Judith Harris Solomon: Marketplace

Gadgets add spice to kitchen

With the holidays just around the corner, chances are you'll be cooking up a storm for the next several weeks. So, keeping that in mind, we've managed to locate several items guaranteed to help and amuse you while you're on KP.

• It's always nice to have a chef in your kitchen ...unless it's Gordon Ramsay. This cute, 14-inch-high wooden nutcracker chef costs $28 at Circare in St. Clair Shores.

• This teapot-shaped clock from Hen Feathers could help to make your cooking time fly by. Cast in resin and overlaid with solid bronze, it costs $49 at Circare in St. Clair Shores.

• Here's a "why didn't I think of this" item. Once you finish chopping your meat, veggies or whatever at the sink, the Chop 2 Pot board folds inward so you can carry it to the pot on your range without spilling the goods. Several different colors are available. Find boards for $17.95 each at Catching Fireflies in Rochester or Berkley.

• How clever! When closed, it looks just like one of those traditional Russian matryoshka dolls. But when you take the doll apart, you'll discover it turns into six dry-measure cups. Made out of sturdy plastic, the measuring cup set costs $12.99 at Leon & Lulu in Clawson.

• Designed by Stefano Giovannoni, this delightful Banana Band Spice Holder is the result of a collaboration between Alessi and the National Palace Museum of Taiwan. Find it for $64 at the Detroit Institute of Arts Museum Shop. (Coordinating monkey-shaped salt and peppers sit in a banana-shaped boat and cost $36.)

Sources

Catching Fireflies

3117 W. 12 Mile

Berkley

(248) 336-2030

and

203 E. University Drive

Rochester

(248) 650-3318

Circare

23024 Greater Mack Ave.

St. Clair Shores

(586) 771-8510

Detroit Institute of Arts Museum Shop

5200 Woodward Ave.

Detroit

(313) 833-7900

Leon & Lulu

96 W. 14 Mile

Clawson

Judith Harris Solomon is a Metro Detroit freelance writer. You can reach her at judyfreelance@aol.com.