kitchen

I'm not usually one to champion gadgets that only serve one purpose, but I suppose I can at least appreciate when a single-purpose kitchen tool makes an attempt at improving its efficiency.

And improving efficiency is exactly what this Cherry-it Pitter accomplishes. Instead of the single cherry pitted by the gadget's predecessors, it pits up to four at once, storing the waste in a compartment that can be emptied easily after cleanup.

Maybe you won't be using it very often, but imagine yourself as you prepare to make your next cherry pie. A gadget like this makes … Read more

Today, the last Friday of July is SysAdmin day and we appreciate them even more because they came through during the live show and got us back online. We also talk about David Pogue's new movement to "take back the beep." And we need to watch out for pandas. Listen and you'll find out why. Special guests: The hosts of Hak5.

Apple to fix iPhone security flaw http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8177755.stm

The truth about the iPhone virus / vulnerability thing http://www.businessweek.com/technology/ByteOfTheApple/blog/archives/2009/07/the_truth_about.html

Elinor: Researchers attack my iPhone via SMS http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10299378-245.html

David Pogue wants to take back the beep http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/07/30/1955255/David-Pogue-Wants-to-Take-Back-the-Beep

Bootkit bypasses Truecrypt full-disk encryption http://www.h-online.com/security/Bootkit-bypasses-hard-disk-encryption–/news/113884

Hackers: We can bypass San Francisco e-parking meters http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10300233-83.html

HP researchers reveal details of browser-based darknet http://www.h-online.com/security/HP-researchers-reveal-details-of-browser-based-darknet–/news/113873

Shock threat to shut Skype http://www.smh.com.au/technology/biz-tech/shock-threat-to-shut-skype-20090731-e3qe.html

CU prof’s iPhone app lets users snoop out surroundings http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2009/jul/29/iphone-app-hoozat-cu-boulder-professor-richard-han

Cash for Clunkers cars get lethal injections http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/cash-for-clunkers-trade-ins-must-be-crushed-shredded/ http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/31/autos/cash_for_clunkers_update/index.htm

Fewer than 10 ET civilizations in our galaxy? http://science.slashdot.org/story/09/07/31/1244235/Fewer-Than-10-ET-Civilizations-In-Our-Galaxy

Police: Texting, talking NY trucker hits car, pool http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090731/ap_on_hi_te/us_tow_truck_in_pool… Read more

Stand mixers, being the workhorses of the kitchen, get put through the paces. I suppose it is this connection that inspires the home chef to decorate his or her stand mixer such that it is their own. From Alton Brown's flame hot-rod mixer to cow spot decals you can purchase yourself, the mixer has become an extension of personality in the kitchen. It certainly makes sense, since the stand mixer is the one doing all the work for us.

The KitchenAid 90th Anniversary Stand Mixer with Glass Bowl celebrates the longevity of the ubiquitous kitchen appliance. Complete with all … Read more

Coming to the kitchen as what appears to be the first of its kind, this contraption keeps drinks cold when you're nowhere near the icebox.

The sink, designed by Meneghini, uses either air or water refrigeration to cool beverages and snacks. All you do is press a button, and a compressor that sits in the bottom of the sink pushes cold water or air through the perforated disk that sits underneath your refreshments.

The sink has specially designed metal fixtures that act as bottle rests and a center peg that can be used as a platform for a plate … Read more

There are plenty of ways to liven up a stack of pancakes: you can mix in blueberries or add a handful of chocolate chips or even use a pan that adds fun designs to your breakfast. The Bug Pancake Pan lets you take that last option, adding pictures of dragonflies, ladybugs, and more to your pancakes.

The pan comes from Nordic Ware and has a non-stick surface that's also heat-reflective, offering uniform browning for your pancakes. The pan offers seven different sections into which you can pour pancakes, each with its own bug theme: a dragonfly, snail, butterfly, ladybug, … Read more

I used to have an old mechanical kitchen scale. Rickety and imprecise, it served more as decoration than as an actual scale. While it served no needed purpose in my kitchen, it sure looked cool. It had small images of meats and vegetables printed or painted on its surface. Though it didn't do much actual measuring, it did make for a nice cookbook stand. While this Maya Kitchen Scale may not have little pictures of common food items on it, it makes up for its lack of kitsch by being actually useful in the modern kitchen.

I tend to … Read more

Portion control can be a bit of a problem when it comes to shaping hamburger patties. I tend to recommend a patty about the size of the palm of your hand, but when my husband follows my directions, we wind up with hamburgers about double the size I would make.

The Adjust-A-Burger makes turning out hamburgers easier and even a little faster. You just set the measurement to the burger size of your choice: your options include half-pound, one-third pound, quarter-pound, and Store.

The Adjust-A-Burger can come in handy if you want to make up a big batch of hamburger … Read more

We've covered silly-slash-interesting concepts before, but I'm not really clear on how I should feel about this handheld portable toaster by Korean designer Been Kim. You apparently run it over your bread like a fancy butter knife and it toasts that side in your hand. An LCD readout on the back gradually tells you just how toasty your toast is getting.

The product, still a concept as far as we can tell, is apparently wireless and uses a cord-free charging system. We're not sure how practical this is or if it can replace a regular toaster, but … Read more

Is there any other way to roll a sushi roll apart from using the Japanese bamboo mat? If you're a traditionalist or purist when it comes to the art of maki making, look away. But if you're game for a fun interpretation of a sushi roller machine, check out this odd-looking device from German-based studio Osko + Deichmann. It's slated for showcase in June at the Kitchen Ecology Exhibition in Los Angeles.

There's just no way to do full justice to how this machine works, except to show it in pictures. Which is exactly what the studio has done in a step-by-step gallery. In fact, if you're feeling really bored this weekend, you could print this out in color and turn it into a flip book of moving images. More photos after the jump.… Read more