I love the ThinkGeek and all the great schwag they collect from the internets. But a few words of warning regarding these particular choices...

The quad-timer appears to use the same control knob/click ring that American Innovative uses in their Never-Late Alarm Clock (also sold by ThinkGeek). And the outer click ring is not well-debounced. Maybe it works better on the timer, but on the clock it has a difficult time deciding if you're clicking slowly (advance by one) or clicking quickly (advance by 10).

That spork is a "wall hanger". Makes a great gift for spork collectors (gave one of that model away several years ago, in fact) but it's kinda lousy for actual camping...too shallow for soup, too blunt as a fork. Snow Peak's other titaniumware is awesome tho, and readily available at HTO and probably REI.

As always, YMMV.

Thanks to Hannukah Harry I am now a proud owner. My family doesn't know whether to be thrilled that I actually plan to eat breakfast thanks to this thing or to be very, very worried that it was on my wish list

I just want to try this once.

I would rather just watch. The woman that I took a wine class from at CIA does this. You can find more info here.

Did you notice this feature? --
Large blade is made of high grade stainless steel, with a Rockwell hardness of 56/54

Obviously, there is an official "Rockwell hardness" scale that is the source of the above ratio...

Hmm. I think I'll just defer to Al Dente for the inevitable double entendre here.

From Wikipedia's description of the Rockwell scale: You couldn't make this stuff up.

I really don't want (or need) one of these , but it would have made a great stocking stuffer for some of my friends.

I think I know someone who has one, but she keeps it in the nightstand rather than the kitchen...

Not a bad idea, but I have a difficult enough of a time getting rwtye to take one of these in his briefcase.

If rtye won't follow directions and use his cupcake protector then I'll step up and take the cupcakes to lunch instead

Wow, between the Rockwell Hardness and the Banana Bunker, this has gone downhill. I am sorry I helped.

Definitely not something I needed, but I did want one. Late-arriving birthday present.

I have to have that!!!! It's just beyond cool.

Is that safer than a mandoline? I received a mandoline for christmas (after begging for it), and I have to admit that my first use of it has me scared to death. Even with all of the safety apparati, I think it will somehow manage to slit my wrist while I make gratin.

Here is a possible solution.

BTW you probably will not slit your wrist, lose a piece of some fingers maybe, but probably not slit your wrist.

A $100 icing spatula. Are you kidding me?

To be fair, they're only asking $69.99 for it . Still, about $60 more than I'd dream of paying for such a tool. Shop.com has the same thing for the remarkable low price of $44.99, which I also wouldn't dream of paying. There are zillions of similar spatulas out there for under ten bucks. Who would buy this one? Why not just set your money on fire?

For my money, I rather buy a lot of $6.99 trowels at Lowe's that would do the job well enough .

But it will go so well with your $109.95 All-Clad jelly roll pan!

Wow, the list price is $110. You have to click a special button to reveal the fact that it is on sale for $109.95, for a savings of five cents.

Razor sharp blades, moving parts, what is there to worry about?

And the box clearly states that it is "Easy to use" and that "Anyone can use the slicer successfully and prepare beautiful garnishings"!

Right now, the box may just be my favorite part of this gift...
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
(Excuse the large pics, but I wanted you all to be able to read it.)

One of the "Five Merits" of the slicer is that "Five horse radishes can be served as six"

rwtye thinks the cartoon radish-guy is quite untrustworthy in appearance.

I am actually more excited that it "Improves luster and taste".

A number of recipes in Michel Richard' new cookbook call for the use of this devise.

Does that orange dress come with it too? That might make me want it.

[but what's up with putting an avocado in the photo?]

Don't you always coordinate your dress with what you are slicing? Orange for carrots, green for lettuce, burgundy for beets, pony hide for horse radishes...

Happy in the Kitchen was the tipping point to make me actually want one of these.

[That would have to be one firm avocado... ]

Thanks, just ordered one. But not at $99 like the link from that site will try to charge you, if and when they get them back in stock. I got mine for $59 at Amazon--should make a spiffy Valentines Day present for the spouse. Romantic, no, but he'll love it. 3D camera setup plus this = food porn*.


* If it makes you drool, it must be porn.

That is the one that caught my eye. Next time I want some really shiny carrots, I know where I'm going to go.

Many thanks for the info, everybody.

On the gizmo front, one of these could be cool:

"So far it has been tested with silicone, plaster, play-doh and even chocolate and icing."

Particularly if it lets you make cookies that look something like this.

If your computer isn't already F'ed up enough.

Click to view attachment


The USB Absinthe Spoon

I love how the Internet works sometimes. The guy who makes those is a friend of mine. Was there for the conception and birth of the thing!

Tim Hortons fans can now flout flaunt their donut allegiances with Timpins...small buttons depicting different Timbit flavors. But do you have to be Canadian to wear one?

Oooooo, I want to turn those into refrigerator magnets!

Not exactly a gadget per se, but a makeover for a favorite gadget.

Sweet, but I think Sir Mix-a-Lot (my KA mixer) requires something more blingy than the flames. I'll suggest it to the proprietors of FlameKA.com...

Not exactly a food gadget, but since many of the Summer Challengers are walking while others are making food for their pets, here's something for your little dog, too.

I...I...I don't know what to say. That's insane. Or brilliant. Maybe both.

I wonder... does it come in women's sizes?

And here are some finger forks to go along with it!

Would this make your pasta non-vegetarian?
Gadgets of this type catch me in that fine gap between amusement and fear that I've seen yet more proof of a society too decadent to last much longer. Time to go stock more Trader Joes freeze dried mangos in my imaginary gun-laden cabin in the mountains.

My bro bought me a groovy gift for my birthday-- a slate cheese board. I like that you can write the name of the cheese (e.g. Gary, Tim, Wanda) on the board. I'm bad with names (especially them there foreign ones), so it's a handy reference. I look forward to someone mistaking the white chalk for some sort of goat cheese and taking a big bite.

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/16...p;cm_src=hphero

The SAS Institute here in Cary, NC serves Octodogs at the cafeteria!

This one beats the Octodog for sheer weirdness (and excellent literary references):

Cthulhu, eater of souls and roaster of dogs

The Dog Cooker.

You have NO IDEA how badly I want one of those. That is so beyond cool.

I love cherries, but I'm also incredibly indolent. So I looked for a cherry pitter. Somehow, I found out
that what I wanted was a cherry stoner. I thought Cherry Stoner was on a public access cable show
"Dudes, today we are, like, going make a pie, and then check out some really cool lap dances, then eat
pies, and stuff". Don't know what I'm going to do with all those de-stoned cherries.
click

Al Dente-- Your Personal Pasta Singer

I'm not sure I understand how that works...

Warning - pure, uncensored housewares porn ahead. The Appliancist blog.

Turkey anyone?