Moving Out!

I've got a website set up, so from now on, all new posts will be over at HousewaresMaven.com  Please update your bookmarks and follow me over there. You'll be glad you did!

Ice Balls, Anybody?

 I got something in my email recently about a special deal on a "Professional Ice Ball Maker." I hadn't known that such things existed, let alone at the "discount" price of $120. Upon searching the internet, I've found various types of ice sphere makers, ranging in price from $18 for a double sphere tray available at the Museum of Modern Art gift store, to $244 at the Japan Trend Shop for a device that uses gravity and heat to make a sphere out of a large cube of ice. I know that cocktails are big right now, and I can see an upscale bar shelling out bucks for this item, but I don't know many people that would pay $150 for one. Perhaps I'm hanging out with the wrong crowd!

Housewares Design Awards - The Best of the Best

The Housewares Design Awards (presented by HomeWorld Business, with sponsorship by The Gourmet Housewares Show at NYIGF, and Whitford Corp.) is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year with its 2013 list of winners. The major categories are "Best of the Best Awards," and the "Green House Design Award."

Winning "Best of the Best - Gold," is the sleek Chirp Kettle from the Nambé Gourmet line;  "Best of the Best - Silver" goes to Jura Capresso's Jura ENA Micro 9 One Touch Cappuccino Machine; and "Best of the Best - Bronze" is awarded to the Jasmine Aroma Diffuser, from Swizz Style. 

The "Green House Design Award" was given to the  Simple Wave Calibowl Non-Spill 5-Piece Iconic Mixing Bowl Set.

New iPad App for American Heart Month

February is American Heart Month and this year the American Heart Association has partnered with the creators of the award-winning cooking app iCookbook to launch a new heart-healthy recipe app for the iPad, Go Red 2013 Recipes for the Heart.

The Go Red 2013 Recipes for the Heart app contains more than 50 recipes for main dishes, soups, salads, side dishes, snacks, and more designed to inspire all women to make daily food choices with their heart in mind. Offering nutritional analysis with diabetic exchanges, alongside beautiful full color photography, Go Red 2013 Recipes for the Heart also provides information on the Go Red For Women movement, healthy lifestyle recommendations from the American Heart Association, and warning signs for heart attack and stroke.

Go to itunes to download Go Red 2013 Recipes for the Heart, for $3.99.

Bamboo Tea Box

Oceanstar Design Group Inc. introduces its first Bamboo Tea Box to its expanding and popular line of eco-friendly houseware and storage collection. The boxes are made with 100% Bamboo, and organize tea varieties into 8 individual compartments. The box also has an acrylic lid, so you can see the contents of the box. Suggested retail price for the Oceanstar Bamboo Tea box is $29.99.

Crock-Pot™ Recipes app Available Now

 Have an iPad® and iPhone® but no time to get complete, healthy meals on the table for your family? Well, now there's an app for that! Publications International today releases the official Crock-Pot™ Recipes app for iOS devices, offering 250 recipes and dozens of special features.

Publications International, Ltd. (PIL), creators of the award-winning iCookbook™ app, are proud to release CROCK-POT™ Recipes, the cookbook app dedicated to recipes for the original #1 brand of slow cookers.

The new Crock-Pot™ Recipes app makes the process even easier, providing instant access to 250 recipes for main dishes, soups, stews, and more, created and tested by CROCK-POT® kitchen experts. Free downloads of new recipes are available each month through the in-app store, creating an expansive collection certain to fit any occasion.

Crock-Pot™ Recipes can be found in the Food & Drink section of iTunes® for $3.99