The Lec brand was born in 1942 when fishmongers Charles and Frank Purley developed their own refrigeration system to keep their fresh fish chilled as a result of the high price of ice. Today, nearly 70 years later, Lec is one of the most trusted refrigeration appliance brands in the UK. Lec refrigerators are today still manufactured in the UK and are part of Glen Dimplex Home Appliances, owner of Stoves, Belling and New World Kitchen Appliance brands.

3 Year Warranty

For a limited time only Lec are exclusively offering a full 3 Year Warranty on selected refrigerators from across the Lec range at Dalzell’s of Markethill. The Lec Refrigeration range includes Freestanding and Integrated Fridges, Freezers and Fridge Freezers in addition to Table Top Appliances, Bottle and Wine Cabinets.

Lec have developed their latest range of appliances around your needs; offering style, functionality, choice and perhaps most importantly energy efficiency to help you save on your utility bills. Lec appliances are available in a wide range of colours and styles to suit every home and the needs of the modern family. Lec’s most recent refrigerators are all A+ Energy Rated anduse up to 60% less energy, these impressive refrigerators have all gained the Energy Savings Trust’s (EST) appliance accreditation.

What To Do Now…

To take advantage of this fantastic Lec warranty promotion and to view our full range of refrigerators and wine cabinets Visit Us in-store today at Dalzell’s of Markethill, your local Lec Refrigerator Retailer in Northern Ireland. We’re conveniently situated on the main road between Armagh and Newry.  Or Contact Us by email and/or call us for the best deal, unbeatable service and Free Delivery of your new Lec Fridge, Freezer, Fridge Freezer or Wine Cabinet anywhere in Northern Ireland (from Belfast and Lisburn to Londonderry!) and Counties Louth, Monaghan & Dublin in Ireland.

These beautiful Bradford Pear blanks were purchased from turningblanks.net.  After being rounded off they will be wrapped in a paper bag to slowly dry.  The taller pieces will be turned into pepper grinders using the a 10″ pepper grinder mechanism and the shorter ones will be hand turned into pear shaped salt shakers.  The grinder mechanisms are from Rockler.  In a few months these will make fantastic turned pepper grinder gifts.

Cookware is a product we use almost on a daily basis, without thinking much about it. However, with the proliferation of brands, base metals, interior coatings, exterior finishes, and claims made by various manufacturers, a consumer shopping for new cookware can easily become very confused in their shopping experience. Often salespeople in retail stores are not conversant with the different properties of various metals and other materials used in cookware, and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

This information is intended to explain the differences in today’s products in a simple manner, and to serve as a general background for those who are interested in some of the technical aspects of cookware construction and manufacturing. This information may be helpful in your final purchase decision.

Coatings used in the cookware industry are made from either a silicone base or a fluorocarbon (P.T.F.E.) base. Fluorocarbon coatings are applied in a 2 or 3 coat process, consisting of 1 or 2 layers of the non-stick material, plus a “sealer” or topcoat. This is the process generally used on interior coating. Exterior coatings are usually use a 1 coat silicone based process, since fluorocarbons have a drawback…if accidentally overheated, the fumes will kill household birds.

The main differences in different quality levels are in the formulas of the liquid coating, the number of layers of coating, and the thickness of each layer.

A reinforced coating is one that utilizes the application of stainless steel particles in a molten state to the surface of the pan prior to coating with the nonstick material. This technology was pioneered, developed, and refined by Whitford Corporation. The reinforced “Excalibur” coating system is the result of twenty years of research and development that required constant trial and error, which led to small but important changes in the basic concept of a reinforced nonstick until the ideal was finally achieved.

These are the basic differences between Excalibur and other “reinforced” nonsticks:

Bodum Santos Vacuum Coffee Maker

The Bodum Santos is a stovetop vacuum coffee maker.  Bodum is a company from Denmark is popular manufacturer of non-automatic coffee makers imported here to the US, mostly noted for its French press coffee makers.  The Bodum Santos is probably the most well known and widely used vacuum coffee maker, at least in the states.  The Santos is what I consider to be one of the easiest and quickest to use.  The Santos has a permanent plastic filter that’s easy to clean.  I consider it a more utilitarian vacuum coffee maker and is the one that I use almost every morning for my coffee before work.  As a side note, The Santos electric vacuum coffee maker can still be found at second hand stores or eBay on occasion, but is no longer being produced by Bodum.  Price of the Bodum Santos Vacuum Coffee Maker is approx. $85.  For ordering info please visit Bodum Santos Vacuum Coffee Maker

Yama Vacuum Table Top Vacuum Coffee Maker

The Yama vacuum coffee maker is imported from Japan where they seem to be more commonly called siphon coffee makers.  The Yama has a beautiful design and because it almost looks like a chemistry set is a favorite to use with dinner guests.  Because the Yama sits on a table and uses an alcohol burner it is a little less convenient than the Bodum Santos.  With its open flame, your boss probably isn’t going to allow this in the office, that is unless you work at a fire station.  The alcohol flame takes a good while to heat the water, I find it useful to preheat the water on the stove if I’m in a hurry, then use the flame from that point to finish the brewing.  An upgrade would be to purchase an adjustable butane burner.  Butane burners heat the water FAST.  One of the big advantages the Yama has over the Cona is that it’s very affordable in comparison.  In fact, the Yama is even less expensive than the Bodum Santos, which is one reason for its popularity.  Price is approx. $65.  For ordering info please visit Yama Vacuum Coffee Maker

1. Silverware

Always store silver cutlery in a box or a drawer, covered with a cloth.

Rinse off silver cutlery soon after use to prevent staining.

Use a soft cloth to polish the silverware. Don’t leave silver-plated cutlery for too long in cleaning solution. Always use a diluted dishwashing solution to wash silverware.

2. Porcelain, Bone China and Ceramic

Always wash them with a light detergent.

Never place them in a microwave for heating if they have a metallic (silver or gold) plated design/coating on them. In general too, such wares are best not used in the microwave.

Avoid exposing them to extreme hot and cold temperatures.

3. Stainless Steel Cutlery

Stainless steel is usually highly resistant to corrosion, rust and stains. So, always keep them clean and in a dry place.

Avoid direct heat/flame on any stainless steel product.

Never dip/use them with vinegar for too long. The salts present in the vinegar cause discoloration.

Always use a dishwashing solution to clean stainless steel cutlery.

4. Copper Vessels

Copper is a good conductor of heat. Copper vessels heat up and cool down very quickly. So, always use low flame and never keep empty copper vessels over a flame.

Preferably use copper vessels with a stainless steel/silver coating.

Wash the vessel while it’s still warm, using a dishwashing detergent and soft scrubber. Never use steel wool or strong detergents and never scrub the vessel harshly.

5. Non-stick Cookware

Always use a non-stick cookware on low flame.

Always use wooden ladles while cooking in a non-stick pan.

Wash such utensils with a liquid detergent soap and a soft scrubber.

6. Woodenware

At times, oil and food residue on wooden ladles can attract ants. Soak wooden ladles for about 10 minutes in hot water to remove all residues. Wash with a good detergent and dry immediately.

QUICK TIPS TO CLEAN YOUR KITCHEN

Here are a few tips you can use to maintain a clean kitchen space without exerting too much effort.

To keep steel wool pads from rusting, store them in a sealed plastic bag in      the freezer after using. Run them under hot water the next time you have to  use it. The pads will wear out before they ever rust.

To easily remove food from the bottom of a pan, cover it in water and add a    drop or two of liquid detergent to it. Bring to a boil. This will make cleaning burnt food on utensils easy.

If food boils over in the oven, sprinkle the burnt surface with a little      salt. This will stop smoke and odour and make the spot easier to clean. You can use a metal spatula to rub off the spills. Use a damp sponge to clean          off.

To remove the odour of garlic from hands, wet hands with water and then rub  them with a spoonful of salt and rinse. Repeat, if needed.

When stacking non-stick pans in kitchen cabinets, place a paper plate between the pans. This will prevent the pans from getting scratched, thus prolonging their life.

Never put a cover on anything that is cooked in milk, unless you want to spend time cleaning up the stove when it boils over!

After chopping garlic or onions, rub a freshly cut lemon over both the knife      blade and the cutting board to help remove the garlic scent.

To safely clean coffee makers, enameled cast-iron pots and similar equipment, put 1-2 teaspoons of baking soda in the pot and pour boiling water over it.

To easily clean your blender, fill the blender container with warm water, add a few drops of liquid detergent, blend for 30 seconds and rinse well.

To deodorize plastic storage containers in which onions or garlic were stored, wash thoroughly, then stuff a crumpled piece of newspaper in the container and snap the lid shut. The smell will disappear in a few days..

A butcher’s trolley is truly one of the most versatile items of furniture a kitchen and home can have. There are a multitude of different uses and functions such an item can perform whilst also bringing grace and aesthetic charm to the setting in which it is located. In fact, it’s one of my favourite items of furniture. The butcher block cart as it’s sometimes known as can be utilised as a cutting board, a storage feature, a service trolley, an extra table or even as a side table where drinks and accessories can be kept.

The Eddingtons Lambourne butcher’s trolley as shown here is made from solid beech wood which has a delightful appearance and is very strong. Three drawers for utensils hide beneath the trolley’s top whilst below two shelves, one solid, the other slatted, provide space for storing rattan baskets, appliances, cookware or food stuffs whilst food preparation or service is taking place. Heavy duty and lockable casters make from butcher’s trolley manoeuvrable and easy to position where desired.

If so, we have some suggestions for you from the Kitchen Cutting Board!

Picture Cutting Boards

Did you know that you can have a picture embedded into a kitchen cutting board?  Above is an example of one that is made of glass…so it really should not be used as a cutting board, but can be used for cutting cheese, preparing sandwiches or even as a serving tray for guests.  Again, as mentioned in a previous article glass is too hard to be used on your cutting knives as they can quickly dull or even chip them.  

Engraved Cutting Boards

Another idea is to have your loved ones favourite motto or saying engraved onto the board.  Below is an example of a bamboo cutting board that has been engraved.  These can be a great birthday or Christmas gift….as Christmas is quickly approaching!

Design Cutting Boards

You can also have a design cut into a quality cutting board that you know the user will love.  Here is an example of a Mickey Mouse bamboo cutting board.  If your loved one has an affinity to Mickey…this just may be the board for them.

Feel free to look up the web for more kitchen cutting board ideas for someone you know will not only appreciate it…but will be able to use it year round.  Happy Shopping!

When flat on your kitchen counter, these boards act like any other plastic or flexible cutting board.  However, when you lift these Chop2Pot boards by the handle, the sides fold over creating a type of funnel to allow your chopped or cut food to be easily transferred to a bowl or pot (see the above picture).  Now you don’t have all the mess of regular cutting boards in trying to keep the food from falling on the counter, stove or floor.

Also, like other plastic or flexible cutting boards, they are dish washer safe and if you need to use a stronger cleanser you can mix one part bleach to 20 parts water to give them a really good soaking and cleaning.  Over time however, you will have to replace them as severe or very deep cuts will allow bacteria to accumulate and grow…but since they are not as expensive as your typical wood or bamboo boards, they can be easily disposed of without too much regret or expense.

Another great tip with a flexible or these Chop2Pot cutting boards is using them to add ice to pitchers.  You can easily turn your ice tray upside down on this board, grab the handle and slide the ice cubes down the chute into your pitcher or serving bowl.

Now that you know all you need to with the Chop2Pot flexible cutting board, look on the web for where you can locate yours today.  Happy shopping!  :)

How could you not love this bakeware set. The wonderful colors available look great in the kitchen or on the dining room table. Perfect all around sizes for baking most anything from cakes, pies or a great casserole.

The one quart is just right for desserts and side dishes or a small meal and the one and a half quart takes care of a roast, baked chicken or larger side dish. I am sure you will find dozens of uses for this set as I have.

The well designed handles make for easy removal from a hot oven and moving to the table. I really love the idea of dual use bakeware sets. Less pans means less cleaning and these dishes are a snap to clean.

If you have not tried Rachael Ray Stoneware you are in for a treat. Quality made, even baking, beautiful to look at ,what’s not to like