So what does your kitchen want for Christmas?

Communications are fine, Robin -- I'm just too focused on a solution.

There is a Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Maker for kids -- mostly plastic -- that actually worked.

eBay has them from time to time with minimum bids of $.99 -- messy though. But you'll get small size, one cup capacity, small footprint -- and a nice recyclable when you get sick of it.

Regards, Bob

[Robin Garr]

There is a Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Maker for kids -- mostly plastic -- that actually worked.

eBay has them from time to time with minimum bids of $.99 -- messy though. But you'll get small size, one cup capacity, small footprint -- and a nice recyclable when you get sick of it.

Bob, Bob, Bob.

I don't WANT a little 99-cent plastic thing. I want a grandiose, mine's-bigger-than-yours home gelateria with no holds barred! It just has to make small portion sizes, that's all ...

Good Balsamic Vinegar.

Not gonna happen, though.

Joe, why not?

What I would like is a replacement for our current Oster Kitchen Center, which has to be over 20 years old. The Oster Kitchen Center is a mixer, a blender, a meat grinder, a grater/shredder, a pasta maker and food processor all in one. And it seems to do everything pretty well!
I would love to replace it with the same type of item since the speed controls are not a precise as they used to be but I can't find one. (As I think about this, I'll also post this as a new topic.)

There is a Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Maker for kids -- mostly plastic -- that actually worked.

eBay has them from time to time with minimum bids of $.99 -- messy though. But you'll get small size, one cup capacity, small footprint -- and a nice recyclable when you get sick of it.

Bob, Bob, Bob.

I don't WANT a little 99-cent plastic thing. I want a grandiose, mine's-bigger-than-yours home gelateria with no holds barred! It just has to make small portion sizes, that's all ...

I think the one I have could go to half a quart pretty easily. Don't know that it would churn properly below that level, though.

Would that be small enough?

A new range top, oven, and refrigerator.

Paul, you really need to get over to State Street Discount on Dec 1 or 2. We don't own stock, but they have the best deals in New Hampshire.

Good Balsamic Vinegar.

Not gonna happen, though.

Joe, why not?

Well, at the moment, I'm just not OK with spending over $50 on a liquid that isn't wine.

Best,
Joe

Good Balsamic Vinegar.

Not gonna happen, though.

Joe, why not?

Well, at the moment, I'm just not OK with spending over $50 on a liquid that isn't wine.

Best,
Joe

I understand! Luckily I haven't had to buy it for awhile--have a bit of an overstock--so I haven't noticed the prices.

I understand! Luckily I haven't had to buy it for awhile--have a bit of an overstock--so I haven't noticed the prices.

http://www.rarewineco.com/downloads/bal ... samico.pdf

I've also been unlucky/lucky enough to not have a Balsamic epiphany, so I don't NEED to have any.

Best,
Joe

What with the sales tax in Maryland going up 1% on January first, we are looking at a new refrigerator this weekend. The old one (7 years) is in great shape but it's a side-by-side and we do not like that configuration at all. We'll try to sell it. The old old one (14 years) is also in very good shape and we'll keep it. We will most lokely go for a French door/bottom freezer model. With 2 kids in college and a third three years away from college, it looks as if we'll stay away from the Vikings and Northlands et al - for now.

My kitchen would like a cute French maid. To keep my counters clean, of course.

Good Balsamic Vinegar.

Not gonna happen, though.

Joe, why not?

Well, at the moment, I'm just not OK with spending over $50 on a liquid that isn't wine.

Best,
Joe

You'll spend that much on gas. May as well get the balsamic.

rwj

My kitchen wants lots for Christmas but mostly some of those Watanabe knives!

rwj

[Robin Garr]

I think the one I have could go to half a quart pretty easily. Don't know that it would churn properly below that level, though.

Would that be small enough?

Yeah, Mike, I think a half-quart (a pint, 16 ounces) would be small enough. Is yours a 99-cent plastic thingie like Bob wants me to get, or a grandiose restaurant-quality machine like I really want?

Red--my favorite color, for wine, cars, cookware and clothing!

Jon said: [quote]What with the sales tax in Maryland going up 1% on January first, we are looking at a new refrigerator this weekend. The old one (7 years) is in great shape but it's a side-by-side and we do not like that configuration at all. We'll try to sell it. The old old one (14 years) is also in very good shape and we'll keep it. We will most lokely go for a French door/bottom freezer model. With 2 kids in college and a third three years away from college, it looks as if we'll stay away from the Vikings and Northlands et al - for now.[/quote]

Yes, I can totally relate to the issues you're talking about here. It was amazing, though, once we finished paying for our 3 kids college educations, how much easier it got to spend money on ourselves. The first thing I did was buy new stainless steel kitchen appliances--Viking stove, Kitehenaid oven and dishwasher and Amana fridge, which we love. It's got fridge on top and freezer on bottom. I think Amana makes one for Sears, and it's cheaper than the one with the Amana label and I think it's virtually identical.

[Jenise]

My kitchen would like a cute French maid. To keep my counters clean, of course.

Your wish is my command!

I imagine she licks the plates clean, too.

A thorugh response would absorb all of Robin's bandwidth for the next century. What I need are replacement items, e.g. a new skillet, a new roaster, maybe a Jaccard meat needler, and a built-in deep-fryer and grill ... not to mention twin stainless steel, industrial strength ovens ... oh, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop. I will wake up in a moment.

Good Balsamic Vinegar.

Not gonna happen, though.

Joe, why not?

Well, at the moment, I'm just not OK with spending over $50 on a liquid that isn't wine.

Best,
Joe

You'll spend that much on gas. May as well get the balsamic.

rwj

I use a rickshas.

I think the one I have could go to half a quart pretty easily. Don't know that it would churn properly below that level, though.

Would that be small enough?

Yeah, Mike, I think a half-quart (a pint, 16 ounces) would be small enough. Is yours a 99-cent plastic thingie like Bob wants me to get, or a grandiose restaurant-quality machine like I really want?

Mine is the grandiose, apparently restaurant-quality item listed here.

I really like it. Once you have your mix together, you have perfect, slightly soft ice cream in about a half an hour. You can firm it up with another 20 minutes in the freezer. It seems to be a very sturdy and well-made unit - my wife did a bit of research on these before getting it for me. It doesn't have a removable bowl, but I understand that although these are handy for cleaning, they're problematic for other reasons(?) Once I have the ice cream spatula'd out of mine, I clean it by pouring in some warm water, sloshing it around, and sponging it out.

The only downside with this thing is the size of it. We don't have room in the kitchen right now so it sits in a back corner of our living room until our mythical kitchen renovation finally happens.