#Culinary Tools

[topfinds66]

Discover the efficiency of Joyce Chen Original Unlimited Kitchen Shears—ideal for cutting meats, herbs, and more with ease and precision.

[auttumnleafs]

Okay it's like a Molcajete but it's shaped like a jack-o-lantern and maybe it's called an Espookajete. If you are Mexican please tell me if this is good PLEASE.

[sassylightcycle]

2in1 Portable Vegetable Slicer Blender

[storeshopping]

Discover Innovation with Chunmi Technology (Hong Kong) Limited

Discover Innovation with Chunmi Technology (Hong Kong) Limited Description: Explore the cutting-edge solutions offered by Chunmi Technology (Hong Kong) Limited, a leader in the small kitchen appliance industry. Located in the heart of Hong Kong, we specialize in creating innovative and efficient products designed to enhance your culinary experience. From advanced rice cookers to versatile kitchen gadgets, our commitment to quality and technology ensures that you have the best tools at your fingertips. Join us on our journey to revolutionize home cooking and elevate your kitchen game!

Shop Now

[bestsellersfromamazon]

10 Must-Have Kitchen Gadgets to Simplify Your Cooking Routine

Cooking at home can be incredibly rewarding, but let’s be honest, it can also feel like a bit of a chore without the right tools. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or just starting out in the kitchen, having the right gadgets can make all the difference. Here are ten must-have kitchen gadgets that have transformed my cooking routine and can do the same for you. 1. Instant Pot I was skeptical about…

[carolamandaus]

Exploring Chef Knife Collections Vintage vs Contemporary

The decision between vintage and contemporary chef knife collections is a personal one, influenced by factors such as cooking style, aesthetic preferences, and budget considerations.

[corvidsindia]

[sailor-brunette]

Hey,y'all. Something just occured to me...this month,on the 14th,The Apothecary Diaries Light novels will start releasing in English print. And I figured...if it sells well...(which I'm sure it will) maybe we can get more digital only light novels in print!!! Here's hoping!

[unopenablebox]

i’m fascinated by how many people i follow have weird caveats about the “is fish meat” thing even though the poll results are so strongly in favor of ‘yes’

[epicdogymoment]

begging people to understand that labels and categories are not inherently meaningful without context. and that whether or not any label is actually useful changes from context to context (including from person to person). and that trying to pin something or someone down as BEING a particular label (rather than something being labelled as a certain thing) is meaningless and unhelpful

[wallpapersmonster]

Cooking Gear Wallpaper 🍳

Hey food lovers! Are you ready to spice up your digital space? We’ve just released a brand new wallpaper that’s perfect for all you culinary enthusiasts out there! Introducing our Cooking Gear wallpaper, featuring a delightful collection of kitchen utensils and equipment that are just waiting to assist you in whipping up some delicious meals. 🥘✨

Whether you’re a seasoned chef or just starting your cooking journey, this wallpaper is sure to inspire you every time you glance at your screen. Imagine all the tasty dishes you could create with these handy tools right at your fingertips! 🍴🍰

This vibrant and inviting design captures the essence of cooking and the joy that comes with it. So why not bring a little warmth and creativity to your workspace? You can easily transform your computer or device with this amazing wallpaper!

Ready to make your screen pop? Click here to explore our Cooking Gear wallpaper and give your device a fresh new look!

Happy cooking and enjoy the vibrant vibes!

Download the Cooking Gear wallpaper here!

Stay tuned for more exciting wallpapers that celebrate your passions!

Happy downloading!

[topfinds66]

 Microplane Premium Classic Zester

For culinary creatives who love adding that extra zest to their dishes, the Microplane Premium Classic Zester is a kitchen essential.What It Offers: A versatile zester perfect for grating citrus, hard cheeses, and even spices. An ergonomically designed tool that makes food prep fun and efficient. Pros & Cons: Pros: Effortlessly adds flavor and visual appeal Durable and easy to clean A…

[jcmarchi]

How Business Leaders Can Achieve Their Goals in Both AI and Sustainability

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/how-business-leaders-can-achieve-their-goals-in-both-ai-and-sustainability/

How Business Leaders Can Achieve Their Goals in Both AI and Sustainability

For companies, balancing AI adoption and environmental impact is an imperative. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), the power needed to support AI’s growth is doubling every 100 days. By 2028, AI’s energy consumption could exceed the total power used by Iceland in 2021. AI can be a double-edged sword: while it can significantly advance environmental initiatives, it can be equally detrimental if used carelessly.  

There’s no universal blueprint for sustainable AI use—each organization’s approach must align with its unique circumstances. Instead, integrating AI and furthering eco-friendly objectives requires a certain attitude.

Think about the lines that form outside Apple stores on product launch days: early adopters proudly displaying the latest gadgets as status symbols. That mindset won’t work here. Companies shouldn’t rush to adopt flashy AI tools simply to be seen as trendsetters. Instead, they should focus on purposeful AI implementation that supports long-term sustainability goals.

Here are some strategies to consider.  

Automate with an eye toward energy savings

Some leaders might frown on employees taking shortcuts, but I never do. At Jotform, I encourage employees to continually look for faster ways to accomplish their busywork, as long as the quality of their output doesn’t falter. Automation is the heart of our business and central to our culture. If there’s an automated tool that can handle a tedious, manual task, then I say: go for it.

As it happens, automating tasks using AI tools can also further your sustainability goals. As the WEF notes, optimizing scheduling for energy savings, i.e., shifting AI workloads to correspond with times of lower energy demand, is an impactful tactic for leveraging AI and lowering your carbon footprint.

Let’s say you’ve chosen an AI tool to automate regular security scans to protect your data. Programming those tasks overnight is an easy way to become more energy efficient. General energy consumption tends to decrease during the evenings, and energy grids get a breather and can run more efficiently. As an incidental benefit, your energy costs often drop, too. 

Or, if you’re in a geographic region with warm weather and generous AC usage, you can shift energy-demanding projects to cooler months, when energy grids are less strained. Importantly, these shifts require forethought but require almost no additional effort. They can amount to significant energy conservation. 

Choose foundational models

Imagine you’re in the kitchen of a Michelin-starred restaurant. The chefs have all been trained in culinary schools and high-caliber restaurants. Together, the team can execute all types of dishes and innovate new ones. If someone wants to put together an incredible meal, they don’t have to train an entirely new team of chefs—they can use this one, leveraging their existing expertise and providing tailored guidance. 

In AI, that’s the idea of a foundational model: an advanced program that has already been trained on huge amounts of data. If someone needed a certain AI tool, they could start with this foundational model rather than building a model from scratch.

Writing for Harvard Business Review, Christina Shim, chief sustainability officer at IBM, explains why opting for foundational models is an energy-efficient approach. As opposed to creating a new model, “foundation models can be custom-tuned for specific purposes in a fraction of the time, with a fraction of the data, and a fraction of the energy costs.”

Shim notes that the size of a foundational model can also make an impact—most come with either 3, 8, or 20 billion parameters. Per IBM research, smaller models trained on specific and relevant data can perform just as well as the larger ones, but faster and consume less energy. Bigger isn’t always better. As Salesforce put it, opting for the biggest, most powerful model for specific enterprise needs is like “using a semi-truck to go get groceries or pick up a single passenger”—in other words, completely unnecessary.  

Larger models do, however, come with heftier price tags. Taking the time to choose a model that’s scaled to your objective is a worthwhile investment that can ultimately save financial and ecological resources.

Opt for open-source software

Another crucial choice at the beginning of any AI journey is whether to opt for open-source software. Open-source options might not solve every problem, but in many cases, they can provide an energy- and cost-effective solution that draws upon the wisdom of countless experts. You can focus on improving an existing solution (and sharing the results), rather than taxing the energy grids to reinvent the wheel each time. As Shim notes, open-source software enjoys the benefit of collective improvement—with more eyes on the problem, the resulting product is better, and the energy demand in the development phase is distributed among the users. 

Good software is worth the money but it needs to fit your needs and budget—an increasingly relevant consideration during times of inflation. In many cases, an open-source solution is available for free or at a fraction of the cost. 

Implement automation to enhance system efficiency

Finally, AI-powered automation tools can save energy insofar as they help to boost system efficiency. They can do this directly, by slashing hours needed to perform tedious tasks. For example, if you’re conducting research, tools like ChatGPT can eliminate hours of sitting in front of a monitor screen by identifying and synthesizing key information in seconds. 

AI tools can also play a role in the systems-planning stage. Take Salesforce: their data center infrastructure team uses AI to predict and anticipate their customers’ usage patterns, then automatically scales the volume of servers required. This allows them to tailor the way their data center infrastructure is used and avoid wasting excess energy. Likewise, the software company uses AI to make decisions to reduce its carbon footprint by analyzing millions of data points from the supply chain, business travel, real estate, and more. 

AI can perform like a sustainability consultant, ideally saving more energy than required to perform the corresponding analyses and tasks. In that sense, AI can be a single-edged sword, delivering more benefits than any associated drawbacks. 

[chefrollbag]

Don’t Believe the Hype: Why "Self-Sharpening" Knives Still Need Regular Care

Claims that knives are “self-sharpening” and never need maintenance are just a marketing gimmick. While it’s true that sharpening intervals vary—ranging from a week for budget Chinese knives to a year or more for premium Japanese brands—every knife needs attention eventually. Each sharpening session removes a small amount of steel, so over-sharpening or incorrect sharpening techniques can quickly wear down the blade’s edge. However, there’s no need to be afraid of sharpening your knives yourself—if done correctly, the blade will regain its sharpness and stay sharp for longer.

To keep your knives safe and secure, especially if you frequently move around with them, consider using leather knife rolls. These rolls provide excellent protection for both knives and other chef tools, and they are particularly handy for chefs on the go. You can purchase customizable knife rolls at cherollbag.etsy.com, where you can select the color, number of knife slots, bag size, and even add personalization. Gift packaging is also available for those looking for a special touch.

For wholesale purchases, visit our Faire store at faire.com/direct/chefrollbag, where you’ll find individual pricing, 50% off the first order, 1 year of free shipping, 60-day payment terms for eligible retailers, and free returns on first orders.

Choosing the Right Sharpening Stone

Sharpening stones come in different types, including ceramic, diamond, and water stones. There are also honing rods (mousat), which are used for regular blade maintenance. Water stones are the best option for high-end Japanese knives with steel blades, as they remove minimal material while sharpening. Honing rods can also be useful for polishing a blade that’s not yet dull, prolonging the period between full sharpenings.

Water stones are categorized by their grit size, indicated by a number (# or grit). The coarser the stone, the more material it removes:

Coarse (up to #1000): Used to reshape the blade or restore a worn edge.

Medium (#1000-3000): Ideal for sharpening and making the blade sharp again.

Fine (above #3000): Used for finishing and polishing the blade’s edge.

To properly sharpen your knives, you should ideally have a stone for each stage of sharpening. A stone’s length should be 1.5 to 2 times the length of your knife’s blade for best results. Thicker stones last longer, but even thin ones can be glued to a wooden base for easier handling.

The Importance of the Right Sharpening Angle

The sharper the angle, the sharper the knife—but don’t change the angle that was set by the manufacturer, as this could affect the knife’s geometry and performance. Japanese knives are sharpened at a shallower angle (15-20 degrees) than European ones (30-45 degrees). If you’re unsure about the right angle for your knife, here are a few tips:

Use scissors: Place the blade edge inside the scissor blades, fix the position, and measure the angle with a protractor.

Use paraffin: Embed the knife in a block of paraffin, then measure the resulting angle once the paraffin sets.

How to Sharpen Knives with a Stone

Sharpening knives by hand with a water stone requires attention to detail. Here’s what to keep in mind:

Prepare the stone: Soak the sharpening stone in water before use, allowing the blade to glide smoothly. Soak coarse stones for 3-5 minutes, medium stones for 10-15 minutes, and fine stones for 20-30 minutes, until air bubbles stop rising from the stone’s surface.

Set the angle: Use a sharpening angle guide or fold a piece of paper into the desired angle and hold it beneath the blade.

Sharpening Process: For single-beveled knives, sharpen along the edge until a burr forms, then remove the burr by lightly sharpening the opposite side. For double-beveled knives, sharpen each side evenly in stages.

Final Sharpening: Use a fine-grit stone to perfect the blade. Avoid putting pressure on the blade, which could damage the stone or blade.

Check the Result: Never test the blade sharpness with your fingers. Instead, slice through a tomato or cut paper mid-air. A sharp knife should make clean cuts.

Sharpening Ceramic Knives

Ceramic knives are made from zirconium oxide, making them extremely hard and durable. However, they require diamond-coated stones or sharpeners to restore their sharpness. Remember, ceramic knives are more fragile than steel ones, so handle them with care during sharpening.

Alternative Sharpening Methods

For home use, many people prefer using simple knife sharpeners, which are convenient and easy to use. They come in different varieties—manual, electric, or even roller-based—and can often sharpen other kitchen tools like scissors. But remember, automatic sharpeners remove more material from the blade than hand sharpening, which can shorten the lifespan of the knife.

Common Mistakes

Now that we’ve covered how to properly sharpen knives, here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Sharpening on a dirty or greasy knife

Using too much pressure during sharpening

Disrupting the factory-set sharpening angle

Using only one type of stone

By avoiding these pitfalls, you’ll be able to maintain your knives and keep them sharp for years to come.

[cinemaocd]

Left to right: Meat tenderizer, corkscrew/knife/bottle opener tool, nut cracker, jar opener, pin for trussing game birds/fowl.