by Milcarsky's Staff | Jun 17, 2019 | Appliances
Ask anyone who has ever gone through a kitchen fire, and they do will tell you that it is an extremely traumatic experience. Moreover, they will also tell you that it was completely unexpected. Indeed, no one starts cooking for their family thinking, βIβm about to have a kitchen fire that will destroy my wall or most of my kitchen.β However, it does happen. Thankfully, with a little bit of advance planning and some organization, there are a number of things you can do in order to guard against this happening to you.
Watch Out for Grease
Grease is very flammable, and it is a fire that can happen fairly quickly. The good news is that grease fires can be smothered fairly quickly as long as you know what you are doing. Obviously, throwing water on a grease fire is a big no-no. Instead, you should immediately turn off the heat source, and then quell the fire with a large lid.
Invest in Fire-Retardant Materials
One of the best ways to avoid or to minimize a fire would be through surrounding yourself with fire-retardant materials. One example of a substance that resists burning is the roof of your home. For example, homes with metal roofs tend to fare better against fires than homes with more conventional roofs. Moreover, simply using fire-resistant cookware will go a long way to keeping flames from spreading throughout your kitchen and then your home.
Donβt Leave Your Heat Source
When you begin cooking your meal, it can be tempting to go and briefly check your ball game or to watch the last part of your favorite television show. Donβt do it! About 10% of homesΒ were estimated to have experienced kitchen fires. Leaving your stove unattended for even five minutes can easily have a fire on your hands that could spark travel literally anywhere.
Keep Certain Items Away From the Stove
You might be surprised at just what is considered flammable, so you should do your best to make sure that everything is kept away from the burners on the stove. Items like paper towels, dish towels, potholders, and other combustibles could easily cause a house fire. Kitchen fires are an unfortunate incident in many households. However, if you follow these tips, you will significantly decrease your chances of falling prone to these terrible kitchen fires. Safety counts in the kitchen!
Many people who are worried about kitchen fires choose to use electric range tops, but if you want something different, Milcarskyβs Appliance Center has many other options as well!
by Milcarsky's Staff | May 31, 2019 | Design
You might not think about your kitchen as a seat of the latest and greatest technologies. Instead, todayβs kitchen devices and developing technologies have merged to contribute to improved safety in both residential and commercial kitchens. If you are planning to remodel or renovate your kitchen soon, look into adding a smart refrigerator, an induction oven with range and a home automation system. You can pick up one of the improved thermometers today to make an initial step toward safer food preparation.
Smart Refrigerators
You might think it sounds odd at first blush, but a smart fridge can help keep you safe at home. It monitors what you put in the refrigerator and lets you know when food has expired. A smart refrigerator can connect directly to your food delivery services so that you can order your groceries from the fridgeβs door.
The other intelligence in a smart fridge is its reduced electrical requirements. The 1980s fridge consumed a whopping 1,278 kilowatt-hours per year. Todayβs refrigerator only consumes about 498 kilowatt-hours per year. They provide more storage, too. In the 1980s, a refrigerator provided about 19.6 cubic feet of storage space. Now you get 21.9 cubic feet.
The latest devices include dynamic power controls to automatically reduce energy use during peak times of the day. It does not affect food safety, but it does save you money on your monthly energy bills. These controls work with home automation systems to save money and improve home safety.
Home Automation
Home automation technology has made residential kitchens safer. You can automate door and window locks, the interior temperature settings, the lights, the coffee maker, and the oven. Most automation providers have monthly plans that include alarm monitoring. That means you can use the same system that monitors your home security system to remotely turn on your kitchen lights and get coffee brewing in the morning.
Induction Cooking
The wonders of induction cooking will help you shave a few minutes off of the time it takes to make dinner. The real benefit is the enhanced safety. Induction heats the cooking pot by transferring heat through the glass top of the oven/range. The difference between it and a normal oven is the induction oven requires a pot for the burner to activate. If you turn on the burner on an induction oven but forget to put a pot on the burner, it will not heat up. The burner stays off until you place a pan or pot on it. That means if you turn it on and forget, you do not have to worry about accidentally touching a hot burner.
Improved Thermometers and Sensors
The latest in kitchen technology has also improved the essential thermometer and its sensors. Whether youβre cooking at home or in a restaurant environment, a cooking thermometer lets you check that food has been cooked to a safe temperature. Todayβs thermometers range in types including bimetal, digital thermistor, digital thermocouple, glass column and infrared. The latest designs provide enhanced durability and a quick but accurate reading in about six to eight seconds β some in as little as two seconds. Some devices can be left in the food while they cook. The latest designs are easy to clean and can measure food temperature to ensure the proper temperature has been reached to kill bacteria and germs.
Blockchain Technology
The underlying technology of cryptocurrency, the blockchain, has already added to the efficiency and safety of food supply chains. It records the identity and location of a food item digitally. Food gets tagged as itβs picked so that the manufacturer can track its trip from farm to table. This provides a permanent, unchangeable record for each food item. Knowing its origin, processing and movement lets consumers, retailers and the government better track food safety.
As technology evolves, it can keep consumers safer. Nowhere is this truer than in the kitchen. Your next remodeling project will provide numerous opportunities to make your kitchen a more efficient and safer room for family meals and gathering with friends. Update your kitchen with a smart refrigerator, home automation system, induction oven and range, and better thermometers. Then enjoy greater food safety at the grocery store and in restaurants through blockchain tracking.
The Milcarsky's Appliance Centre' team wants to help answer any questions you may have. We'd also like to let you know when we publish a new blog post or have some great news to share.
by Milcarsky's Staff | Apr 22, 2019 | Appliances
Your kitchen is the heart of your home, so you should love spending time there. Therefore, it’s worth investing in tools that will help you make the most of this space. With the right accessories and appliances, your kitchen can become one of your favorite rooms in your house.
A Pot Filler Faucet
For a handy second faucet, place a pot filler over your stove. One of the most obvious uses for this type of faucet is for filling pots on the stove, especially large stock pots. That’s not all the things you can do with a pot filler, though. You can also fill flower vases, water bottles, your coffeemaker, a tea kettle, and more.
A Pull-Out Spice Rack
Have you ever grabbed one bottle out of your spice cabinet and knocked over four others in the process? If so, you would benefit from the convenience of a pull-out spice rack. It will put all your spices within easy view so that you can easily grab one at a time. This kind of spice rack will also save you cabinet space. In fact, you can install a narrow spice rack in what would otherwise be wasted space in your cabinet layout.
A French Door Refrigerator
For a modern kitchen design, look no further than the sleek look of a French door refrigerator. Not only does this style look nice, but it can also help you organize your storage space since you’ll have plenty of door racks as well as spacious interior shelving. Purchasing a new refrigerator may also save you on energy costs for years to come. A French door unit can be particularly beneficial for energy savings since you can leave one door shut while quickly grabbing items out of the refrigerator.
A Built-In Electric Cooktop
There’s no fixed rule that stoves and ovens always have to go together. You can increase the flexibility of your kitchen layout by installing a built-in electric cooktop and a separate oven. Cooktops give your home a contemporary look. Even better, their smooth surfaces are easy to clean. You could even include your cooktop in your kitchen island layout. That way, you can see what’s going on around you and converse with your family as you work at the stove.
These four upgrades will take your kitchen from good to fantastic. You’ll find that they improve both the convenience and the appearance of your kitchen.
The Milcarsky's Appliance Centre' team wants to help answer any questions you may have. We'd also like to let you know when we publish a new blog post or have some great news to share.
by Milcarsky's Staff | Feb 13, 2019 | Recipes
Skip the crowded restaurants and celebrate your sweetie with a few home-made treats of your own. We have selected three courses from some of our favorite brands in the hopes of inspiring a nice home cooked meal for the one you love.
Brunch
For brunch, surpriseΒ your sweetie with a delicious plate of crepes. This Crepe recipe by SubZero, Wolf, and Cove is a perfect display of how easy it is to make a restaurant quality breakfast from the comfort of your own kitchen. You can dress up this simple dish with this Fruit and Cream Filling recipe by Taste of Home:
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar, divided
4 teaspoons 2% milk
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup each fresh blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Spread 1 rounded tablespoon on each crepe; top with 1/4 cup fruit and roll up. Sprinkle with remaining confectioners’ sugar.
If you choose to have Mimosa’s with your brunch, try this Sparkling Raspberry Lemon MimosaΒ recipe by Aberdeen’s Kitchen.
Dinner
For dinner, we recommendΒ treating your sweetheart (and yourself) with a perfectly cooked steak! If you haven’t quite mastered the art of the perfect steak, theΒ Ultimate SteakΒ by FrigidaireΒ has a few expertΒ tips, as well as a delicious rub recipe, to help prepare your meal. Pair your steak with a favorite vegetable and you have a hearty, home-cooked meal worthy of celebrating just about any occasion.
Dessert
Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love but it is also ubiquitous with one thing…chocolate! Sure, you couldΒ goΒ theΒ traditional route with a store bought, heart shaped, box of chocolate confections. But why go traditional when you can have S’mores!? These treats have long been associated with being cooked on an open fire (very romantic). Still, the home appliance lovers in us can’t help but think of a way to incorporate a more domestic option to an open fire. So…enter the LynxΒ Napoli Oven!
Ingredients
8 graham crackers, broken in 1/2
2 milk chocolate bars, broken into squares
8 marshmallows, cut in halves
- Preheat Napoli Oven on Medium for 30 minutes with the door on.
- Lay 1/2 of the broken graham crackers on a cookie baking sheet. Place chocolate pieces on top and 2 marshmallow halves on top of that.
- Bake until the marshmallows are puffed and golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove from Napoli oven and top with the remaining graham crackers pressing down to make a sandwich. Serve while still warm
Have A Great Valentine’s Day Everyone!
The Milcarsky's Appliance Centre' team wants to help answer any questions you may have. We'd also like to let you know when we publish a new blog post or have some great news to share.
by Milcarsky's Staff | Feb 1, 2019 | Recipes
There’s nothing wrong with chips, pizza or chicken wings, but sometimes you want to step up your “game” just a little bit.Β So, whether you are tailgating at the game (lucky you) or having a party at your house like most of us, these grab-and-go recipes will make your Super Bowl super delicious.
Crockpot Tangy Cherry Chipotle Sausages
As many host and hostess know, the one place you don’t want to be during the Super Bowl is in the kitchen. This Tangy Cherry Barbeque SausageΒ crockpot recipe by EatingWell will cut back on kitchen time AND feed your guests! These sausages and their cherry and chipotle sauce are packed with tons of sweet and spicy flavor that is sure to become a favorite. You can serve these with toothpicks or they can be dressed up inside a hoagieΒ roll or served with a side of rice.
Cornbread-Chili Casserole
Although this casseroleΒ recipe by the FoodNetwork takes a bit of prep time, the results are well worth your efforts in the kitchen. This dish is great to set out at halftime when your guests are getting hungry for something a little more comforting (and filling) than appetizers. It is also a great self-serve dishΒ so the host can relax a little and enjoy the party.
Tequila Touchdown
What Super Bowl party would be complete without an aptly named drink to celebrate with? This Tequila Touchdown recipe by Martha Stewart is perfect for large batch pitchers and can be made as a mocktail by omitting the tequila.
And the winner is…
YOU!Β Really, this yearly event isn’t about who wins or loses (can you tell the writer of this post is a Miami Dolphins fan?Β π). It is about having a great reason to gather with friends, family andΒ frenemies (lol).Β So eat, drink and enjoy spending time together during this year’s edition of the Super Bowl.
You can also find ALL of these recipes (and more) on the Milcarsky’s Appliance Centre’ recipe page.
The Milcarsky's Appliance Centre' team wants to help answer any questions you may have. We'd also like to let you know when we publish a new blog post or have some great news to share.
by Milcarsky's Staff | Jan 21, 2019 | Appliances
There may be times during your life when you want to put your appliances in storage. You may be moving, but the new place is not ready yet. Alternatively, you may be doing a kitchen remodel, and you want to install the same appliances when you are done. Regardless of the reason that you are putting your appliances in storage, here are some tips you will want to remember.
The Oven
Start by washing your stove with dishwashing soap and hot water. Then, make a paste of baking soda and water. Scrub the stove with the paste until you have it clean. Pull out the racks and store them separately. Use some strong tape to keep the doors closed while transporting. If you have a gas stove, turn off the knob at the wall disconnecting the gas from the unit. If you have an electric one, then unplug it. Once the stove is in storage, use an old sheet and a tie-down strap to keep the stove covered and protected from insects while allowing air to circulate.
The Refrigerator
If you are going to store your refrigerator, then make sure that you clean it first. Then, defrost it. The trick to completely defrosting a refrigerator is to unplug the refrigerator and leave the door open. Completely defrosting a refrigerator takes about seven days. If your refrigerator has a drain plug, remove it and walk away for several hours. Come back and clean up any remaining water. Make sure that you do not leave any moisture inside because it can mold. Pull the fridge out from the wall and unhook the drain line. Let the water drain from the unit. Place a chain and lock around the refrigerator so that the door cannot be opened while the refrigerator is in storage.
The Microwave
Cut a lemon into slices and put in a large bowl of water. Sit the bowl in the microwave, and turn it on long enough for the water to come to a boil. Carefully remove the bowl. Use a wet paper towel soaked in vinegar to wipe down the inside of the microwave. Remove the glass turntable, wrap it in bubble wrap and store it separately in a box. Always keep the microwave right side up and do not put anything heavy on top of it.
The Dishwasher
Bacteria, fungi, and mold can easily grow inside an unclean dishwasher. Thatβs why itβs so important to clean your dishwasher before storing it by putting one cup of vinegar in a bowl on the top rack. Then, run it through a cycle using hot water. Once the cycle is complete, wipe down the trays and the inside of the unit. The most important part of storing a dishwasher is to remove the water lines. Leaving even a little bit of water in them can eventually ruin the dishwasher.
Cleaning your kitchen appliances before moving them has them ready to be reinstalled when you are ready. Then, make sure that they are dry. Finally, store shelves, racks and other parts separately.
The Milcarsky's Appliance Centre' team wants to help answer any questions you may have. We'd also like to let you know when we publish a new blog post or have some great news to share.
