Dacor's Voice Activation Oven App

I’ve written about Dacor’s Discovery iQ line before and received great response. Now instead of a new appliance, Dacor is showcasing a new remote App update designed to add voice activation either in person when the cook’s hands are otherwise occupied or via phone for the on-the-go chef.

The iQ Controller and iQ Remote app, which works with both Android and iOS, allows you have the oven preheated and ready for use as soon as you get home via a simple voice command from your car over Bluetooth.

“The modern home chef values the convenience that connected kitchen appliances provide, which is why we strive to offer smart features like Voice Activation and ongoing software upgrades that will actually improve the overall cooking experience.” – Chuck Huebner, Dacor CEO

Dacor’s 48-inch Discovery iQ range will retail for $12,000, with a 36-inch model priced at $9,000. No pricing information was available for the Discovery iQ wall ovens.

A featured call the Discovery iQ™ Recipe Box allows users to easily store recipes found online directly to the smart range and ovens. The Dacor cooking guide is intuitive and eliminates the guess-work a chef might have trying a new food or recipe.

About Dacor:

American made, family-owned Dacor has been designing and manufacturing luxury kitchen appliances for three generations. Dacor provides a full line of innovative products designed to appeal to a broad segment of the luxury kitchen appliance market. Dacor is proud of their products and innovations, but places the most emphasis on their company value, which is the foundation of Mike Joseph’s leadership – To honor God in all that we do by respecting others, by doing good work, by helping others, by forgiving others, by giving thanks, by celebrating our lives.

February 18, 2015

6 Beautiful Kitchens with Fire Elements

I can’t really complain about the weather here in South Florida when I look at the rest of the country. I certainly don’t miss those days I had to shovel my car out of a pile of snow left from the snow plow. I do miss an evening spent by the fireplace so today’s post is a curated collection of beautiful kitchens with fireplaces as integral elements. I hope if you are stuck at home this will help you pass some time and provide some inspiration.

This might be one the best executed kitchen fireplaces I’ve come across in a long time.

The tile room divider is more interesting with the linear fire. Of course, safety first when planning a fire element on a counter surface in a working kitchen.

This fireplace in the kitchen creates a deliciously rich and romantic ambiance, filling the space with instant warmth and character.

This low fire element will add warmth and a delightful crackle to the ears. It will be more enjoyable to the guests than the chef but it’s a great example for an open plan house. I think this could also provide inspiration for an outdoor kitchen design.

From low to the ground to an elevated hearth with a linear burner., this fire element adds drama and can be enjoyed from every vantage point. Hopefully there is a large pantry nearby.

The large stone fireplace is balanced nicely by the large open windows. This fireplace could have felt too heavy for the room if the natural light wasn’t present from the windows and the skylight.

February 15, 2015February 4, 2018

Pizza Perfection

pizza recipe with pancetta and baby arugula.

After years of popular demand, Kalamazoo created a built-in version of its famous pizza oven for people who want an oven installed into a wall or masonry structure and not sitting on a countertop.

Like the traditional wood-fired pizza ovens, the built-in Artisan Fire Pizza Oven is stone-lined. Pizzas cook directly on a hollow-core baking deck. Its honeycombed interior is designed to rapidly change temperature. A ceiling stone radiates heat down to quickly brown toppings.

The Artisan Fire Pizza Oven uses propane or natural gas and heats up in about 20 minutes. It is capable of the high heat needed for making delicious pizza, reaching temperatures of 800 degrees Fahrenheit via two independent burners.

Of course, the outdoor oven can be used to make other dishes such as roasting meats, fish and vegetables. Simply use cast iron fajita pans right on the baking deck. Kalamazoo’s Asparagus Wraps with Crispy Prosciutto and Herbed Cheese seems to be a very popular recipe for pizza oven owners.

Priced at $8,295, the oven will surely be the center point of your Outdoor Entertaining. The Oven can be specified for either natural gas or liquid propane, and is made by hand in Kalamazoo, Michigan, of stainless steel.

Kalamazoo has a terrific newsletter filled with great recipes that I personally enjoy. Try this incredible recipe with pancetta and baby arugula.

Rustic Pizza with Baby Arugula, Pancetta and Tomatoes

Course: Recipe
Season: Summer
Difficulty: easy
Season: Summer
Difficulty: easy

After years of popular demand, Kalamazoo created a built-in version of its famous pizza oven for people who want an oven installed into a wall or masonry structure and not sitting on a countertop.

Ingredients

1/2 batch White Wine Pizza Dough, about 14 ounces
2 oz pancetta, chopped and cooked until crisp
1 cup shredded fontina cheese
1 cup baby arugula leaves
cup halved sweet grape tomatoes

Cooking: 30 min
Ready in: 30 min

Instructions

Prepare the pizza oven or grill for baking pizza at 500°F Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the dough. Add the arugula, then the tomatoes, and then sprinkle the pancetta over the top.
Transfer to the preheated pizza stone and bake for about 10 minutes until the crust is crisp and the cheese is browning.

February 11, 2015

How to Make a Romantic Bath

Foaming bath salts made with Dead Sea Salt give a luxurious, pampering, and skin loving bath! To make your own for yourself or to give as a gift, I’ve included a recipe from The Rustic Essentials Crafting Library.

Items Needed:

1/2 cup Liquid Glycerin Soap Base
2 Tbsp. light oil ( Sweet Almond Oil or Grapeseed Oil)
Gel Soap Colorant (a few drops)
6 cups coarse grain Dead Sea Salts
1/4 ounce (approx. 2 teaspoons) of body safe Fragrance Oil

Directions:

Mix Liquid Glycerin Soap, carrier oil, body safe fragrance oil, and coloring. (If you’re using a teaspoon to measure fragrance oil, be sure to use metal rather than plastic.) Pour over Dead Sea Salts. Stir continuously until salt crystals are evenly coated. Thinly spread the salts on a cookie sheet. Cover with wax paper and air dry for 24 hours.

Store in a glass container with a lid. If you are gifting, you might want to include in ingredient label.

If you are feeling less ambitious, this second recipe uses easier to find ingredients.

Ingredients:

6 Cups Kosher or Epsom Salt
¾ Cup Lavender Scented Body Wash
1 tbsp Olive, Coconut, or Sweet Almond Oil
2-3 Drops Lavender Essential Oil (Optional)
Purple Food Coloring (Optional)

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine salt and body wash, and mix until well combined.
Add in your oil, essential oil and food coloring and mix well.
On a lined baking sheet, spread the salt mixture out into a thin layer. Allow to dry for 24 hours.
Once dry, break up any large clumps, and spoon into a glass jar with a lid.

Add a Wood Bath Caddy/Tray and some votive candles and you have a nice gift for that special someone.

Author: Ann Porter

Dacor's Voice Activation Oven App

“The modern home chef values the convenience that connected kitchen appliances provide, which is why we strive to offer smart features like Voice Activation and ongoing software upgrades that will actually improve the overall cooking experience.” – Chuck Huebner, Dacor CEO

About Dacor:

6 Beautiful Kitchens with Fire Elements

Pizza Perfection

Rustic Pizza with Baby Arugula, Pancetta and Tomatoes

Ingredients

Instructions

How to Make a Romantic Bath

Items Needed:

Directions:

Ingredients:

Directions:

Wishing You a Happy Valentine’s Day! xoxo-Ann