Notable: Summer 2022

Deep-fried taste with little (or no) oil
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3 MINUTE READ
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The first air fryer was sold in Berlin in 2010, and over the last few years the trendy kitchen cooker has captivated North American home cooks.

An air fryer is a small countertop convection oven designed to simulate deep frying without submerging the food in oil. A fan circulates hot air at a high speed, producing a crispy texture for chicken fingers, french fries, wings, ribs and more.

Early air fryers were barrel-shaped, though more recently, many have come to resemble toaster ovens and pressure cookers, offering additional functions like toasting, baking, dehydrating and rotisserie cooking.

I’ve tested over 50 recipes this past year using the Hamilton Beach Sure-Crisp Digital Air Fryer Toaster Oven with Rotisserie — and I’m sold!

Since I live in a condo, I wanted to reduce the number of appliances taking up space in my kitchen. You can use the device to make mouthwatering rotisserie chicken, sticky and sweet pork ribs, crispy potato skins — and even join in the fun by making that viral TikTok pasta chips recipe.

$129 hamiltonbeach.ca/air-fryers

PlantYou: 140+ Ridiculously Easy, Amazingly Delicious,Plant-Based, Oil-Free Recipes

PlantYou is the first cookbook by celebrated Canadian Instagram and TikTok creator Carleigh Bodrug.

The plant-based cookbook hit Chapters Indigo shelves in the spring and is full of fresh summer cooking inspirations for whole-food, oil-free breakfasts, lunches, dinners and more.

It features mouthwatering dishes like Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies and Best Ever Cauli Wings, and each of the more than 140 recipes includes an infographic detailing the ingredients you need, which makes grocery shopping a breeze! chapters.indigo.ca

Forliver Cleaning Sponge Gloves
My family loves hosting summer barbecues and potlucks, and Cleaning Sponge Gloves by Forliver makes cleaning up afterwards (almost) a breeze.

The reusable gloves are made from 100 per cent food-grade silicone and feature a palm designed with heat-resistant brushes to rinse fruit and vegetables, clean dishes and wipe kitchen counters. $30.99 a pair on amazon.ca.

African and Middle Eastern spice blends
Joel Solish is the founder of Never Not Eating, a Canadian food brand that specializes in premium spice blends inspired by classic Middle Eastern and North African flavours.

Solish sources all the spices from Canadian importers and then blends in small batches to ensure the spices are fresh when they arrive in your kitchen.

Spice up your summer barbecue, salads and seafood with Never Not Eating’s signature Baharat, Chraime,

Shawarma Spice, Sumac S&P and Za’atar. Available online at iamnevernoteating.com.

Rosen’s Cinnamon Bun Spreads
Amy Rosen, an award-winning food writer and cookbook author, launched a bakery called Rosen’s Cinnamon Buns on College Street in Toronto and it was an instant hit.

Rosen’s now producing a trilogy of finger-licking-good Rosen’s Cinnamon Bun Spreads that you can enjoy at home. Current flavours include Rosen’s Cinnamon Bun, Rosen’s Chocolate Cinnamon Babka Spread and Rosen’s Chocolate Tahini Spread.

Drizzle your favourite on pancakes, top a sundae, add to milkshakes or enjoy as a dip for fresh fruit.

$11.98 At gourmet grocers across Canada and online at wildlydelicious.ca.

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