Stellar Beech Woodware

Stellar Beech Woodware, one of the latest ranges in the Stellar Cookware range will be a welcome addition to any kitchen. Stellar products have become firm favourites in my kitchen and the reason is simple – they’re stylish, hard wearing and always functional.

This Beech Woodware range will undoubtedly add style and class to any kitchen table and I was delighted when Stellar sent the pizza paddle and the beechware extendable trivet for review. Two pieces of  kit I knew would be well used in the Wee Pinch of Sugar kitchen.

Pizza Paddle

The pizza paddle while perfect for serving up pizza, also doubles as an attractive board for canapes and it can also be used as a bread or chopping board. The paddle has quickly become a favourite in my kitchen as it really suits the style of food I like to serve. It’s also an ideal size for a large pizza and it makes a great sharing platter for just sticking in the middle of the table for everyone to help themselves.

Its certainly been well used in my kitchen for serving food and apart from its stylish modern appeal, the quality of the beech wood and the durability is what I’ve come to expect from Stellar Kitchenware products.

Stellar Beechware Extendable Trivet

A kitchen can never have enough trivets, well at least my kitchen can’t.  With oak and granite worktops and an oilcloth on the table, I’m always careful about marking or burning the surfaces. The extendable trivet is a real flexible friend. It’s a neat and attractive 14cm square that extends to 21cm. The 2cm depth keeps hot pans and serving dishes away surfaces and will stretch out to hold pans from 14 to 20cm.  The trivet has a smooth finish and extends with partially concealed anodised steel batons.

 

Other products in the beechware range include a butcher’s block and 5 sizes of chopping boards.

Prices start at £8.40 for the extendable trivet

Product Code	Description	ASP
SW81	Stellar Kitchen, Beech Extendable Trivet, 23 x 15 x 2cm	£8.40
SW82	Stellar Kitchen, Beech Cutting Board, 27 x 22 x 2cm	£16.80
SW84	Stellar Kitchen, Beech Cutting Board, 30 x 25 x 2cm	£21.70
SW86	Stellar Kitchen, Beech Cutting Board, 35 x 27 x 2cm	£25.20
SW88	Stellar Kitchen, Beech Cutting Board, 39 x 29 x 2cm	£30.24
SW90	Stellar Kitchen, Beech Cutting Board, 47 x 35 x 2cm	£40.60
SW92	Stellar Kitchen, Beech Pizza Serving Board, 30 x 1.5cm	£21.70
SW94	Stellar Kitchen, Beech Butchers Block, 40 x 26 x 4cm	£46.20

 

Disclaimer. Stellar Cookware provided the Beechware Pizza Paddle and Extending Trivet for this review. All opinions are expressed are my own.

Judge Radiant Cookware

Judge Radiant Cookware perfect for the modern home cook.

These beautiful red coloured pans are part of the new Judge Cookware Radiant range designed to satisfy the demands of the modern home cook. The collection is made up of a 16cm milk pan, a 26cm crepe pan, a 24cm chefs pan, 22/24/26 cm frying pans and two stir fry wok type pans – 24/26cm.

I tested the pans with some home cooking and top Scottish chef

Mark Heirs also helped me put them though their paces at the recently held Scotland’s Salmon Festival.

Over the two days the chefs used the chef pan and the 24cm frying pan to cook a wide range of salmon dishes. The Judge Radiant Cookware range is made of thick aluminium and is coated with PFOA Teflon Radiance. This combination provides speedy and most importantly an even heat transfer making it ideal for fast efficient cooking. This really suited the type of food the chefs were cooking and of course one essential was crispy skin on the salmon. It’s easy to see why this range is particularly suited to the modern cook. The chefs pan was used extensively for many dishes; sauces, stir frying and braising and the chefs were impressed with the general performance.

I also tested the pans in the Wee Pinch of Sugar kitchen and as you can see from the images the results were good

Perfect for cooking salmon and of course a crispy skin is essential.

Golden and crispy skin on chicken without sticking to the pan.

Brisket seared and browned with the minimum amount of oil before going in the oven for a slow pot roast.

Features

All pans in the range have matching red soft grip handles, are oven and dishwasher safe up to 150c and of course come with the Judge 25 year guarantee with 10 year on the non stick coating.

Prices

Judge Radiant are a great value for money range – on line prices start at £17 for the 20cm frying pan and the multi use chefs pans pan can be found at £23.

Judge Cookware supplied the for this review. all opinions expressed are my own.

 

 

 

 

Stellar Hob Top Espresso Maker

Good coffee, especially in the morning is essential in our house and over the years the Gillon boys have amassed a collection of different types of coffee makers. In addition to the standard coffee machines, they have a portable espresso maker, an aero press, an electric percolater, slow drip coffee maker and a bean to cup machine. Interestingly I’m told they are all essential and the Stellar espresso maker is a welcome addition.

Then there’s the essential top quality coffee and sadly as their coffee making skills improved, I was banished from ever grinding beans or making coffee.

The new Hob Top Espresso Maker from Stellar Cookware has offered hope for me.

Easy to use

The stylish polished steel pot holds 400ml and makes 6 cups. It’s suitable for use on all hobs types and the phenolic handle remains cool when in use.

It’s so easy to use and the six cup capacity makes it an ideal size for serving a crowd. The three part pot works exactly like other espresso makers. Fill the base with water, add finely ground coffee to the holder, screw the base and jug back together and its ready to make perfect coffee.

 

Expresso Cups

 

The stylish double walled espresso glasses from Judge Cookware are the perfect match for the espresso pot and will have so many other uses. I loved Serving affagato in them but they’ll also work well with other small desserts and starters. The glasses have a thermally insulated air pocket construction so no need for coasters. Hot drinks stay hot and the exterior remains cool.

One of my favourite quick desserts is affagato and the capacity of the Stellar espresso maker is ideal, especially if there’s 6 to be made

Afagatto is so quick and easy to assemble

Place a scoop of ice cream in a coffee cup and pour over a shot of espresso. Serve sprinkled with chocolate curls, chopped hazelnuts of crushed amaretto biscuits.

Stellar Cookware provided the espresso maker and Judge Cookware supplied the espresso glasses for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

 

 

 

Stellar Rocktanium

I’m not sure when I started amassing a collection of pots and pans, but what I have come to realise it the fact that I cannot help myself when it comes to a good pan. I’ve brought them home from holidays abroad, got them as presents and more recently I’ve been happily reviewing pans for top cookware company Stellar Cookware. Good pans are essential in a kitchen.

This month I’ve been testing out two of Stellars’s Rocktanium pans in the Wee Pinch of Sugar kitchen and if you’re looking for new quality non stick pans then this review is for you.

Stellar Rocktanium – Stylish, Versatile, Durable

The stylish and versatile pans have a tough, non stick coating with a distinctive and stylish ‘stone’ appearance. Thanks to a new titanium based formula, Quantanium, this PFA-free coating gives a scratch resistant surface that is claimed to be more durable than conventional non stick.

There are five frying pans in the Rocktanium range and they are available in the following sizes – 20/24/26/28/30cm.

The 24 cm sauté pan comes with a stylish vented glass lid.

The Rocktanium range has been created from thick aluminium with an induction base to ensure even heat distribution; they are suitable for use on any hob type and are oven safe up to a temperature of 210c.

I put the pans to the test on my induction hob with a number of different foods and was impressed by how well they performed. In addition to the non stick performance and versatility I was very impressed by the heat distribution and pans ability to hold heat.

The images below are from actual dishes I cooked for family meals.

When cooking fish with skin on in a stainless steel it can be difficult to get a nice crispy skin that doesn’t stick to the pan. The ‘Rocktanium’ surface was ideal and the salmon cooked with perfect crispy skin and no problems with sticking.

The saute pan is a real winner on versatility. It’s become a real favourite in the kitchen as it lends itself to so many different dishes. With its stylish stone finish it’s also a perfect oven or hob to table serving dish.

I cook a lot of fish in stir fry recipes and curries and again the saute pan is a good choice for cooking this type of one pan dish with no risk of the ingredients sticking to the pan.

Pasta sauces are another quick favourite in our house and the saute pan came out on top for this. Also ideal for adding the pasta straight into the pan to serve.

Browning meat for casseroles is essential and I prefer to do this in a non stick pan rather than a stainless steel pan. No chance of that happening with the ‘Rocktanium’ and also the added advantage of using less oil.

We used the Stellar Rocktanium pans in the Marine Harvest Kitchen Theatre at the recently held Scottish Salmon Festival. Over two days the saute pan and the frying pans performed well with some heavy duty road testing at high temperatures and the chefs were very impressed with the performance. Even after constant cooking and washing by five chefs, the pans looked like new.

The two Stellar Rocktanium pans have been well tested both in the Wee Pinch of Sugar Kitchen and by the Chefs at the Scottish Salmon Festival and did not disappoint.

Stellar Rocktanium come with a lifetime guarantee and a five year non stick guarantee.

Prices start at £25 for a frying pan. Information on stockists can be found on the Stellar Cookware website.

 

Disclaimer Stellar Kitchenware provided the pans for this review. A ll opinions expressed are my own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Stellar Cookware Copper Kitchen Gadgets

Copper kitchen gadgets and accessories are on trend at the moment and Stellar Cookware’s new stylish collection will be a popular addition to any kitchen.

 

Exceptional Quality

I’m a regular reviewer for Stellar and these are exceptional quality and of course come with the Stellar lifetime guarantee. The attractive collection combines the attraction of copper with the unsurpassed functionality needed by today’s cooks. The collection is also dishwasher safe.

Essential Pieces of Kit

A reliable peeler and garlic crusher are essential pieces of kit in any kitchen  The copper finish and soft touch handles gives this gorgeous collection a smart trendy look that doesn’t detract from the durability of the gadgets.

Both gadgets performed well and are now used regularly in the Wee Pinch of Sugar kitchen. I really like the soft touch curved handles which provides for a very comfortable grip,  a necessary feature in my opinion, especially when prepping larger quantities of fruit and vegetables.

 

The classic style peeler has a sturdy blade and tackled the chore of removing the peel of potatoes, root vegetables and fruit with ease.

The garlic crusher is robust and I like the fact that there is no real overflow from the garlic cloves when pressure is applied. It produces a finely crushed garlic and unlike many crushers I have owned, it is easy to clean.

The remainder of the collection includes, a y shaped peeler, nut cracker, pizza cutter and and an ice cream scoop.

 

Prices start at £4.50 for the copper peeler with the most expensive being the the corkscrew at just over £9. Further information on the Copper Kitchen Gadgets collection and other products from Stellar Cookware.

Product Code Stellar Copper Gadgets Prices ASP SE05 Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Corkscrew 9.38 SE08 Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Garlic Press 9.00 SE09 Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Y Shaped Peeler 4.50 SE11 Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Nut Cracker 7.88 SE16 Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Pizza Cutter 5.38 SE21 Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Peeler 4.50 SE25 Stellar Soft Touch Gadgets, Copper Ice Cream Scoop 5.00

Stellar cookware supplied the gadgets for review in this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Chef’s Pan range from Stellar cookware is a new addition to the company’s growing range of top quality cookware and are great multi tasker pans. I’ve been testing out 2 pans in the Wee Pinch of Sugar kitchen and I’ve been more than impressed, not only with the quality and features but the versatility of the pan for cooking a wide range of dishes.

Chef’s Pan Features

The pans come in 3 sizes, 16cm, 20cm and 24cm.  This new collection is made up to high spec, heavy duty 18/10 stainless steel and is suitable for use on all hob types. Each has a wide flat base and tall sloping sides which allows for the pan to take on the role of saucepan, frying pan and wok. Ideal if you have a small kitchen with limited storage space as the pans comfortably nest inside each other. I tested the 2 larger pans and gave them top marks for cooking a variety of dishes.

As you will see from the images the pans are being well used for everyday cooking and also for serving straight to the table.  Perfect as a multi tasking pan and also live up to Stellar Cookware’s strapline, ‘small pans with big ideas.’

With prices starting at £20 for the 16cm pan, the pans are excellent value for money and will be a worthwhile addition to any kitchen.

I regularly cook for one and the smaller 20cm pan with it’s 850ml capacity has been more than adequate for this.

The largest pan at 24cm with a 1.4L is an ideal size for family meals such as curries, stir fry and pasta dishes.

 

Other features

•  Suitable for use in the oven up to 210C Gas 9.
• Heavy duty thermic base suitable for all hob types
• Dishwasher safe.
• Stellar lifetime guarantee

Prices

• Stellar 16cm Chef’s Pan, 500ml £20.00
  Stellar 20cm Chef’s Pan, 850ml £26.00
  Stellar 24cm Chef’s Pan, 1.4L £33.00

Coming soon. Watch out for some of the recipes in the featured images.

Visit the Stellar Cookware website for full details of the Stellar Cookware range.

 

Disclaimer. Stellar Cookware provided the pans for this review. I was not expected to give a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.

 

Paella is up there with favourite dishes in the Wee Pinch of Sugar kitchen and over the past 30 years or so I’ve owned several but admittedly I never really found the perfect pan. The traditional non expensive pans were never a success and eventually I resorted to using a stainless steel saute pan.

Chef James Martin designed the Lamina’ range of pans for Stellar Cookware and following my review of his recent UK tour, I was offered the chance to review a pan from this top quality range.

The paella pan was the obvious choice.

This range of tri ply cookware has been designed to the chef’s strict tolerances and in terms of outstanding performance and control, it did what it said on the box .  The three layers of metal produce a slightly thicker pan and unlike many stainless steel pans the base is not just stuck on to the bottom. This design ensures that the entire pan heats up. Heat radiates up the side of the pan this avoids the problem of food burning on the base of the pan.

I tested the pan by making my usual paella recipe. Much has been written about how to cook the perfect paella and even the Spanish disagree on the best way to cook and what produce should be used although there’s no disagreement over the main ingredient, rice.

It’s also said that a wide pan with a thin base should be used.  However, The lamina paella pan is a deeper pan and with the entire pan heating up I found that all the rice cooked consistently and in a shorter time than usual.  This also meant that it was ideal for layering up ingredients like the shellfish which was added near the end of cooking. There’s little or no stirring when cooking paella and with previous pans I often found the rice didn’t cook evenly without moving or stirring the pan. Being oven safe it gives the option of finishing the dish in the oven.

The paella pan is 28cm which is the ideal size for the largest zone of my induction hob.

The Lamina range is suitable for all hob types.  All are dishwasher and oven safe and come with the Stellar Cookware lifetime guarantee.

Included in the range are saucepans in a selection of sizes, frying pans, stockpot, sautee pan, saucier, a wok and of course the paella pan featured in this review.

The paella pan is currently on sale at £68.

Coming soon. Watch out for the paella recipe used to to test this pan. 

 

Stellar Cookware provided the pan for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.