Chef Blog

Siemens Appliances are known world wide as one of the most innovative top-notch appliances technologically in the history of the industry. Siemens home appliances are available in over 55 nations around the world, and carry a mind boggling reputation for the precision engineering and decadent style that blazes past all the others in the realm of kitchen appliance manufacturing. This shows well in the #1 ratings in Germany, and the second purchased brand of appliance throughout Europe.  With such a superiority in Siemens visionary technological pioneering features, styles and designs, the United States will soon follow the path of making Siemens ovens the #1 name brand purchased in America too.
When it comes to the Siemens Convection ovens, there are several makes and models to choose from.  The first on the list is the AvantGard 30″ iSlide Convection Double Oven.  This is not only an oven with the razor edge cooking performance, but it is also a convection double oven of sleek, stylish looks.  All of this highly regarded technology is packaged in a black edged glass of elegance, and a stainless steel body of gleaming smoothness.  This is a sophisticated oven that contains the Siemens iSlide device, which allows you to control the oven all by a circular groove and the sliding of your finger.
Next on the list of Siemens Convection ovens is the AvantGarde 30″ iSlide convection Single Oven.  With the similarly same sleek look as the AvantGarde 30″ iSlide Double Oven, the iSlide Single Oven has actually outdone itself within the performance of its cooking capabilities.  This is an oven that continuously removes the cooler layers from the food that is cooking.  This is completely done by a small fan and an extra surrounding heating element that works with the fan for blowing the desired temperature of air upon the food.  By using this form of heating during cooking along with the other oven elements, there is a dramatic efficiency within the cooking and the overall cooking time.
When it comes to Siemens xTronic Range free stand ovens, there are more than plenty of options to choose from. No matter if you are in preference to the Gas range and oven, the electric range and oven, or the Dual Fuel Range and Oven, you will be delighted with all of the highly innovative features, and super sharp technological advantages that all of the Siemens can give in the professional chief styles of cooking performances.
Not only are these range ovens hot to look at in the sheik, sleekness of stainless steel and shiny black ceramic glass, but also there are the extra warming element features, and the preciseness of all levels in temperature control like no other oven available out on the current appliance market.
When it comes to the xTronic Convection Duel Range, not only do you have a choice in how you may desire to cook with every meal, but also this oven features the three-D Surround Convection method of cooking that only comes with a Siemens oven. This is a special cooking feature for heating preciseness and speed so to evenly and thoroughly cook each and every dish perfect with every home cooked meal.

Outside BBQ’s are a mainstay for most all Americans that is a tradition that just can’t be beat in the summertime.  Whether individuals choose to cook outdoors because the foods have that special unique flavor of the open flames, or it is the best way to cook for all of those guests in the back yard on a hot summer day, outside BBQ outings are just a given in the summertime.
When it comes to cooking those favorite foods outdoors, there are many ways to do the cooking.  For those most into the early ways of outdoor cooking, the old-fashioned fire pit will work very well.  The fire pit outside BBQ is just a well dug pit that is directly in the ground and will often have the safety surrounding of larger rocks circling the fire pit. Some pits may have a basic wire grill that sits all the way across it to hold all the foods, and others may have other variations of wire food holding devices. In outside BBQ pits, many will choose a good dry wood that is split and seasoned well enough to burn clean and environmentally safe.  For different flavors, chips of hickory wood can be added to get that hickory smoked flavor.
For those preferring metal outdoor BBQ grills, there are the basic metal three or four legged grill that is basically made for charcoal types of bricks for cooking.  Most of these basic metal BBQ’s are very affordable and will come in several size varieties to choose from.  They are more often than not, at a waist level so cooking is at its easiest, but there are those few uniquely smaller BBQ’s like the popular Habatchi BBQ that only has legs of a inch or so and will only fit cooking for 2 people at a time.  These are best fitting types of grills for small little outdoor areas like an apartment patio or very small outdoor area.
For the more technical and expensive types of outdoor BBQ’s there are the propane grills.  These are more expensive to originally purchase, but it is a cleaner way to grill compared to the charcoal or even the wood burning methods.  There will be an occasional expense for refilling the propane tanks, but the propane does go a long way in many cookouts, and when compared to the purchasing of the many bags of charcoal and lighter fluid or the many bundles of quick burning wood that will be used throughout the grilling season, the propane will be overall cheaper in costs.
For those that own their own homes and have the outdoor accommodations space and patio wise, find it a necessity to build a permanent outdoor brick BBQ. The size and variations of permanent outdoor brick BBQ’s can be built to most each whim and personal specifications that the individual homeowner truly desires. These types of BBQ’s can have all kinds of personal features; a high quality built in ventilation system, and there will more often than not, be a very safe formation of propane burning system that will be the most environmentally friendly when it comes to the outside BBQ.

The company of Bosch has a long history in successful motorized devises, and there is no stopping the Bosch Company when it comes to their long line of kitchen appliances. The German inventor named Robert Bosch is the one man that started it all during the early 1900’s.  Not only was Bosch the name associated with automobiles and power tools, but the company also has played a critical role in Thermotechnology, Machinery Packaging, Automation Technology and a strong line of the most highly innovative models and designs of household appliances.
When it comes to the long line of kitchen appliances that Bosch has to offer, this is a company that has left most nothing out.  Bosch carries some of the world’s most cutting edge washers, dryers, refrigerators, range ovens, microwaves, dishwashers and so much more.  The Bosch appliance list goes on to include the smaller kitchen appliances too, such as their Bosch Mixxo Cordless Immersion Blender.
The Bosch Mixxo blender is a dual blending of the Bosch Company and the celebrity chef, Mr. Todd English.  The Mixxo blender made by Bosch is a part of the Todd English Professional kitchen Collection.  This is a blender so easy to use, that you too will feel as to be the professional chef of your kitchen.  There is most nothing that can be made with the Bosch Mixxo Cordless Immersion Blender.
The Bosch Mixxo is a one of a kind, and glides in as number one in the cutting edge in design and innovation due to this blender being the first to be a cordless immersion and held blender that works on batteries that are Lithium Ion. So far, there is no other blender that works with this type of futuristic technology.
Since the batteries of made of Lithium are lighter in weight, and smaller in size compared to the average battery, their lifespan is much longer due to the lack of what is called a “Memory Effect”.  Not even keeping the Bosch Mixxo plugged in long after it has been completely charged, the Lithium battery’s quality will keep on working the same as when first purchased. This just cannot be said for any other type of rechargeable battery, due to the quicker power degrading, especially when accidentally getting overcharged.
The Bosch Mixxo is so sturdy and strong that it is able to keep crushing ice for a good 20 minutes. There is almost nothing that the Bosch Mixxo can blend, including the full preparation of all types of sauces, all variations of mixed drinks, and most anything else that you can through its way for the mixing.
The Bosch Mixxo has a two-button switch as a part of the safety system, and a Ergonomic handle formation for the best ease of blending usage. There is a anti-splash stainless steel blending blade, with a splash guard, all the removable parts from the handle are dishwasher safe. The Bosch Mixxo comes fully stocked with a chopper, a mixing container, and a versatile hanging or sitting charger.

The recent rise in gas prices makes the choice of an electric range a must.

Types of Cooktops

The electric range comes in three different types of cook tops:

•    Regular Coils
•    Smooth Top
•    Solid Disk Elements

The smooth tops use radiant heat that is concealed under a ceramic surface. Also, some smooth tops use halogen. Smooth tops clean easily because of the smooth surface and less seams on the stop top. The newer models indicate when a burner is hot (which is a nice safety feature). When using a smooth top range, it is important to use pans that are perfectly flat and that are metal to get the optimum performance from the stove. Smooth tops and disk models generally use more energy and are more expensive to use. The regular coil electric range has drip pans to catch spillage.

Oven Features

There are three cleaning options available on the electric range. One is standard – this means that you will do the manual labor to clean the oven. The continuous-cleaning oven burns off soil as it bakes. On the self-cleaning model, you set a high temperature cycle, lock the oven door and it burns off the accumulated soil. Having a model that has the self-cleaning or continuous cleaning feature extends the life of the oven.

Burner Controls

The controls on the burners are usually dials and can be located on the top of the stove or on the front (placement on the top of the stove is better for safety if there are small children in the household).  Oven controls can be dial or digital.  The digital control tends to be more accurate.

Pot and Pan Storage

There is more storage in an electric range. There is usually a drawer underneath  the oven. Gas ranges use the drawer space for a broiler area.

Oven Windows

They should be clear if you use the oven a lot for baking to give you a good view of the baking process. If you use it primarily for storage when the oven is off, the window can be dark.

Advantages of Electric Versus Gas

An electric range gives even heat that is constant and it has no flame. It heats up slower than a gas range and takes longer to cool down.

Service Contracts

Also known as extended warranties, service contracts are often pushed by the dealer selling an appliance. This contract is something totally separate from the manufacturer’s warranty that should come standard with your new electric range. The warranty is included in the purchase price, but the service contract will cost you extra. The biggest thing to remember when deciding whether or not to purchase a service contract on your new electric range is that there is no need to duplicate the coverage offered in your manufacturer’s warranty. Be sure that your service contract covers items that the warranty does not and lasts longer than the warranty.

Most of the people wash dishes with their hands, even though they have dish washers in their homes. This is because they feel dish washers are not proper cleansing agents and the dishes will not be cleansed properly. Therefore, they prefer washing utensils with their hands. There is good news for such people.
Those who are not happy with performance of their dish washers can opt for Bosch dishwashers. These washers have been designed keeping in mind their utility and these assure you of excellent performance. These dishwashers ensure cleaning of vessels easily in no time and they make sure every particle of dirt is removed from the utensils.
Different cycles of washing are the only key to cleanse the utensils properly. These cycles help in removing the food in the utensils and make it clean for serving on next time. These cycles make people realize how dirty their dishes are and how much cleansing these require before being used again. During the cycles the detergents clean the utensils thoroughly and restore the shine in them.
The Bosch dishwashers analyze the dirt present in the utensils and adjust the temperature of water. It sees how much dirt is present in the utensils and what is the duration for which t needs to be cleaned.
Why should I go to Bosch dishwashers? The most important reason is that they show high usage ratio and have a mild effect on delicate vessels. You must have seen that when dishwashers are used for delicate models; they have damaging effects on them causing them to break. Bosch dishwashers are quite easy on vessels and they make sure that wash cycle for such utensils is less. This feature makes the utensil dry within no time.
Bosch designed dish wares in such a way that a two pump motor suspended will cut down the vibration and the noise produced while washing the dishes. The insulation is quite innovative and it is free from noise. It makes a room silent, though the washer is still washing the utensils.
AQUA STOP is a new product of the company introduced into the market to shut down the dishwasher if there is a leakage. It is designed in such a way so as to pump out the water when a leakage occurs. Integra series is also a kind of dishwasher introduced by Bosch which is silent and powerful. It is hides the controls and is stylish in design.
Evolution dishwashers are also manufactured by Bosch and their technology is identical to Integra series. It has a child lock latch which prevents children from operating it. It does not allow them to open the wash bar, thereby reducing the ill effects and the occurrence of accidents.
Cleaning cycle of Bosch dish washers is quite strong. Unlike other dishwashers, fragile instruments are not broken, but they are delicately and carefully handled. It has a delayed start mechanism which allows it to be started after some duration. These dishwashers have come as a boon to people who lead busy lives and want to cut down on tedious household chores.

A convection oven will cook food in one third of the time that a conventional oven will. You can cook certain foods at a lower temperature and cook it in a shorter amount of time. Either way, there is a huge savings on electricity costs.
The convection oven operates on standard household current. Electricity is used to heat the air in the oven. A fan moves the warm air around preventing hot spots from happening and food bakes more evenly. This keeps the heat from collecting at the top of the oven and being wasted. Because the air is moving, the convection oven heats faster and cooks food more efficiently and in a shorter amount of time. A convection oven can be filled fuller than a conventional oven. You must allow at least one inch around the food for the air to circulate. The reason you can fill the oven fuller is because the fan is not inside the cavity of the oven. These ovens are usually smaller and there is less air to heat, which makes it more energy efficient. It is important to keep the door of the convection oven closed to maintain the airflow. The size and shape of meat and/or the pan can affect cooking times. For instance, if a piece of meat is long and thin, it will cook quicker than a piece of meat that is bulky. Also, the size and shape of the pan can make a difference in how long it takes. It is never recommended to use a casserole lid or pan with high sides, as it will not allow meat to cook evenly.
This method of cooking has been used in restaurants and bakeries for years. This form of convection oven is called the impingement oven. There is a high flow rate of hot air that goes above and below the food, which causes the air to be directed onto the food. This is passed through the oven via a conveyor belt.
Another form of convection oven is called the convection microwave oven. It will cook as fast as a microwave, but browns food like a convection oven.
The convection oven is popular with caterers because it allows for large amounts of food to be cooked evenly and quickly.
The downside to these ovens is that they are usually very expensive. Also, they are hard to get used to. It takes time to figure out how to adjust temperatures and cooking times on recipes.
Convection ovens bake fresh breads well, providing better color and loaves that are more evenly cooked. When baked goods are put on multiple racks, they still will come out perfectly browned. These ovens seal in meat juices, making them moister and more flavorful.

If you own a restaurant or if you are deciding the kitchen-ware for your house then you are bound to be faced with the decision of whether to buy a gas range oven or an electric range oven. These two have their own distinct advantages and are mostly used as per the choice and the taste of the owner. However if you think that the electric oven has a higher advantage over the gas range because of the obvious advantages then you are wrong. The gas range ovens are nothing like they used to be before. There have been many advancements and changes that have been made to these gas range ovens. This includes the increase in the safety factors of the gas ovens. The gas ovens are a lot safer and friendlier to use.

The gas ovens in many ways are better than the electric ovens. It is not a bad choice of to select the gas oven for your restaurant. In fact choosing a gas oven for your restaurant is much more advantageous and profitable than choosing an electric oven. The gas ovens are safer nowadays with the upgrade in the safety precautions and are easier to use. The technologies behind the gas ovens have also been increased. Many people love to cook in the gas ovens and opt for the gas oven when faced with a choice on which type of oven to buy.

The gas oven today has many technological upgrades that help to overcome the short comings that it has had in the past. In the past the gas ovens would face problems of burner clogging that would be quite common due to the spilling of the food being cooked on the gas oven. This would greatly reduce the efficiency of the gas oven. However today the gas ovens come with closed burners and therefore there is no chance of burner clogging even during spillage that reduces the chance of any accidents.

The greatest advantage of the gas oven over the electric oven is the control of heat that you can have over the gas oven. The control of heat is essential to make some dishes and therefore some food dishes cannot be made on an electric oven. But all food items can be prepared on a gas oven.  Also food items that are prepared on a gas oven will last 50% longer that the food prepared on an electric oven. If you are using the gas oven in your restaurant then this would mean that you are saving labor and you do not have to cook as many batches of food as your would require if you had used an electric oven.

Microwave ovens have been favorites in many American kitchens. It has already become a standard fixture in most of the kitchens. It has got many benefits over traditional ovens. These microwaves can cook foods and boil water with very much time and with less use of power.

Microwave ovens originated in 1947 when it was built by Raytheon. From that time period to now, the microwave ovens have gone through many changes, changes for good. They were continuously updated and most modern technologies were adapted to it to make it more customers friendly. Also the size and shape of the microwave have drastically changed, and presently the cute size of the microwave oven is suitable for any kitchen. The microwaves are now presently available in highly moderate price tag, compared to the quoted price of $5000 in 1947.

A magnetron to produce microwaves, a cooking chamber, a transformer with high voltage and a wave guide are the major parts of a microwave. The electricity required for magnetron and control unit of magnetron is generated by the high voltage transformer. Microwaves, a type of electromagnetic waves, are generated to collide with the food so as to produce heat. Fats, proteins, grains, water and starch absorb these microwaves and molecules vibrate with high frequency producing heat. The microwaves will not pass through ceramics, plastics and glass equipments, and hence these vessels can be used in the microwave ovens.

There are many ranges of microwave ovens. You can choose any model of the microwave as per your requirement and budget. The various options include the table top version, kitchen cabinet version and very cute counter versions. Microwaves come in variety of sizes as well, suiting to the various requirements of the customer.  Let us discuss over the wide range of microwave ovens.

•    Compact microwaves are the small units with 18X12X14 size with a capacity of less than one cubic foot.  Power requirement ranges between 500 to 1000 watts. These compact microwaves are suitable for preparing microwave meals, reheating and to in popcorn making.
•    Medium capacity microwaves are available in the market with different capacities; say 1 cubic foot to 15 cubic feet. The power usually ranges between 1000-1500 watts. These will have several features of auto cooking and will be faster in cooking than compact ranges. These are highly suitable for home use. You can select one with required capacity,
•    A most sophisticated microwave oven is large capacity microwave, which has many added features and more temperature controls. They will be having power more than 2000 watts. These large microwaves are more energy efficient and can cook the foods very fast. If you are looking for very fast food preparation with less energy consumption, the best option is large capacity microwaves.
You can visit a store selling the microwaves and can see the working of these wide ranges of microwaves and can start getting the benefits of this amazing equipment. Many companies have come out with wide ranges of microwaves and the selection of a suitable one is going to be a challenge for you.

The small things in life are what make it special.  A cup of hot coffee on a cold winter morning, a romantic Italian dinner for two with homemade cuisine, or a steaming hot latte over an afternoon chat with friends, Bosch small appliances make the small things into big pleasures.
By producing highly efficient, quality appliances, Bosch enables consumers to use less energy, help our environment, and enjoy lower costs of operation. The company delivers cost-effective appliances with superior performance engineered right into the product and continually strives to reduce its environmental impact by reducing the energy used per appliance, reducing unnecessary packing material, using reusable and recyclable materials, and reducing water and CO2 waste emissions. The Bosch family of products is an excellent choice for today’s savvy consumer.

Refrigerators are the basic essential in today’s home. They are used to keep produce fresh and food items chilled and frozen. Earlier, refrigerators were just used as chill boxes with basic shelves but now they are loaded with features and are much more sophisticated.

There are different kinds of refrigerator designs available in the market nowadays. They offer more convenience and options according to the demand of the consumer. The choice of configuration for the consumer is between side by side refrigerators, top freezer refrigerators and bottom freezer refrigerator. As the name suggests, top freezer refrigerators have freezer compartment on the top or at the eye level where as Bottom freezer has the refrigerator at the eye level. But currently the most popular among these there types are side by side refrigerators.

Side by side refrigerators are very useful when the kitchen is narrow and if you need more space to move around even if someone is using the refrigerator. They have a large freezer compartment as well as a big refrigerator unit. The big benefit is the eye level access to both the refrigerator and the freezer. If you want the feature of through the door ice-making or water dispenser in the door, side by side refrigerators are the best choice.

There are various features available in different side by side refrigerators. Some of them have touchpad controls on the door. There are models which have temperature controlled compartments to store different assortment of groceries. Most of these refrigerators are equipped with tempered glass shelves to contain spill as opposed to wire shelves. Some of the higher end models also have built in water filter in the refrigerator door.

Different brands like GE, Whirlpool, Samsung, LG etc offer side by side refrigerators. Most of them offer color choices like white, black or metallic finish. If you want built in refrigerators, some manufacturers offer this to match with your cabinets but they are far more expensive than off the shelf side by side refrigerators.

One of the major concerns in side by side refrigerator is that the through the door ice and water dispensers are prone to defects and thus require maintenance. The through the door ice maker also takes lot of space. They are also least energy efficient.

When buying a refrigerator you have to decide what features you want, this will help you in deciding what configuration you can go for in your unit. Once the basic configuration is decided you can look for additional features like tempered glass shelves, gallon size door bins, wine and bottle racks, automatic ice maker etc. Examining the features would let you decide whether they are conveniences to you or just space wasters leading to higher cost of the refrigerator.