The Butler did it helped prepare dinner, that is
We welcomed the new butler into our kitchen to help prepare dinner. The butler’s arm seemed to be stuck, but we were able to force it into position. Then the butler slipped and knocked a bowl onto the floor. We swore some, but the butler was stoic. After a bit of practice, we got used to our butler, and began to like having one. It’s especially useful to have a butler if you need to peel a lot of shrimp. You too can have a butler for under $40. Why so affordable? Because this butler is made of plastic and won’t overreact, no matter how frustrated you get with it. Its sharp blade loosens the shell, and deveins and splits small to extra-large shrimp in one swift turn of its arm. It took us about five shrimp to get the hang of it, but if you’re cooking a pound or more, the Shrimp Butler is worth it. The product was invented in 1992 by Douglas Shelton, who built a family business from his invention. But Shelton died in March, so his daughter, Carol Aymar, runs the company now, and is fighting Chinese-made knockoffs. The Shrimp Butler is made in the USA, and is available for $29.95 from shrimpbutler.com and cooking.com, or by calling the company at 866-837-2821. The Peppercorn in Boulder carries the Shrimp Butler for $49.
– Kristen Browning-Blas
Have a craving for licorice ice cream? Go straight to the Source
There’s hardly anything anymore that can’t be ordered via bits and bytes. Take IceCreamSource .com, more than an online retailer of gourmet frozen treats. “We’re really in the gift business,” says Steve Sauter, who owns the website. “Seventy percent of sales at IceCreamSource.com are gifts.” He has taken advantage of his Wisconsin location to build relationships with local small- batch dairies. As a result, the company offers hard-to-find products such as gourmet ice cream, gelato, custard, sherbet and sorbet. Some of the company’s most popular items are flavors that are no longer mass-produced, such as Blue Moon and Black Licorice. Their list also includes Ben & Jerry’s, Dr. Bob’s, Cedar Crest, Chocolate Shoppe, Hansen’s Dairy, Michael’s Frozen Custard and Chicago’s famous Oberweis. Several products are kosher and pareve certified.
– Ellen Sweets
