kitchen rap

• new to the kitchen
• on the chopping block… A Great Deal on Knives
• in the spotlight… Thanksgiving
• Kathleen Sloan-McIntosh's I Say Tomato
• from Kathleen's recipe box… Spaghettini with Fresh Tomatoes
• from Kathleen's recipe box… Tuscan Bread & Tomato Salad with Chardonnay Vine-Skewered Chicken
• from Kathleen's recipe box… Tomato Jam
• from the Robin Hood recipe box… Jam Biscuit Bake
• publishing and subscription information

Rogar pot racks

Rogar's gourmet pot racks include both hanging and wall mounted racks in a variety of shapes and colors that work in any kitchen. The oval (top photo) or rectangular ceiling-mounted pot racks are a beautiful way to display and store your cookware, utensils, and decorative accessories. Pots may be hung from either the frame or the grid, and the grid provides additional space on which to place lids, plants, or other items. The wall-mounted bookshelf-style rack (centre photo) allows pots to be hung from either the frame or the grid, and cookbooks or decorative items can be stored on top of the grid. Wall-mounted bar and utensil racks (bottom photo) may be mounted above the countertop for easy access to pots and utensils, or hang two or three down a wall for maximum storage. They may also be used for hanging items in the laundry room, bedroom, or garage. The pot racks are available in a range of colours to blend into most decors, including stainless steel (bottom photo), chrome, hammered steel (centre photo), hammered copper (top photo), black, desert stone, and dark, light, or cherry woods. All styles include pot hooks, and the ceiling-mounted models include 4 pieces of chain.

Meadowsweet Kitchens kitchen stationery

Meadowsweet Kitchens' kitchen stationery helps you organize your collection of recipe clippings. The three-ring binder recipe organizer includes double-sided magnetic pages which protect your recipe clippings from spills and yellowing and tab dividers with categories and handy pockets to make it easy to keep clippings organized. The binder can also hold printed copies of your favourite online recipes. A two-ring recipe card organizer has plastic sleeves to hold index cards or preprinted recipe cards. Cookmarks and recipe tracking guides help you keep track of your favourite recipes from cookbooks and magazines, and wine notes journals allow you to record your favourite wines and vintages. Finally, coupon and take-out menu organizers help you organize and file coupons and restaurant and take-out menus. The stationery is available in a variety of colours and patterns.

KitchenArt ELOS - Ergonomic Locking Organization System

ELOS -- the ergonomic locking organization system -- is a revolutionary interchangeable tool system for the kitchen. The truly ergonomic handle is interchangeable with many gadget heads, allowing you to save space and keep your kitchen drawers organized. The handle and the tool head will not come apart until you want them to come apart. A unique mechanism secures the gadget head to the handle for an extremely tight and durable fit; however, a simple push of the handle's release mechanism to the right will effortlessly release the head, making the handle available for use with another head. The handle and heads are arranged in organizer trays which stack with other components of the ELOS system for space-saving storage.

A Great Deal on Knives

Chefs on the cutting edge know that the right tools make all the difference. No tool is more sacred to the professional chef than the kitchen knife, and perhaps no knife is more trusted by chefs worldwide than the knives of Wüsthof-Trident. Individually hand-forged in Germany from select high-carbon stainless steel, each Wüsthof-Trident knife is created to exacting specifications and subjected to rigorous quality control. The cutting edge is crafted by hand, then laser-tested for uniformity. The result? A knife of uncommon precision and geometry, perfectly designed for stay-sharp slicing, dicing, mincing and chopping. Wüsthof-Trident's trademark bolster combines comfort and safety, while the seamless bond between handle and bolster is your assurance of maximal hygiene.

Wüsthof-Trident has once again been rated the #1 knife by North America's top independent product testing institute. Professional chefs and cooking enthusiasts worldwide know this and will settle for nothing less. Nor should you.

Through September 30, you can try a Wüsthof-Trident Classic or Grand Prix paring knife for only $55.00 (regular price $69.00) or purchase a 2-piece starter set (paring knife and chef's knife) for 20% off. Or, you can purchase a 7- or 8 piece set of kitchen knives with a knife block at 25% - 30% off the regular prices.

Do you have everything you need for a joyful Thanksgiving celebration? We've prepared a handy checklist of some of the tools which can be helpful when preparing your fall feasts. Before the big day, check to be sure that you'll have the necessary items on hand.

apple paring/slicing/coring machines	pumpkin/apple pie pan	cookie cutters	autumn sprinkles
roasting pans	roasting racks & turkey lifters	cheesecloth & stuffing bags	turkey lacers
basters	thermometers	fat separators	gravy boats

View our complete list of Thanksgiving supplies.

Pomodoro is Italian for tomato, the love apple, as it used to be called a long time ago. The Italian word translates as golden apple because the first ones grown in Italy and, indeed, Europe, were in fact yellow. Like many other fruits and vegetables, tomatoes were regarded with suspicion and thought to be poisonous, perhaps because, like potatoes and chiles, they belonged to the same family as deadly nightshade. The tomato was also considered an aphrodisiac and were used for a time in France as love tokens. Before it gained real popularity in the eighteenth century, European botanists or herbalists thought tomatoes were terrific as the basis for skin potions and soaps and used fresh tomato juice in combination with lime juice and a little olive oil to make a beauty lotion. Sounds more like the basis of a great-tasting summer soup to me.

Along with good olive oil, tomatoes form the backbone of the Mediterranean diet, a delicious formula based on lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, pasta, bread and grains and, in smaller amounts, protein in the form of fish, chicken and lean meat. If you've never investigated this way of eating, the end of a Canadian summer is the perfect time to try it on for size as ripe tomatoes and other colourful fruits and vegetables proliferate in home gardens, on farm stands and in city supermarkets. And ripe is the operative word because one of the vegetable's key nutrients, lycopene (valuable in the fight against breast and prostate cancer) does not develop in underripe tomatoes. Tomatoes are also packed with betacarotene, vitamin C and E, all great for your heart and immune system. Good to know, too, that you can enjoy the health-giving benefits of tomatoes in absolutely any form, whether they are fresh, dried, canned, in sauces, soups and juices.

Gloss a few small tomatoes with quality olive oil and roast in a hot oven or skillet just for a few minutes until their skins begin to split. Slice some good, crusty bread, toast it lightly, rub with a cut garlic clove and then tumble the warmed tomatoes and the pan juices over the bread along with torn bits of fresh basil, a drizzle of that same good oil and a bit of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. One of the best things you'll taste all year. Here are a few more easy preparations showcasing late summer's best -- sumptuous, ripe tomatoes.

Until next month, cook and eat with love,

Kathleen Sloan-McIntosh

Kathleen Sloan-McIntosh is a Toronto-born food writer whose work has appeared in major Canadian newspapers and magazines. Author of six cookbooks -- Rustic Italian Cooking, The Global Grill, The Sticks & Stones Cookbook (with Ted Reader), The Wine Lover Cooks (with Tony Aspler), Great Potatoes: A Cook's Guide to Over 150 Delicious Recipes, and A Year in Niagara: The People and Food of Wine Country -- she lives with her beau and their black lab and assorted children who come and go, in Niagara wine country.

Spaghettini with Fresh Tomatoes

This may be the very best thing that can happen to fresh, ripe tomatoes. Apart from the pasta, there is no real cooking involved. While plum tomatoes are recommended, it will be delicious with any variety of ripe tomato. In Italy this uncooked tomato sauce is called sugo crudo.

1. Place a large pot of water on to boil. Cut a little cross at the bottom end of each tomato and drop them into the boiling water. Boil them just until their skins begin to split, about 1-3 minutes. Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water. When they are cool enough to handle, remove their skins using a paring knife.
2. Halve each tomato and, with a small spoon, scrape out the seeds. Chop the tomatoes and, along with any juice, transfer to a large bowl. Add the minced garlic, herbs and olive oil. Add a good bit of salt and pepper. Give it a good stir and taste it. If it needs a little more salt, add it now. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. (If your kitchen is very warm, refrigerate for this length of time.)
3. Reheat the pot of water and bring back to the boil. When it is at a rolling boil, add the pasta and a good tablespoon (15 mL) of salt. Cook, uncovered, until pasta is tender but firm. Drain the pasta and add it to the bowl holding the tomatoes. Toss together to mix well and serve.

Serves 4 - 6

Tuscan Bread & Tomato Salad with Chardonnay Vine-Skewered Chicken

This is my version of the great Italian salad that is probably the best way to utilize day-old, rustic bread. Prepare the salad about 2 hours in advance of serving. You don't absolutely have to use Chardonnay vines for the chicken (although they do lend a nice subtle flavour to the chicken); any skewers will do. From A Year in Niagara: The People and Food of Wine Country.

1. Thread the chicken onto the presoaked vines and place in a shallow glass or ceramic dish. Whisk the Chardonnay with the lemon, olive oil, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper. When blended, pour over the chicken, cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave to marinate for an hour -- no longer -- at room temperature.
2. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Brush the chicken with a little more olive oil and grill on one side for 2 minutes, brushing with a little more oil or lemon juice if you like. Turn over and grill for another 2 minutes. Continue for 6-8 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve alongside the Tuscan bread salad.

Serves 6

Tomato Jam

A dark, buttery tomato spread that is wonderful with sausages, pork tenderloin, chicken or as an accompaniment to sharp cheddar. Store in a jar and keep refrigerated. Use within a couple of weeks.

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir to mix the ingredients well.
2. Simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is thick and jam-like. At this point, if you wish a very smooth consistency, you can put the mixture through a food mill.
3. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes about 2 cups

Jam Biscuit Bake

Robin Hood's test kitchens are constantly developing recipes for everything from decadent cakes to perfect pies and cookies. Every year the best of these recipes are featured in the Baking Festival booklet. The 2003 Baking Festival booklet is now available; you can pick up a free copy (while supplies last) at our retail store or visit the Robin Hood website.

This recipe from the 2003 Baking Festival booklet is a great treat for back to school. There's no need for butter and jam on this warm raisin scone -- they're baked right in. Replace strawberry jam with blueberry, raspberry, or apricot jams or orange marmalade.

1. Preheat oven to 425°F/220C. Grease an 8" round cake pan.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in raisins.
3. Beat eggs and milk together. Stir into dry ingredients until moistened.
4. Pat half of dough on the bottom and 1/2"/1 cm up sides of the cake pan. Spread jam on top. Spread remaining dough on top. Sprinkle sugar lightly on top, if desired.
5. Bake at 425°F/220C for 20 - 25 minutes, or until golden and toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Serve warm.

Makes 8 servings; may be frozen.

Recipe © 2002, Robin Hood Multifoods Inc. Reprinted with permission.
For more great recipes, see the Robin Hood Baking Festival Cookbook or visit the Robin Hood website.