Turbo Pot Cookware

Many years ago, I acquired a piece of cookware called the Turbo Cooker. Or something like that.
This is NOT that. At all.

This cookware - called Turbo Pot Cookware - has an aluminum ... er ... radiator-like-surface on the bottom that makes the pot heat faster and more efficiently on gas cooktops.

Or I guess it's more like a heat sink. But anyway, it doesn't look like the bottom of your normal pots. Take a look at the second photo for a better view.

This is NOT some kind of made-for-TV questionable infomercial thing. This is MAGIC.

Okay, it's not actually magic. It's science. The deep ridges on the bottom of the pot create a greater surface area and let me tell you, this pot heats up a LOT faster. You want boiling water? Don't walk too far away!

It also uses less energy to stay hot. Which means that you can maintain a lively simmer on a low setting. On your small burner. Or a candle.

Okay, not a candle. You might need more than one. But seriously (I keep saying that, don't I?) seriously, this is a thing that actually works the way they say it does. It heats up faster, uses less energy, and is kind of cool to look at.

They gave me my choice of cookware to try, and I opted for the 3.5 quart casserole because I already have too much cookware around here, and it looked small enough that I could find a place for it. But there are other pieces where this fast heating could be really handy.


Decisions, decisions.

The teakettle would be great for rapid heating of water for tea or whatever else you heat coffee for. Right? You wouldn't have to wait nearly as long!

And the frying pan would be awesome for heating to high temperatures to sear a steak, and then because it heats so fast, the pan would be right back up to temperature after the steak cooled it down.

And of course saucepans and stockpots and whatnot could all benefit from heating faster.

The one downside is that if you know how to set your stove for a low simmer using your regular cookware, you might have to readjust that thinking, since this will likely be simmering a lot faster - or even boiling - at that same setting.

Who's it for: People who cook!

Pros: Heats quickly and efficiently. Uses less energy.

Cons: You'll need to learn how low you should set the heat for slower, lower cooking. Also, this is designed for gas cooktops.

Wishes: More, please. I don't really need a kettle, but I desire one.


Source: I was sent a sample at no cost to me. And I've been using it regularly.

Murder on the Orient Express Tea

I usually refuse offers to review tea, mostly because I have an insane amount of tea on hand. And I tend to drink tea in binges. I'll go crazy for iced tea for a while, then get tired of it. I'll drink mint tea in the evening, then stop for no reason. I'll brew herbal teas or green teas, and then forget about them for a while.

But when I got an offer to sample a tea called Murder on the Orient Express, the name intrigued me so much that I had to say yes. What does a murder mystery taste like?

It turns out, this tea is very aptly named, and I can't quite explain why. But the scent is ... hmmm ... mysterious and old fashioned and exotic all at once.

I can imagine sipping this in the elegant but somewhat worn dining car while a passenger in a nearby car succumbs to some bad oysters.

But is that really what happened? Was it really bad oysters, or was it a here-to-for undisclosed shellfish allergy that the murderer was privy to? And who is this gallant but somewhat odd stranger who wants to escort me back to my car, so I won't be perturbed by the sudden flurry of activity surrounding the mysterious death?

These are questions that might never be answered.

But the tea is pretty darned good.

The teabags are cute mesh pyramid-like devices that also amused the hell out of me.

If murderous tea isn't your thing, Harney & Sons has a mind-boggling array of others to choose from.

I got this sample at no cost to me. Unfortunately, train tickets were not included.

Amped Wireless Smart Plug

I am a total geek. I love computers and wireless gadgets and remote control stuff. So when I got an offer to review the Amped Wireless Smart Plug, I immediately started brainstorming what I could plug into it. It works with Alexa, so it turns analog devices into super-smart ones that can be controlled by voice.

It was suggested that it could be used for a slow cooker or any other kitchen device that's not so smart. It would need to be a thing that turns on when it's plugged in, rather than something that has a bunch of smart settings.

I knew that my slow cooker was way too smart for it, but I decided to test it with some lights that are frankly a bit annoying to turn on and off.

I have to say that this was super-easy to set up compared to a few other devices that were a little quirky. And it works every time. Whoop, whoop.

Anywhere in the house, you could control anything that plugs into an outlet. Turn on a lamp in the living room or turn off the bedroom lamp without lifting your head from the pillow. In the kitchen, it could certain control that slow cooker, but after brainstorming a bit, I thought that it would be genius for an electric water kettle. You could turn it on from the bedroom and the water would be piping hot for your tea by the time you got to the kitchen.

I have a feeling that most folks who've adopted Alexa also have smart appliances, so they might not actually need this in the kitchen. On the other hand, we all have lamps, lights, and other things that plug into non-smart outlets all over the house.

I received this at no cost.