kitchen rap

It's a brand new year, the beginning of a new millennium. The frenzy and excitement of the holiday season has passed, and we're settling back into the routine of work and school. And to help get the year off to a smooth start, in this month's issue of Kitchen Rap we cover some of the often-requested kitchen basics -- measuring and mixing -- and we'll provide recipes for some tasty Valentine's treats to share with the one(s) you love.

• in the spotlight… pinch, smidgen, or dash?
• Mason Cash mixing bowls
• Microplane ribbon grater
• site sights!
• in this corner… Valentine's Day
• from Golda's recipe box… chocolate cookie chip bars
• from Golda's recipe box… oatmeal chocolate chip square
• publishing and subscription information

pinch, smidgen, or dash?

Cooking and baking can get a little tricky here in Canada. Most of our recipes are written using Imperial (English) or U.S. measurements, but most food items are sold in metric quantities. To make matters worse, the younger among us were only taught the metric system in school, so we have no idea how many pints are in a gallon (and, of course, an Imperial and U.S. gallon are not the same!). We've provided some charts to help you sort out the mess.

measuring spoons for both dry and liquid measurements rounded, set of 4 $11.25 info pyramidal, set of 6 $21.50 info elongated, set of 5 $11.50 info pinch/dash/smidgen, set of 3 $3.50 info	measuring cups for dry measurements cylindrical, set of 8 $52.00 info graduated, set of 5 $65.50 info scoops, set of 3 $21.00 info measuring glass $9.75 info	measuring cups for liquid measurements stainless steel: 2 or 4 cup $21.00 - $33.50 info Pyrex: 1,2,4 cup $3.50 - $6.00 info laboratory glass: 14,20,32 oz $21.00 - $29.75 info polycarbonate: 1,2,4,8,16 cups $6.75 - $21.00 info

Since the early 1800's, pottery has been made in Derbyshire, England using local clay and coal (to fire the ovens). By 1900, Mason Cash & Co. was producing domestic kitchenware in ceramic -- the best known example today being the traditional white and cane (also known as buff or tan) mixing bowl. This has become a classic recognized all over the world, and some of us may even own one passed down from our mothers and grandmothers.

The mixing bowl is a design classic, the shape having survived unchanged for a century because it so perfectly meets the users' needs. They are weighty, so they don't move about as you mix, but they are easy to hold. The ridged rim and the mouldings fit the hand perfectly, and you can easily hold the bowl and walk about while beating. The wide shape makes them ideal for stirring, beating, and creaming, or for getting your hands into for kneading. They are oven-, microwave-, freezer-, and dishwasher-safe, and come in a full range of sizes (from 4½" to 15" in diameter). And, for the modern kitchen, the interiors of selected sizes are available in blue, green, and yellow, in addition to the traditional white.

In addition to mixing bowls, Mason Cash also manufactures traditional English pudding basins (in sizes from 4½" to 8½" in diameter) and ceramic baking and serving dishes (including nappies). Vitrified ceramic lipped bowls, jugs, utensil jars, pie plates, citrus juicers, and mortars and pestles are available with banded blue, green, and yellow exteriors.

Microplane, the manufacturer of the highly-acclaimed graters and zesters, has introduced a new product to its line. The ribbon grater complements Microplane's fine and coarse graters, and is perfect for extra-coarse grating of hard cheeses and vegetables.

We're pleased to be one of the first retailers in Canada to offer this new product. Also available is a 3-piece Microplane grater set, consisting of the fine, coarse, and ribbon graters.

We're thrilled to announce that Kathleen Sloan has joined Kitchen Rap as a contributing writer.

Kathleen has been writing about food, wine, and restaurants, on a national and international level, for more than 15 years. Her work has appeared in The Toronto Star (restaurant reviews, Food and Travel features), The Globe and Mail, London Free Press, The National Post, Homemaker's, Flare, Chatelaine, Canadian House & Home, President's Choice Magazine, Wine Tidings, Wine Access, and Elm Street, to name just a few.

A member of Cuisine Canada, Kathleen is the food editor for Canadian Gardening magazine, a frequent contributor to Wine Tidings magazine, The Toronto Star Food Section, The Globe and Mail Saturday section, and Saturday Night magazine, and a contributing restaurant reviewer for a prominent Toronto monthly magazine. She was previously the editor of Loblaws Brands' Insider's Report for five years.

Kathleen is also the author of four cookbooks: Rustic Italian Cooking, The Global Grill, the Cuisine Canada Silver award-winning The Sticks & Stones Cookbook (with Chef Ted Reader), and The Wine Lover Cooks (with Tony Aspler).

Kathleen lives and works in Niagara wine country. Her first article (accompanied by some delicious recipes) will be appearing in next month's issue of Kitchen Rap.

Why not bake some sweet treats as a treat for your sweet? We have everything you need to bake and decorate "love"ly cakes, cookies, and brownies: shaped cake and muffin pans, cookie cutters, icing colours, sprinkles, heart-shaped egg and pancake rings and wafflers, and more! View our entire selection of Valentine's Day treats.

chocolate cookie chip bars

Instead of baking cookies, make a batch of these chewy bars. For Valentine's Day, instead of cutting into squares, cut out heart shapes using cookie cutters. For an even more decadent treat, enrobe the cut bars with chocolate ganache. May be frozen.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" × 13" rectangular cake pan.
2. Melt the butter or margarine and unsweetened chocolate over low heat. Remove from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl.
3. Gradually beat in the sugar with a wooden spoon. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract. Stir in the flour until thoroughly combined.
4. Spread the batter in the cake pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of batter, and press them down lightly.
5. Bake for 35 minutes or until the top springs back when pressed gently. Remove from oven, cool completely on a wire rack, and then cut into squares (or transfer to a cutting board and cut into shapes using cookie cutters).

oatmeal chocolate chip squares

Another alternative to baking cookies. Even quicker to make than the chocolate cookie chip bars. May be frozen.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 8" or 9" square cake pan.
2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and oatmeal. Add the shortening, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs and beat well. Stir in the chocolate chips.
3. Spread the batter in the cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, cool slightly on a wire rack, and then cut into squares while still warm.