These Are The Knives of Our Lives...

**Note: except for the salad knife, Scanpan knives are made of steel and NOT plastic

The courier arrives and finally, after 2 long weeks of waiting, my Scanpan Spectrum knives are here! (bought on sale via Brandsfever, a Singapore based online shop.

red like the ones used by the kids at Junior Masterchef

These colorful kitchen tools have been on my mind since I first saw them at the Junior Masterchef Australia (initially thought the knives used were plastic).

or Purple. They also have it in orange, green, yellow and blue

Reasonably priced, stylish, safe (as safe as a high carbon stainless steel knife could be), sharp, non stick (with the patented Ceramic Titanium coating) and durable, these Danish products are a good addition to my existing knife "collection" (I still have a special place in my heart for my Ginsu knives though, despite my shopping around for other knives). Just like a crazy cat lady, you might ask why I seem to hoard knives like a crazy knife person. The answer? It's all about knowing what's in a knife and what are the kinds of knives and where would you use em  that make me get more. I, myself am a cleaver person. Without much ado, here's my not-so-comprehensive (and somewhat biased) guide on how to buy knives:

In buying knives, consider the ff:
1. Material: 

• High carbon stainless steel (don't bother with stainless and carbon steel knives) - combines the best attributes of carbon steel and ordinary stainless steel, won't discolor or stain, and maintains a sharp edge for a reasonable time.
• Titanium - sharp, lightweight and less wear resistant
• Ceramic - (so want these!!) Quite expensive (but worth it), takes and retains a sharp edge for quite a long time,  but may chip if struck on a hard object or sharpened improperly.

2. Blade Manufacturing:

• Forged - handmade (therefore expensive) and heavier (which is actually good for some, that's why I love cleavers)
• Stamped - blades are cut to shape by a machine. Have no issues with it though, probably because I'm not a professional chef :p

3. Grind:

• Flat ground - knives tend to be sharper, but less durable, slightly pricier too
• Hollow ground -  (not to be confused with a church or a graveyard lol) cheaper to manufacture, more durable, but may not be as great in cutting

4. Edge and Indentions : (depending on what you need. e.g. serrated, straight or Granton, Urasuki etc)

5. Handles

• Wood - good grip, prettier (!) but as the varnish wears off the wood, might harbor microorganisms (try smelling the handles after you store it. I get bothered by that moldy, musty odor).
• Plastic - may tend to get slippery if not washed as well. Good thing it doesn't absorb microorgsanisms, but can get mildew (trust me, i've seen some). Plastic handles could get brittle over time and may result to cracking. 
• Composite - as the name implies, it's a combination of wood composites, sealed in  with plastic resin. Great great grip, lasts longer, looks stylish too.
• Stainless - think bread knives. that's all i'd want these handles for. Its heavier, it gets slippery (specially when you use it on meat, and juices end up somehow on the handle..fuh-get about it :P 

What knife do I need for what? (I'll just go through the types I bought from ScanPan):

1. Cook's Knife (a.k.a. Chef's or French Knife)  - all purpose knife. It's a good sub for a cleaver and slicing's more precise as it allows you to rock the knife on the cutting board. When you're cutting through bone and joints (think dressed chicken), it's got the right weight and edge. Around 6-12 inches long. 

cook's knife

2. Santoku Knife - there's the authentic Japanese version and a western Santoku as well. This has a straighter edge than a cook's knife making it perfect for chopping. The Japanese version is much lighter and thinner, allowing you to do your business faster. The Santoku's blades often have scallops on the side of the blade to prevent sticking (resulting to downtime and uneven cuts and slices). Its really like a shorter cook's knife at 5 - 7 inches long.

the Santoku knife

3.  Bread Knife  - who wants scrunched up bread slices? Perfect for those who don't buy sliced bread. 

ScanPan Bread knife

4. Utility Knife - 4-7 inches in length, it's paring knife (the one used for peeling) and a mini chef's knife (our helpers at home prefer this over the big knives, thinking that it's a safer blade, but makes your task take longer). I don't use this at all. It's either I use a peeler or use a full sized knife for my chopping, slicing and dicing needs. Perfect for picnics though.

the utility knife

5. Salad Knife (a.k.a. lettuce knife) - a plastic serrated knife roughly the size of a Santoku. Ideally we shred our salad greens since cutting em up with steel blades would brown the leaves up on the cut edges. Good thing someone thought of this. You could also use this to cut up cakes, breads and some fruits.

the salad / lettuce knife

6. Kitchen Shears -  I know these aren't knives but we got them anyway from ScanPan. These things are so fab in cutting veggies, chicken, cleaning up fish and so much more. The built in bone cutter is just great when you have to cut up a whole roast chicken in a jiffy (we don't carve a bird unless there's company :P) It also doubles as a nutcraker and a bottle opener. 

I heart shears!

There are so many other knives worth checking out like (my fave) the cleaver for splitting meat and bone (I chop and slice faster with it too because of its weight) and the fillet knife (for sushi nights at the house). If and when you find your inner chef, a good knife is always handy to have around.

From TMW, may all your wanderings be better than ours.

The Anti-Bottle

A quick grocery trip / window shopping with MAX turned out some good finds at our local Surplus Shop at SM Baguio. Here's one of them:

The Anti Bottle (16 oz version)

Meet the Anti-Bottle.The Anti-Bottle is a BPA-free plastic container. For the curious, BPA or Bisphenol A has been linked with health concerns after this starter chemical of plastics has been detected to slowly leak into the food or drinks placed in containers made with this compound. Not only was this bottle perfectly safe for prolonged use, it  is also freezable and durable enough to be placed in the dishwasher.

BPA free and resuable!

Another great feature is that it's reusable. With frequent use, that's a great way of reducing our carbon footprint

eco friendly product, hooray!

This "bottle" is also lightweight and foldable. Yup. You read it right, FOLDABLE. When filled up, it stands like a regular bottle. But what to do when it's empty? Ever get those days when you bring some water or whatever beverage for you or the kiddies and end up worrying where to stash you empty reusable bottle after you've done a bit of shopping? The Anti bottle can be rolled up or folded after you consume its contents.

It also comes with a carabiner so you can hook it to your bag, the belt loop of your pants or your kid's stroller. Did I also mention that it costs only 69.75 php and comes in a variety of colors?

A perfect travel accessory that is both eco friendly, handy, affordable and stylish. Perfect for those warm places we plan to go to this year (Dumaguete in September and Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia in November).

From TMW, may all your wanderings be better than ours :)

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Disclaimer: I bought this product off the rack and am in no way connected to this company nor do I have any knowledge as to who the original designers of this product are. I'm just saying it's a good product.

Kiddie Alarm Bracelets..What Will They Think Of Next?

We've bought at one time or another, fashion accessories for our kids. Playing dress up with the little one always is a great idea. Hats, sunglasses, bags and the likes appeal to our inner fashionista most of the time, and its practical use (if any), only secondary. This is why I think it's really great when I find new cutting edge items that combine both.

Picture this: You're shopping with your toddler in a crowded mall. Your toddler, who is as curious as anything is the type who tends to wander away for a little exploring the second you take your eyes off him. Aside from buying one of those kiddie leashes (of which some designs I feel offensive as it seems more suited for a pet than a child), the latest trend is getting alarm bracelets!

Yep! Think Lindsay Lohan (only much smaller and without a drinking problem) and her house arrest monitoring bracelet (turned plastic and not linked to the cops).

The receiver that lets you know that your child has strayed 

These plastic cutesies wail out an alarm when your child wanders off away from you, anywhere from 1-20 meters. Just let your child wear it like a bracelet or a baller band. If you're worried that he or she will take it off, fret no more. There's a small plastic key that locks it in place. Don't forget to put in the batteries (AA and them round ones for the receiver), set the distance on when to alarm, and voila! Your child is escape proof :)

See? Told ya it locks :)

I haven't seen this product anywhere here in the Philippines but Phee managed to buy one online through eBay. The cost of the item plus shipping was less than 1000 php.

Another use for this when your child isn't using it is that you can attach it to your purse, cellphone or luggage. Just don't forget to remove it once you check it in though :p

says so on the label (you could use it on your stuff too)

A great and practical item for all you mommies out there especially when you're out on your wanderings with the lil one.

MAX and his new fishy friend 

From TMW, may all your wanderings be better than mine :)