should not be viewed as a personal endorsement by any employee of Bossier Parish Library.
