Friday, August 17, 2012

WON - BEST NEW GIFT AWARD


SCANTRADE - is pleased to announce that they won for best new gift award in the kitchen and tabletop category for corkcicle 2012.



To place an order please contact your local sales representative OR head office for more information
1(800)-387-1282

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Soapstone Griddle - HEALTH BENEFITS

Soapstone Griddle

Sparq’s founders LOVE to grill, and you can imagine our dismay when discovered that grilling over an open flame carries HUGE risks of cancer.
There is staggering research that finds; Grilling meat directly over an open flame can increase your risk of CANCER by 50% – 70%.
We love grilling too much AND our health too much to accept this type of risk. Enter Soapstone Griddle, over the last 3 years we did our homework and came up with a product that would afford us the best of both worlds, our health and our grill.
Grilling Meat | Cancer Risk | Soapstone GriddleDid you know the lifestyle factors of diet and tobacco-use together account for approximately 70% of all human cancer, with diet by itself accounting for 35%-45% of human cancer (Goodherham et al., 1996)?
In other words, approximately 80,000 per one million people are estimated to get cancer from diet related causes.



Points we found in our research to reduce the risk of cancer from grilled foods;
  1. The American Cancer Society recommends to avoid fat dripping onto the hot coals or open flame which causes smoke and flare-ups that can contain carcinogens.1
  2. 2.The National Cancer Institute recommends avoiding direct exposure of meat to an open flame or a hot metal surface which causes charring and carcinogen mutation.2
  3. 3.The NCI also recommends avoiding prolonged cooking of meat at high temperatures (over 300ºF).3
  4. 4.Research published by MSNBC and other science journals recommend using a homemade marinade (avoid thick commercially available marinades).4
Features we built into our Soapstone Griddle;
  1. Using a Griddle will remove your meat from an open flame or a hot metal surface (As recommended by the National Cancer Institute).
  2. Using our Soapstone Griddle will prevent flare-ups from dripping fat (As recommended by the American Cancer Society).
  3. Soapstone’s temperature qualities allow you to cook at lower temperatures and achieve the same results in the same amount of time (As recommended by the National Cancer Institute).
  4. Our Soapstone Griddle’s groove design will naturally self-baste creating a moist, organic marinade while melting away unwanted fat (As recommended by science journals and reported by major news outlets).


 All recipes have been taken from: SPARQ's Website on:
http://www.sparqusa.com/category/griddle-recipes/

 Thai-Glazed Fruit + Vegetable Grill (serves 4)
1 large mango, peeled, seeded + cut into 8 chunks
1 pineapple, peeled, cored + cut into 16 pieces
1 red onion, cut into 8 chunks
2 small zucchini, cut into 8 slices
2 limes, cut into 8 slices
8 shitaki mushrooms, stems removed
1 red bell pepper, seeded + cut into 8 pieces
4 Serrano chiles, halved
8 long metal or bamboo skewers (remember to pre-soak the wood skewers for at least 30 minutes)

Thread skewers with the fruit and vegetables. Place in a large casserole dish and brush generously with barbecue sauce. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Place skewers on a preheated stove top griddle and cook, turning occasionally and basting with barbeque sauce. You want the fruit and vegetables slightly tender and lightly charred for best flavor.


Thai Barbecue Sauce

1/3 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup tomato puree
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 piece fresh ginger (about 1”), peeled + coarsely chopped
1 whole lime, ends discarded and rest of lime (including peel) coarsely chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, finely sliced
2 large cloves garlic
3 Tablespoons coconut oil
1-2 bird’s eye chiles (or other chile 50,000-100,000 Scoville heat units)

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Portobello Stacks + Asparagus Grill (serves 4)




Soapstone Griddle Indoor Electric Cooktop Mushroom
Soapstone Griddle Indoor Electric Cooktop Mushroom

This is a nice combo that is quick + easy served with a side salad! Substitute long, slender green beans for the asparagus and serve with mashed potatoes for a heartier meal!

Portobello Stacks
4 large Portobello mushroom caps, stems removed
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 Tablespoons virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons Balsamic vinegar
4 thin slices red onion
4 thick slices tomato
1 handful fresh basil, chopped
Salt + pepper

Place mushroom caps on a plate stem side up. Spread chopped garlic evenly over the mushroom caps. Pour a tablespoon of oil and a teaspoon of vinegar evenly over each mushroom cap. Place a slice of onion on each mushroom cap then top off with a slice of tomato. Sprinkle the tomato toppers with basil, salt + pepper.

Cook Portobello Stacks on a preheated stove top griddle without turning for 10-15 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.

Asparagus
2 pounds asparagus, trim ends
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt + pepper

Coat preheated stove top griddle with olive oil. Grill asparagus until crispy tender (about 5 minutes depending upon thickness). Toss in a dish with lemon juice and season with salt + pepper.

Crabby Patty Cakes (serves 4)





Soapstone Griddle Indoor Electric Cooktop Vegetarian Crab Cakes or Veggie Burger
Soapstone Griddle Indoor Electric Cooktop Vegetarian Crab Cakes or Veggie Burger



This is a vegan recipe I developed as an alternative to Crab Cakes! If you are vegetarian you can substitute an egg for the flax seed meal/water mixture in the main recipe and use mayonnaise instead of a non-dairy/egg free replacement like Vegenaise (my personal favorite) as a base for the Tartar Sauce.

2 1/2 cups grated daikon radish
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, deseeded + minced
1/2 red onion, minced
½ sweet red pepper, minced
½ bunch parsley, finely chopped
3 Tablespoons flax seed meal mixed with 1/3 cup water, let sit for 10 minutes
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dulce flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
Coconut oil for grilling

Place the daikon radish in a large bowl with the salt and cover with water. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain the daikon radish and stir in garlic, jalapeno, onion, sweet pepper, parsley, flax seed mixture, breadcrumbs, pepper, dulce flakes and paprika. Mix well. Form into 8 small round patties.

Coat flat griddle with oil and preheat over medium heat. Grill patties until firm and nicely brown, 3-5 min per side. Serve with tartar sauce as a condiment. Some sides that go well with this are corn-on-the-cob (yummy with salt, pepper + fresh squeezed lime juice) and cole slaw!


Tartar Sauce

1 cup Vegenaise
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup onion, minced
¼ cup capers OR 1 Tablespoon minced spicy dill pickles

Put ingredients into a jar with tight fitting lid and shake until well mixed.

Soapstone Griddle Indoor/Outdoor Griddle/Grill Combo

Soapstone Griddle Indoor/Outdoor Griddle/Grill Combo

SPARQing Cooking Perfection and a Healthy Lifstyle


Until now, sacrificing great flavor for something more nutritious has been the normal route for people seeking a fit lifestyle. Every day we see news articles about some new vitamin supplement and the dangers associated with cooked foods. Imagine a product that could afford you and your family better tasting food all the while providing a safer, more nutrient-rich way to cook. The answer is found within the new SPARQ Soapstone Griddle, a natural, non-stick, energy-saving way to a better tasting life.

If you have never experienced what griddle cooking has to offer, then let this Soapstone griddle show you the way. Unlike a gas griddle or an electric griddle, this stone griddle absorbs energy and distributes it evenly in the form heat, allowing you to shut off your grill early to save energy while the soapstone delivers a sustained base of heat. The fact that this griddle is made from soapstone, means it is naturally non-stick and does not harbor bacteria, leaving germs and grime no place to grab. Say goodbye to dangerous carcinogens from the flame as you grill, since this new cooking plate provides a barrier between the flame and your food.

The open flame from a grill can dry out and burn the nutrients out of your food. Having this soapstone flame barrier to soften the cooking process is a great way of allowing the flavors of whatever you are cooking to bloom into a culinary masterpiece without being disturbed. The stone can also be used to sear those perfect diamond patterns onto steak, usually only possible with expensive commercial griddles. On the contrary, it can also be used at lower heat, affording it to be gentle enough to cook a turkey or fish burger without turning it into a hockey puck.

Soapstone Griddle Indoor Electric Cooktop Curry
Soapstone Griddle Indoor Electric Cooktop Curry
The uses for this soapstone cooking griddle are endless. Soapstone cookware has been around for centuries and is highly prized across the world for its multitude of abilities. You don’t need to be picky about how you use it, just brush it first with any type of cooking oil, heat and add whatever food you like. It can be used for almost any type of cooking all at one sustained temperature, eliminating hot spots from your grill;
  • grill fruits
  • vegetables
  • seafood
  • meat

You can flip it over to the smooth side and use it as a pizza stone or pancake griddle. As a side note, you can fit most frozen pizzas on this griddle and it virtually ensures a crispy crust. Both sides are equipped with small, carved troughs that collect excess fat (so you don’t have to) purged by the cooking process.

The trough feature on both sides makes this a great solution for use indoors. Just place either side face up on your gas or electric cook-top, fire up the burners and enjoy the experience of grilling indoors.
  • This is perfect for a grill alternative for people who are living in apartments and condos where you are not allowed to have a grill on your deck.
  • Also, if you are in the north you won’t have to worry when you need to grill steaks for a party and your grill is covered in snow.

To clean, just tip the griddle when you are finished, wipe it down or, if needed, give it a scrub with a wire brush and put it away.

The SPARQ soapstone griddle is also a great gift idea. They can be given to anyone that loves to BBQ and cook on the grill. The grill, unfortunately, is a dangerous place to cook food, and the griddle would be a great gift to the health conscious. Lastly, this would also be a great gift idea for someone who likes to conserve energy and save the planet. It is true that there are other griddles for sale, but this may be the only product that can deliver a healthier diet, while still achieving great taste at a higher efficiency.