A Slight Setback

Well, as (bad) luck would have it, I was hit with a bout of pneumonia this past week, and as of today still have not been able to shake it completely. So, this means that I cannot cover the Housewares Show, I cannot go to any fabulous parties hosted by handsome Australian chefs, and I cannot get a sample of that in-home permanent laser hair removal device that I was so looking forward to nabbing. Drat. But I'll be contacting the vendors for press kits and maybe I'll be able to report back on what were some of the most interesting products of the show. Thanks for tuning in :)

The Housewares Story

I discovered this gem at my library's book sale the other day: The Housewares Story: A History of the American Housewares Industry, by Earl Lifshey, published in 1973 by the National Housewares Manufacturers Association. It covers the history of housewares from pretty much the beginning of recorded history, through 1973. The really cool thing about this book is that it's not just a history of eating, drinking, and cooking implements, but of the industry itself. It discusses the advent of trade shows, how housewares were sold, major developments in manufacturing, and lots lots more. There are a ton of pictures and charts, making this a fun book to browse through. Well worth the dollar I paid for it.

Duff Goldman, Star of "Ace of Cakes," appearing at IH+HS

Three words: Edible Airbrush Art. That's right--Duff Goldman, owner and founder of Charm City Cakes, and star of tv's Ace of Cakes, is going to be at the Housewares Show next week demoing an airbrush machine you can use in your own home, on your own cakes. Duff will be at the Gartner Specialty Products booth (#3086) to showcase his "Duff  Goldman by Gartner Studios" line of bakeware and cake decorating products on Saturday, March 10 from 1-2pm, and Sunday, March 11 from 4-5:30pm. He'll also be appearing in the Cooking Theater, on Sunday from 3-3:30pm, so there are plenty of opportunities to see this guy in action.

Be Still, My Heart!

I just got word that Chef Fabio Viviani will once again be at the Bialetti booth (S1836) at the International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago this March. Chef Viviani will be doing demonstrations at the Cooking Theater on Sunday, March 11th at 1:30pm, as well as booth demos on Sunday (10am and 3pm) and Monday (10am, 1pm, and 3pm). In addition to Chef Viviani's appearances, Bialetti will be debuting some new products, including the Bialetti French Press, and their Aeternum Evolution line of ceramic nonstick cookware. If you're at the Show, this is one  booth you won't want to miss!

It's That Time of year Again

It's late February, which means that the International Home and Housewares Show is just down the pike. I've been getting a lot of announcements about new products, and I'm getting very excited about this year's offerings. I'm looking forward to visiting the Bodum booth, where they'll be introducing the "world's first pour over coffee machine." I'm not sure exactly what that means, but the picture on the press release looks pretty nice--very sleek and shiny. Another thing that looks promising is a line of "healthy, green and non-toxic" cookware created by Joan Lunden. It's coated with "an innovative mineral ceramic non-stick coating, made of completely free of plastic synthetics and harmful PTFEs and PFOAs." I could do with fewer toxins in my life, couldn't you? Stay tuned to this page for more on the IH+HS 2012!