Badin vs. Fredericktown
Miamisburg graduation 2012
Valley View vs. Greenville
Home > Blogs > Adventures in Motherhood > Archives > 2010 > November > 18 > Entry
Distinctive Gift Guide: Poo-Pourri, fruit-fly traps, flameless candles and more
I have been busy testing scads of products from the Adventures in Motherhood mailbag, so I thought, hey, why not turn the reviews into a Holiday Gift Guide?
So here it: A list of some of my new favorite household products, any of which would make great gifts, even for that hard-to-buy-for person on everyone’s list.
First up is a new knife that I’ve fallen in love with. The Chicago Cutlery Landmark Edition 8-inch Chef Knife came to me as part of the “Sharpest Cities in North America” campaign, which measured American and Canadian attitudes about cooking and food prep.
Turns out our neighbors up north smoked us: Canadians cook more than Americans, using knives to prepare an average of 21 meals per week, compared to seven meals per week in the U.S.
So the folks at Chicago Cutlery teamed up with Stephanie Izard, “Top Chef” Season 4 winner and Chicago restaurateur, to help educate cooks about proper knife usage.
My kitchen knife set is old enough to be in college (nearly as old as Stephanie herself!), and despite Hubby’s diligent attempts to keep them sharp, my old friends have seen better days.
But now there’s a new kid on my chopping block: A stainless steel beauty that slices ginger root and radishes paper-thin. I really like its forged handle: no wood to warp in the dishwasher and no rivets to work loose.
Hubby liked the control the knife gave him while chopping carrots and sweet potatoes for stew, and he said it felt balanced in his hand.
An added bonus: The knife’s StorEdge Edge Saver — a fancy name for a plastic blade protector — is a lot more attractive than those white cardboard rectangles sheathing my other blades. It will keep my knife sharper and protect those little fingers that tend to rummage through the kitchen drawers, even though I’ve warned against it a thousand times.
This knife is on sale now for just $18.74 at ShopWorldKitchen.com, a real steal for your favorite cook.
If your own knife skills need a little sharpening, you can find helpful tips at ChicagoCutlery.com. Some gems:
— Use kitchen shears to cut pizza. This is shear genius: Hubby has been deftly cutting little ones’ pizza with this method for years.
— Sprinkle salt on half a lemon and use as a scouring pad to clean your cutting boards. They’ll smell good too.
— Choose a knife slightly larger than what you’re cutting.
— Never try to catch a falling knife. Seriously, just don’t do it.
$ $ $
Now for somewhere to put all those fabulous dishes I’ll create with my new favorite knife: Pyrex No-Leak Lids glass storage containers. These cool new containers are the perfect gift for your favorite tailgater and picnic-lover. The nested glass containers are, surprise!, glass. Meaning you can actually see what is lurking in your refrigerator without opening all that mystery Tupperware. The reusable, airtight No-Leak Lids are spill-proof and, better yet, BPA-free, so they don’t absorb stains or odors like plastic can. They’re friendly to the environment and to your body. Because of the suspected cancer risk of BPAs, a dear friend who battled breast cancer this past year has tossed all of her plastic containers that she previously used for her leftovers and dinners-on-the-go. Now she strictly reheats in glass, and these Pyrex products have found a place in her cupboards. The good souls at Pyrex also shipped me their new Perfect Picnic Pack, which features a rolling cooler that withstood heavy wear-and-tear this football season, with Hubby packing it up with bratwurst, brews and bottled water and pulling it through several stadium parking lots. On one chilly Friday night, he and the 4-year-old even snuggled up under the picnic blanket Pyrex included in the package. Ahhhh, football weather. $ $ $
All this talk about food is making me think of fruit flies, a perennial problem in just about everyone’s home. These pesky little buggers were swarming all over my kitchen till I found the TERRO Fruit Fly Trap, a highly effective new product that significantly cut the fruit fly population at my house after just a few days of use. You just pop the top off the unobtrusive “plastic apple” trap and pour in the nontoxic lure. Let it set near a breeding ground, like near your fruit bowl or recycling bin, and voilà. They go in to feed on the acetic acid, and they don’t come out. Each trap is good for at least 30 days. You’ll be amazed at how well they work. When I mentioned the trap to some house guests, I motioned to the window sill, where my TERRO apple sat among my egg cup collection. They actually had a hard time discerning the trap from the knickknacks (which, come to think of it, might be a slam on my decorating tastes. ;) I found my second fruit fly trap of the summer at Ace Hardware, but they only had one in stock, so I headed online to Do-It-Best Hardware and had five traps sent to my local Grieve Hardware store using the free ship-to-store option at checkout. Each trap was $6.99 plus tax. And it is soooo worth it! Those irritating pests bug the heck out of me. I’m planning on slipping a trap into each of my sister’s Christmas stockings this year. I’m the baby of the family, so they always complained about me bugging them when we were kids. This way, I can de-bug them. I’m a sucker for a good pun. $ $ $
Another fabulous find is the ENJOY flameless candle. Even though I love the warmth of a candle-lit room, especially when I’m entertaining, I could never bring myself to plunk down $25 for a Yankee Candle-in-a-jar. Seems so extravagant for something that is actually designed to go up in smoke. But this flameless dealio, made of real wax, is my new mood lighting. The available fragrances, colors and styles are virtually limitless. And safety factor is especially appealing to parents with small children, or even teens and older kids as they head off to college. (Confession time: I once accidentally set my dorm room curtains ablaze with a candle when a strong breeze blew the edge of the curtain panel into my pillar’s flame. Thank God an R.A. just happened to be walking by carrying a giant cup of water, that she used to douse the flame! True story.) The Pomegranate Passion scented pillar I sampled smelled very seasonal and mellow. It made a quick and easy centerpiece for our Halloween costume party. I placed it in a large stoneware pie plate and surrounded the candle’s base with colorful apples and in-the-shell assorted nuts, but the possibilities are endless. For once, I didn’t have to worry about someone’s sleeve catching fire as they reach for another scoop of artichoke dip. And honest to goodness, it looked real. The three-pronged flame seems to flicker and roll. One of my party guests even bent down to blow it out as we were all headed out to trick-or-treat. Imagine that! The people at ENJOY passed along some other pluses of flameless candles: — No melted wax dripping on tablecloths, carpets or furniture. No soot build up on ceilings. — LED bulbs will last over 100,000 hours. — Timer feature allows you to safely fall asleep by candlelight. — Surround your bathtub with candles for a peaceful, relaxing soak. — Use them as part of any floral arrangement or centerpiece without worrying about fire risks. ENJOY candles are available locally at retailers including Target, Michaels and Kmart, where I saw a 3” by 6” pillar on sale in their online store for only $9.59, regularly $15.99. $ $ $ And bringing up the rear (pun intended) is possibly my favorite new product: Poo-Pourri. If you want a bathroom deodorizer that really nips that stink in the bud, you have got to try this astonishing spray. It’s an odor-eater, if you will: You just lift the toilet seat and spray a few squirts into the toilet water before you go. It creates a film on the water’s surface that blocks odor at its source. It’s truly revolutionary! Made with essential oils, it’s also safe for the environment and your septic system. The fresh original scent features bergamot, lemongrass and grapefruit. Their holiday version has an evergreen and holly bouquet. The 2-ounce bottle (with about 100 uses) retails for $9.95, and it’s the perfect size to stash on the back of the commode. A real conversation starter for your holiday gathering. Or stuff a bottle into your hubby’s stocking. You’ll thank me later. The company also makes “Little Stinker,” an all-natural, antibacterial product that you simply spray on soiled diapers before disposal, and there will be no odor! No more diaper pail stench. Now that’s a gift that keeps on giving. Disclosure: The featured products were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.
Permalink
| Comments (7)
| Post your comment |
Categories:
Christmas, Funny stories, Great deals, Helpful tips, Mommy confessions, Product review
![image001[8].jpg](http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/shared-blogs/dayton/mommy/upload/2010/11/product_reviews/image001%5B8%5D.jpg)
Comments
By LucyB
December 2, 2010 12:54 AM | Link to this
Sorry for the lag, ladies! Danielle is right: Centerville Coin carries the product, and in a weird coincidence, I sent my hubby there today to pick up another bottle to use as a “gag” gift. funny, huh? I did a quick Google search and also saw that From Inside Out in the Shops of Oakwood (294-0400) and Unique Celebrations in Centerville (434-7467) carry the product locally. Happy shopping!
By Carol
November 28, 2010 6:19 PM | Link to this
I loved the artical on poo pourri. Could you tell me where to buy this. thank you carol
By carol
November 28, 2010 6:07 PM | Link to this
I loved the artical on pooo pourie would like to no where you can get this thanks Carol
By Danielle Fritz
November 27, 2010 7:11 PM | Link to this
Loved the Poo-Pourri article! Centerville Coin & Jewelry hosted the Poo-Pourri national sales manager, Sherry Roddy, visit during the Poo~Tour 2010. A terrific selection of Poo~Pourri can be found at Centerville Coin & Jewelry, located at 38 W. Franklin St. in the Heart of Centerville! (937-436-3003)
By Dee
November 27, 2010 3:25 PM | Link to this
Really enjoyed the Poo-Pourri artical and would like to buy some. Could you let me know who carries this product, if it was in the paper I missed it. Thank you and am looking forward to more of your articles. Dee
By LucyB
November 19, 2010 8:42 PM | Link to this
Andrea: How could I have forgotten that! Seems I blocked it out? haha. At least Tim got photographic evidence! But you’re right, another true confession. And another argument for flameless candles!!! :D
By Andrea
November 19, 2010 5:30 PM | Link to this
You also nearly set yourself on fire one christmas eve by candle - when your snuggly sweater caught the tip of a candle! seem that flameless candle is just up your alley!