Cabinet, Counter, and Fridge: RSVP, Cuisinart, MetroMint
Back to our kitchen labs, for a look at some neat martini glasses, tongs, and a honey jar, a cute dual-purpose mixer, and some fresh drinks. TrulyObscure has mixed, dipped, stirred, and drunk in the name of holiday cheer, and we’ll start in the logical place- with RSVP.
You might not have heard of them, but RSVP International is a company that makes a variety of neat utensils and gadgets. We tried their Multi-Task Silicone Tongs, which were fairly attractive, easy-to-use, all-silicone tongs that worked well, stayed clean, but weren’t particularly noteworthy. Even better, we also tried their Honey Jar with Silicone Dipper, which was excellent- the jar itself isn’t super-durable, but it’s the cutest honey jar we’ve seen, and the combined silicone dipper is perfect. Finally, they also offer Endurance® Martini Glasses, made from stainless steel that is said to keep your drinks cooler for longer. We were impressed at their how little they weighted, and at their brushed exterior (less likely to pick up fingerprints).
Next up, we’ve spent some holiday cooking time with the Cuisinart PowerAdvantage Hand/Stand Mixer- a great product that takes up less space than one of those big stand mixers, and also offers the flexibility to remove the mixer for use in any bowl. One small issue that we had is that the included stand directs the mixer to the side of the bowl, leaving some unmixed area in the middle. Beyond that, it’s a handy device, and the seven speeds make sure every purpose is covered. The included 3.5qt bowl was large enough for some decent batches of baked goods, but we just removed the mixer for help mixing the potatoes in a larger batch. It’d be nice if the mixer came in more colors, but for around $100, it’s tough to beat the PowerAdvantage for convenient mixing in a small package.
Ever wanted to drink a thin mint cookie- and have it be healthy? That’s the first thing that ran through our mind when we tried the MetroMint Chocolate Mint Water, a zero-calorie tasty soda/water alternative that doesn’t use any artificial sweeteners or carbonation. Featuring real mint, and several flavors, these drinks quickly became our preferred drink for work, as they freshened breath after meals and felt healthy as well. We tried every type- from lemon, orange, cherry, to the plain mint- and found only the orange to be unliked among our testers. Of course, different folks liked different flavors, but the chocolate was the best-reviewed overall. The packaging is swank, and the price about usual for similar drinks (about $1.50 for a 16.9 fl. ounce bottle). Best of all, the ingredients are simple- water, mint, and flavor essence. We also tried their Metroelectro drinks, aimed as a sort of sports drink, but without any fancy flavors. As an alternative to water, some runners liked the clean-tasting water and the idea of nutritionally-enhanced water, but most liked the calorie boost they felt from some other sports drinks.
