These are absolutely the best anti-fatigue mat around.  They boast a 7 year warranty plus the following:

• Unmatched comfort
• Premium 3/4″ thick
• Edges will never curl
• No-trip 20° beveled edge
• Anti-microbial (by design)
• Puncture & heat resistant
• Stain & dirt resistant
• Easy to clean
• Safe & non-toxic (PVC-Free)

They feel heavenly on your legs after a long day of standing around. We can all attest to their fabulous performance as we have one behind the counter at each store.

They are available in 5 colours: black, grey, burgundy, brown and tan.

They are available in 3 motifs: Bella (as pictured above), Trellis (below left) and in just solid (bottom centre).

In the store – we carry the 3′x2′ size, but they can be ordered in a variety of shapes and sizes.

The 3′x2′ are $140 and are available in-store.

The 6′x2′ are $280 (approximately – depending on US exchange rates) and can be special ordered in.

Wellnessmats have just launched a new innovative product – mat covers that come in a multitude of designs and colours that fit snuggly over your mats – so you can dress ‘em up or dress ‘em down – depending on the season.

For the first 6 customers – we will be giving away a new mat cover – a gift with purchase to try out!

If you’ve been thinking about getting a new mat and are ready to splurge out on the best one out there – this is the best time to do it! Cbreeze

No more tears for me:)

Available in black, white and pink.

Cheers,

Cbreeze

Lampe Berger is the most amazing line in the store right now.  If you are looking for a unique and exquisite gift for someone who has everything – this is it.

• Kills 67% of Air-born bacteria  – which means these are positively fantastic for destroying the bacteria that is passed around during cold/flu season.  They are also useful to get rid of cooking, smoking and pet odours!
• Made by renowned designers
• Looks beautiful on a mantel piece as a piece of art/decor when not in use.
• Simple to use

Starter Sets are available from $40 which include a small bottle of neutral.

Cheers,

Cbreeze

And so they won the hearts of kitchen gadget lovers everywhere and lived happily ever after, wash after wash.

Cbreeze

The Mastrad Apple Cooker is a great new gadgety thing that we have in-store… I tried it out over the weekend and love it!

Simply core and cut your apples in half, sprinkle some lemon juice and a little bit of brown sugar on top, microwave for 2 minutes – and VOILA! you have a delicious cooked apple dessert… serve with vanilla ice cream and it is simply delicious:) Not a fan of the microwave? The two cookers are silicone and heat resistant up to 480 degrees F, it takes a bit longer, but warm up your oven and cook your apples in there.

Thanks to its ideal size, you can bake all types of fruits: apples, pears, peaches, berries. Whole or sliced, garnished or lightly sugared, fruits or vegetables – with the lid on – the food cooks in the steam issued from its own juice. As a result, it does not dry out and retains its flavour.

Each set includes: 2 Apple Cookers and 1 Corer. Dishwasher safe.

Although it comes with an apple corer, I don’t love it… I prefer to use the stronger, more practical apple corer from OXO Good Grips.

Happy Cooking,

Cbreeze

Cheers,

CBreeze

Pico De Gallo

We have been absolutely in love with this recipe and wanted to share how to make it. If you are looking for a great appetizer for a party… and you want something that is a little more home-made and special.. this is it!  Goes really well with Tostitos Round chips!

Recipe:

5 Roma Tomatoes

1/3 of an Onion

3-4 Cloves of Garlic

1 Bunch of Cilantro  (If you are like me and don’t like Cilantro… don’t worry, it is really good)

1 Tbsp of Lime Juice

1/5 Cup of White Vinegar

2/5 Cup of Olive Oil

1/2 Tbsp of Salt

1/2 Tbsp of Pepper

1/4 Cup Jalapenos (Optional – makes it SPICY)

Bag of Tostitos Round Chips

1. Roughly blend tomatoes in your Cuisinart hand blender attachment… so that they are chunks, not pureed. Set the tomatoes aside in a sieve to drain.

2. Puree the onion and garlic together in your Cuisinart hand blender attachment.

3. Puree the cilantro in your Cuisinart hand blender attachment.

4. Add all ingredients together in a bowl.

5. Eat… Enjoy!

So many to choose from let us help you find the perfect one!

From Left to Right:
Endurance silicone tipped tweezers: $18.00- Ideal for preparing stir-fry or saute.
Kuhn Rikon silicone tongs: $21.00 – Heat resistant silicone flex tongs for your non-stick cookware.
Zyliss cook n’ serve tongs: $28.00 -  Ideal for cooking stirring, serving. Safe for non-stick cookware.
Joesph elevate tongs: $26.00 – Unique design raises the head off of work surface. Heat resistant.
Danesco mini tongs stainless steel: $4.00 -  Perfect for appitizers
Good Grips stainless steel tongs: $21.00 – Ideal for grilling
Good Grips tongs: $18.00 – Everyday essential for anything and everything.
Chef’n barbecue tongs: $21.00 – For outdoor grilling. Tong edge securely lift, turn and serve food.
Silvermark grater tongs: $23.00 – Built in grater for garnishing salads pasta and more.
Good Grips silicone tongs: $23.00 – Great for flipping, turning and flexible for stirring.
Good Grips precision tongs: $13.00 – Perfect for pasta, green beans, and thinly sliced veg.

Chef ‘n has developed this super cute Stem Gem – Strawberry Stem remover which works really well getting those super annoying stems out of strawberries.

Although it came out last year, this is the first time we have featured them in the store because of their overwhelming popularity across Canada.

A great new little gadget which, if you love strawberries as much as me… is a super tool to add to your collection!

$10.00 Cdn

It is the handy-est cooking tool you’ll ever own… as I have done for the last year since I picked one up at the Calgary Stampede and just LOVED it.

It is great for turning, flipping and carrying food easily in the kitchen or on the grill.  We love using ours and have found that it saves always getting out your tongs, forks or spatulas and works more efficiently because of the dexterty it offers you when handling food.

Buy it for Dad, Hubby or brother – t’will not disappoint.

12″ – $13.00

19″ – $15.00

Set of 2 (1 of each size) – $25.00

Stains can be caused by prolonged contact with acidic foods or in geographic areas with a high chlorine or iron content tap water. They can also be caused  if you have a dish washer that doesn’t dry the flatware completely. You will see a brownish stain appear over time.

Solution: Baking Soda. Very simple. Just rub the baking soda on the flatware and rinse off. Should be like new again.

Solution number two: Clean with “Swiss Cleaner”. A product that you can buy in-store at our kitchen shop.

Remember that all flatware is “Stain-less” Steel and not “Stain-proof” Steel. The higher the grade of stainless steel, the less likely it will be to stain.

We’ve just received new COLOURFUL Bodum Electricals in-store and they look great! New coffee grinders, toasters, kettles, hand mixers, juicers and travel mugs and presses in red, orange and lime green.

A bright, cheerful pressie for mom… or a splash of colour for your own kitchen!

CBreeze

Easter Bunny Cake Pan
Price: $12.00
Stock#9179

Easter Candy Necklace Kit
Price: $6.00
Stock#19325

4-pc Easter Grippy Cookie Cutter Set
Price:  $7.00
Stock#9190

Pick up our new Kitchen Boutique Catalogue  in-store or simply check it out online.

SPRING INTO:

April Cornell Patterns:

Madeline Butter, Chardonnay Chocolate, and Rosehip Paisley Ecru

Come in soon for the best selection of our Spring Table Linens.  From April Cornell to Danica Now Designs, Mera and Texstyles Deco we have everything from cotton to polyester and from napkins, tablecloths and placemats to table runners.

We also have a number of really cute Easter table runners that are perfect for that special Sunday meal!

And who doesn’t want to kick winter in the pants by freshing up all of your old tea towels and dish cloths?  Check out our new spring selections!

Skiing on main street in Canmore on Saturday March 12, 2011.  Kitchen Boutique was on the tracks outside the store on main street treating all the children to a skiing cake walk. $2 donations were made towards the food bank for a ticket to enter the cake walk and then the children had a chance to win a cake to decorate. All participants received a delicious cupcake from our amazing bakeries Cake Creations and JK Bakery. Five hundred cupcakes in total were donated from the two bakeries and we made $980.00 in donations for the local food bank.

Thanks to all the participants donations (some made a lot more than the two dollars) and thank-you to our two wonderful bakeries for donating all the cupcakes.

We had many people say they had a great time playing the game and they loved the cupcakes!

A new tool from Chef ‘n is their Bananza Banana Slicer which we just recently got into the store.  I got to try it out at the CGTA gift show in Toronto and it works so well that I’m going to take one home for my kids. 

My daughter is in grade one now and has become quite independent in the kitchen with making her own breakfast and helping to make and pack her lunch.  To ensure that this habit continues… I’m going to take the bananza home to her and get her to try it out.  I think adding banana onto her cereal in the morning, or for putting in her lunch sliced up, will empower her to eat more bananas… the one thing that seems to come back at the end of the day:)

I won’t mention at this point how hilarious and slightly guillotine-esque this appears when you see it work from the side, but dispite looks, functions very well.  So other than function, it will make a great gag gift for any bachelorette party this summer!

$11.00 Cdn

Cheers,

Cbreeze

The Wild Hibiscus Flowers in syrup are a new product that just came into the store this week… just a little too late for Valentines Day, but I had to feature it as it is so cool!

You can use the Hibiscus flowers to garnish any appetizer or feature it with goat cheese as I did and it is so tasty!  It also goes really well in salads, desserts and most especially… in cocktails.  The recipe below features champagne and would make a nice Anniversary toast, a Honeymoon toast or a Wedding toast!

Available in a jar of 11 flowers for $12.00Cdn or 50 flowers for $48.00Cdn.

Cheers!

Wild Hibiscus Royale

This drink was first served at the legendary Dorchestor Hotel, London in 2006; a Swanky hang out for the rich & famous where it remains the most popular Champagne cocktail on the menu.

Wild Hibiscus Flower Garnish
¼ oz natural rose water
2/3 oz Wild Hibiscus Syrup
Mint
Champagne

Muddle mint in the champagne flute & discard (squash some leaves around inside the glass)
Place Wild Hibiscus Flower in bottom of glass & stand upright
Add rose water & some bruised torn mint pieces
Top with Champagne
Lastly, pour in the Hibiscus syrup which will graduate from crimson at the bottom to light pink at the top
Tip:pour syrup in first for a layered effect

The flower will sit in the bottom of the champagne flute and slowly open up over 3-4 minutes.
Decadent, divine & oh so classy, a new classic is born!

Kitchen Boutique’s Bunnette Astro Forecast 2011: Good taste and refinement will shine on all table tops and people will acknowledge that persuasion in eating is better than force. Diplomacy at dinner time will rein and conversation will be given a front seat again. We will cook with discretion and make reasonable substitutions without too much difficulty.
A time to watch out that we do not become overly indulgent (Dessert lovers pay attention). The influence of the Rabbit tends to spoil those who like too many comfort foods and thus impair their effectiveness on staying slim.

Recipes and rules of instructions will be lax and will not be rigidly enforced. Chefs this year don’t seem very inclined to bother with these unpleasant realities. They are busy enjoying themselves, entertaining others or simply taking it easy. The scene is quiet and calm, even deteriorating to the point of falling asleep on your cookbooks. We will all have a tendency to put off the washing up and clean-up tasks as long as possible.

Food can be made without too much labor. Our life style will be languid and leisurely as we allow ourselves the luxury kitchen equipment and essential gadgets we have always craved. A temperate year with an unhurried pace. For once, it may seem possible for us to be carefree in the kitchen and happy without too many hiccups on our cook tops.

Wow as I’m writing this blog post there is only two more sleeps until Christmas! This would be about the time my kids would want to go to bed and sleep early so it would be Christmas morning faster.

As all the staff here know Christmas is my favorite time of the year and I have been accused of maybe going just a tad bit overboard (Three Christmas trees etc)… really I don’t see whats wrong with that at all?  Well it’s good for the rest of you closet Mrs Claus’s out there because it all goes on SALE for the BOXING WEEK SALE!!!!! Yes,  all Christmas things (*with just a couple of exceptions) go on half price starting on Dec 27, 2010.  It’s never to early to start shopping for next year… you know Christmas is coming .

Christmas napkins will be buy one get one 50% off or buy 2 and get one free. We are also putting all our regular 50% clearance items on sale at 75% off.

Everyone here at Kitchen Boutique would truly like to wish you all a very Merry, warm and safe Christmas. But if by chance you didn’t get everything you needed or wanted for Christmas come on down, Because as much as I love Christmas, inventory in January it’s NOT my favorite time.

Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas Everyone!!