Yo-Kai Express introduces Takumi, a smart home cooking appliance - TechCrunch

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Yo-Kai Express introduces Takumi, a smart home cooking appliance - TechCrunch

Yo-Kai Express introduces Takumi, a smart home cooking appliance - TechCrunch

Posted: 12 Jan 2021 08:45 PM PST

Yo-Kai Express is known for autonomous restaurant technology for venues like office campuses, malls and hotels. As people continue staying home because of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the company is introducing a smart home cooking appliance with multiple functions. Called Takumi, it includes a coffee maker, high induction cooktop and a steamer for sanitizing utensils and baby bottles. Takumi is connected by RFID to an app with preprogrammed recipes, which also sends alert when its water container is running low.

The company is currently presenting Takumi at CES' Taiwan Tech Arena.

Yo-Kai Express' smart home cooking appliance Takumi

Yo-Kai Express' smart home cooking appliance Takumi

If you live in the Bay Area, you might have seen Yo-Kai Express's Octo-Chef, a vending machine that serves hot noodle dishes (ramen, udon and pho), in venues like the San Francisco International Airport, the Metreon mall in San Francisco and corporate campuses. But the company is adapting as people stay home. In April, it launched a home meal kit delivery service that is now available in all states.

Created for people who want a home-cooked meal but are short on time (and space), the Takumi's pre-programmed recipes have cooking times of just two to eight minutes. Yo-Kai Express is known for noodle dishes, but the Takumi's menu will also include rice bowls, dim sum, dumplings and pasta.

A Cooking Class You Can Do in PJs - Milwaukee Magazine

Posted: 12 Jan 2021 10:52 AM PST

I've donned an apron, a sign that things are getting serious. 

A sheet of plastic wrap covers a couple of chicken breasts laid out on a sheet pan. I pound the meat into ½-inch cutlets. I pulse sliced bread and Parmesan cheese in my food processor to make crumbs. I run through the steps of flouring, dipping and coating and am just about ready to cook my chicken Milanese in oil in a heavy-bottom skillet on my stove. But  first, I turn back to my laptop on the counter, cued up to America's Test Kitchen's cooking school, to make sure I haven't missed anything. 

Virtual cooking classes are convenient, and after adjusting to not being in a classroom and able to raise my hand to ask questions, I find I actually like it. Unlike a live class, you can watch a virtual one again and again – eliminating the fear of missing something. I signed up for a free two-week trial of ATK's "school." I'll be billed $19.95 per month if I decide to stick with it. Just a few minutes into a class – one of 344 on their site – I see the main advantage: The classes are technique-driven. The instructor zeroes in on each step – for example, the exact way to dip your cutlet in flour and pat each side so there isn't excess flour and you avoid gummy breading. 

— Sponsored Video —

You can search by recipe type, ingredients and level of difficulty. Lessons focus on a specific recipe, like pepper-crusted beef tenderloin, or a broader theme, like classic sauces or cooking in cast iron. 

For my chicken Milanese, I switch from watching in video mode to studying each step by photo, mostly because I've watched the video a few times through before starting my recipe and while the instructor is knowledgeable and thorough, she's a dud in terms of personality. The site also includes ATK's extensive reviews of kitchen tools used in the recipes, a gallery to post photos of your dish and a self-evaluation quiz to gauge your success. If you upgrade to "instructor access" ($39.95 per month), you can email a photo of your final dish to the instructor for feedback. 

After cooking my chicken cutlets to a deep golden brown on each side, I drain them on paper towels and even though they are still hot, I can't hold back from cutting into one of the pieces and taking a bite. Crispy, juicy yumminess! 

One thing I miss about in-person classes is the ability to ask questions of the instructor in real time. But the fact that I can access this class whenever I want (at 9 p.m., in my PJs!) is a bonus. In the end, I decided not to spring for the paid membership, mostly because I wouldn't watch enough of the classes to make it worthwhile. I'm also old school in that I prefer to use cookbooks! But before my free trial expires, I am definitely making ATK's ultimate homemade ravioli.

Hone your skills with these local virtual classes. 

MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MARKET Jan. 14: Hearty Beef and Noodle Soup with Ranch Bread; Jan. 21: Adaptable Feast. 60- to 90-minute classes start at 5:30 p.m. $10 per class.  

SHULLY'S CUISINE & EVENTS Live cook-along format. Ingredients are included. Topics range from fresh pasta-making to winter comfort classics. Class length: 60-90 minutes. $30-$50 per class. 

VILLAGE CHEESE SHOP Jan. 13: A class about the important role women have played in crafting artisan cheese and wine (plus, a tasting). 60-minute classes start at 5 p.m. Cost: $35. 

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Weber acquires smart cooking startup June - TechCrunch

Posted: 12 Jan 2021 12:04 PM PST

Outdoor cooking industry leader and famed kettle-grill-maker Weber has acquired June, the smart cooking startup founded in 2013 by Matt Van Horn and Nikhil Bhogal. While financial terms of the deal weren't disclosed, Weber has confirmed that June will continue to operate as its own brand wholly owned by Weber-Stephen Products and will continue to both sell and develop the June Oven and related products. Meanwhile, June co-founder Nikhil Bhogal will take on a role as SVP of Technology and Connected Devices across the Weber lineup.

Weber had already teamed up with June, with the startup providing the technology and expertise behind its Weber Connect smart grilling platform. That includes both the Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub, which adds connected smart grill features to any grill, and the built-in smart cooking features on its SmokeFire line of wood pellet grills. That partnership began with a cold email Van Horn received in 2018 from then-Weber CEO and current Executive Chairman Jim Stephen, the son of the company's original founder.

"He said he was a fan, he was a customer, and he couldn't imagine a future without June technology powering every product in the Weber collection," Van Horn told me in an interview. "I said, 'Slow down — what are you talking about? Yeah, who are you?' And he said 'I'm flying out, I'll be there Monday.' " I normally have my nice demo setup that I do, I'll do like chocolate lava cake and a steak [in the June Oven]. So I got there about 15 minutes early to do that, and [Jim] was already sitting in the front steps of the office, ready to open the door for me — he's like, 'I don't need a demo, I own this.' "

"His energy and ability to see things often before other people, it blew my mind," Van Horn continued. "Soon after I met Chris [Scherzinger, Weber's current chief executive], who was joining as CEO and [I] was able to experience firsthand this, honestly very surprising and wonderful culture of this historic Weber brand."

As mentioned, June became a partner to Weber and powered the connected cooking platform it debuted at CES last year. Weber also led June's Series C funding round, a previously undisclosed final round of financing that Weber led in 2018 prior to this exit.

Van Horn will act as president of June under the terms of the new arrangement and will continue to lead development of its current and future products. He said that Weber's ability to help them with international scale and distribution via their existing global footprint was a big motivating factor in why June chose to join the now 63-year-old company. But another key ingredient was just how much Weber proved to be a place where the company's culture was still centered on customer focus and a love of food.

"Obviously why Nikhil and I started June was that we love food, and we love cooking," Van Horn said. "And a lot of the principles of how we think about how products get made are a lot of Apple's principles — a large percentage of the June team comes from Apple. We've obviously kind of brought that to a microscale with our small 60-person startup. But being able to work with this very eager Weber team, that's just been really exciting from the start and has been pretty incredible."

As for Weber, the company gains a software and technology team that was born out of the idea of approaching cooking from a tech-first perspective — and they intend to infuse that expertise throughout their product lineup, with an eye toward building on their legacy of quality and customer enthusiasm.

"Once you infuse the software engineering, the connected product design and the machine-intelligence expertise that you have, you get these core competencies or capabilities, but that really undersells it," Scherzinger told me. "Matt put together a team of superstars, and we just got a first-round draft pick [in June] that takes the Weber game to another level. That allows us to accelerate a significant number of initiatives, and you can expect to see an expansion of what Weber Connect can become in terms of new experiences for consumers, new services and new products, for sure, starting as early as 2021 and 2022."

While Weber and June are not sharing specifics around the deal, as mentioned, Scherzinger did mention that "Matt and his team and his investors all did handsomely." June's prior investors include Amazon Alexa Fund, Lerer Hippeau, First Round Capital, Promus Ventures, Industry Ventures, Eclipse Ventures and more.

Ten cooking tips for your new air fryer - Texarkana Gazette

Posted: 12 Jan 2021 03:09 PM PST

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The air fryer first debuted in 2010 for the fry-loving, small-kitchen-having European market. Its popularity continued to expand even into Christmas as they were popular holiday gifts. Let's explore what they are and how they work. Although we are told they are good for "fried" foods. They also have other uses.

An air fryer is a technological innovation on the way we cook and prepare foods in the kitchen. It is a machine that is said to fry delicious dishes without having to use cooking oil.

It works by cooking your food using super-heated air that it circulates within its chamber. A fan inside the air fryer helps circulate the hot air and help the air fryer create a reaction called the Maillard Effect.

The Maillard effect, named after the French chemist Louis-Camille Maillard, is chemical reaction characterized by the bonding of amino acids and reducing sugars. This chemical reaction is most notably known for how it gives browned food its unique taste and aroma.

The air fryers circulate air at high temperatures up to 400 degrees. Food comes out crispy on the outside while moist and tender on the inside. Air fryers provide a healthier alternative to conventional frying because they use very little or no oil during the cooking process. You can also grill, roast, and yes, even bake foods in it.

Air fried food has 75 percent less fat than traditional fried food, making it a healthier alternative, achieving that fried food taste without the health risks. They use less oil, electricity, and cook meals faster. As an added bonus, that fried cooking smell is reduced as well.

Food safety guidelines need to be considered when using these new appliances. Using a food thermometer is the only way to ensure safety of meat, poultry and egg products when air frying. Place the food thermometer in the thickest part of the food, making sure not to touch bone, fat, or gristle. You should follow the recommended internal temperatures according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

Here are 10 cooking tips for your air fryer. These will help you get great results from the foods you cook.

Smaller ingredients usually require a slightly shorter preparation time than larger ingredients.

For best results with smaller foods such as fries, onion rings and chicken nuggets, remove the fryer basket halfway through preparation time and shake to mix around the food in the basket. This will help to evenly fry the food being prepared.

Add some oil to fresh potatoes for a crispy result. Fry your ingredients in the air fryer within a few minutes after you added the oil. Do not fill basket with oil.

Do not prepare extremely greasy ingredients such as sausages in the air fryer.

Snacks that can be prepared in an oven can also be prepared in the air fryer.

For French fries, use 17 ounces of fries at a time for best frying results.

This air fryer is great for reheating food. To reheat your food, set the temperature control to 300 degrees and reheat to 165 degrees.

Overfilling the fryer basket will interfere with the browning process and foods will not cook evenly or reach the proper temperature.

Don't be afraid to open the basket to check the progress of your food.

Mix fine ingredients, such as salt and spices, in with oil to keep them from getting blown on the wall of the air fryer. Or add them after you spray oil on the food and before it gets absorbed.

Try this air fryer recipe from The Easy Air Fryer Cookbook. If you don't have an air fryer, you can cook in the oven at 350 degrees. You will need to adjust the cooking time for doneness and your food thermometer reaching 165 degrees.

Air Fryer Buttermilk Fried Chicken

1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk

tsp hot sauce

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (cut in half lengthwise to make 4 equal portions)

6 tbsp corn flakes

3 tbsp stone-ground cornmeal

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp paprika

tsp salt

tsp coarse-ground black pepper

nonstick cooking spray

In a small bowl, stir together buttermilk and hot sauce. Place chicken in the buttermilk mixture. Allow to stand 15 minutes.

Place the cornflakes into the bowl of a food processor. Process until coarse crumbs form. Add the cornmeal, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper and pulse until evenly mixed. Pour the crumbs into a shallow bowl. (No food processor? Crush the cornflakes in a plastic bag with a rolling pin.)

Drain the chicken, allowing the excess buttermilk to drip back into bowl. Coat the chicken pieces evenly in the cornflake mixture. Place the coated chicken pieces on a wire rack.

Place the chicken in the air fryer basket. Spray with nonstick cooking spray for 2 seconds (do not crowd the chicken; cook in batches if all the chicken doesn't fit). Set the temperature to 375F and air fry for 7 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces. Air fry for an additional 710 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest parts registers 165 degrees.

Nutrition Facts: 4 Servings, Serving Size 1 (4 oz) piece of chicken, Amount per serving: Calories 160, Total Fat 3.5g, Cholesterol 65mg, Sodium 190mg, Total Carbohydrate 7g, Dietary Fiber 1g, Protein 24g, Potassium 230mg.

For more information, contact the Miller County Extension Office, 870-779-3609. We're online at [email protected], on Facebook and Twitter @MillerCountyFCS or on the web at uaex.edu/Miller.

Carla Due is a county extension agent-staff chair with the Miller County Extension Service, part of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.


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