Equipment & Gear: Kapoosh Knife Block (not recommended)

Tina and I have different preferences when it comes to knives. I have chef's knives that are well-suited to my hands and my cutting style, while she has her favorites. The problem is, my knife block has only two slots that will fit a 2-in. wide blade (and I want both of those slots). Tina uses a couple Japanese vegetable knives (also with 2-in. wide blades) so our options are limited - buy another knife block (only to use the two larger slots), get a cabinet mounted vertical knife rack (which is too large so sit on the counter and we can't wall mount it in our current place), get a custom knife block (expensive), or try the Kapoosh Knife Block which lets you put in knives however you want in whatever size and shape you've got.

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Off Topic: Food, Inc

I had been meaning to write up a review for Food, Inc. ever since I got to watch it last week. Unfortunately, I've been pretty busy with work and haven't had much of a chance to write. It's still hard for me to find much time, so I'll keep this review relatively short. For the really short version, read this next line: Food, Inc. is in imperfect documentary, but does an excellent job portraying the picture of how Americans get their food that the film sets out to portray.

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Books: Fun Food Facts by Mike Bellino

If you're like me, you love trivia. I enjoy all sorts of trivia in areas that I find interesting - science, computers, math, geography, world culture, television, film, and, of course, food. Mike Bellino, an electrical engineer who now focuses on microfarming, published a book last year that helps to fulfill my need for food trivia. It's called Fun Food Facts and it really is a fun read.


Fun Food Facts is available in the following formats:
Paperback

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Equipment & Gear: Metrokane Mighty OJ (Not recommended)

Here in Austin, I'm finding myself craving fresh squeezed juices and homemade lemonade whenever I do yard work (which is every week). (I think the heat has something to do with it.) I went out looking for a good citrus juicer, but instead ended up with this disappointing Metrokane Mighty OJ.

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Recipe File: Buffalo Chicken Chili

I love spicy buffalo chicken wings. I also love chili. And yes, I love to cook too. So when the company I work for (Boeing) presented a chili cook-off contest a while back, I took the challenge to heart (and the drawing board!). There are a few versions of buffalo chicken chili circulating the web, but I came up with a variation that I think adds much more texture, intense flavor, and plenty of heat while minimizing the labor and time. And best of all, this chili recipe is quite healthy. (Oh, and I won the cook-off with this chili.)

Tony Olson has a passion for cooking and playing around with cooking gadgetry. He is currently experimenting with rice-cookers and the plethora of tasty dishes that can be created in these one pot wonders.

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