Cooking
Thermoelectric materials are able to generate an electrical current, via a temperature gradient within themselves. If thermoelectric fabric were used to make a jacket, for instance, the temperature difference between that garment’s cool exterior and warm interior might be enough to charge devices carried in its pockets. A current could also be generated by a vehicle’s thermoelectric exhaust pipe, due to its hot interior and the cool air surrounding it. Now, entrepreneurs David Toledo and Paul Slusser have developed a line of thermoelectric cooking pots, that use the heat of a fire to generate electricity when camping. Read More
“That could apply to anybody” is a commonly-heard complaint about the fortunes in fortune cookies. Well, imagine how much fun it might be if you could make fortune cookies yourself, with your own custom-written fortunes inside. That’s the idea behind Sunbeam’s Fortune Cookie Maker. Read More
Jompy: a hot water tap for your hydration bladder
A funny name but an innovative design, Jompy allows campers, backpackers, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts to get hot water from their hydration packs. The simple device works in conjunction with a hydration bladder and camping stove to deliver boiling water for use in food, beverages and cleaning. Read More
Samsung's recently announced Portable Induction Hob is a new appliance that aims to bring some style and user-friendliness to even the smallest of kitchens. Aside from being the first cooking hob offered in different colors, the new device will sport a compact design and and soft, rounded shapes. The most interesting feature is the interface, which features an iPod-like touch wheel for adjusting the heat level and other settings. Read More
The 180 Stove is a simple, portable backpacking stove that relies on wood as its sole fuel. Unlike gas canisters and liquid propane, wood is a natural fuel that's available in all types of wilderness areas, making it a renewable, clean source of fuel for backwoods cooking. And since there are no canisters to buy, carry and dispose of, you save weight and space in your pack. Read More
Outdoor chefs that are looking for a little extra searing power may want to consider the Cook-Air grill, which calls itself the world's most powerful portable BBQ. The Cook-Air gives you more than 1,000ºF and the equivalent of 65,000 BTUs of wood-fire power. Its small, portable design lets you take it nearly anywhere - from the backyard to the campground to the weekend tailgate. Read More
Freedom Induction Cooktop heats up pots placed anywhere
While they might still seem rather high-tech, induction cooktops have been on the market since at least the mid-1970s. Instead of warming pots via heat transfer from electrical elements or gas burners, they instead use coils of copper wire located beneath their ceramic glass surface to induce an electrical field within metal pots, which results in the resistive heating of their contents. Typically, the sizes and locations of those coils are marked on the stove’s surface, and users must place their pots on those. Thermador’s new Freedom Induction Cooktop, however, will heat up cookware placed anywhere on its surface. Not only that, but the “active” part of the cooktop will conform to the footprint of whatever size or shape of cookware is used. Read More
If James Bond ever went on a cook-out, it probably wouldn’t be too surprising if he were to open up an aluminum briefcase, to reveal a miniature fully-functioning rotisserie inside – that Q is so clever! Well, if you want to exercise your own “license to grill,” you can actually buy such a device. The Carson Portable Rotisserie Grill automatically rotates up to seven skewers of meat or veggies over a charcoal fire, but folds into a compact case when not in use. Eat your heart out, Blofeld! Read More
People learning a new language almost always have the same complaint – you may temporarily memorize words that you learn in a classroom, but you soon forget those words unless you actually have to use the language. Some educators have addressed this problem through Task-Based Language Learning, in which students have to complete a task using instructions provided in a foreign language. Researchers at Britain’s Newcastle University have recently put a high-tech spin on this approach – they’ve created an interactive kitchen that keeps track of what its users are doing, as it uses the French language to guide them in preparing French cuisine. Read More
Too busy to cook, too tired to go out and sick of eating pizza, Thai and India takeaway? Well that is where UK entrepreneur Simon Prockter wants to step in with his latest venture housebites.com, a website that links customers with cooks and chefs in their local area to provide restaurant quality food delivered to the door. Read More
