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Heat Up Your Raclette Game with the Partygrill

By Sam Slaughter Jul 23, 2018 10:00 AM

Raclette Partygrill — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Raclette Partygrill — Image used with permission by copyright holder

We’ll get this out of the way, as you might have some questions. Raclette is both a) a type of cow’s milk cheese native to Switzerland that is primarily used for melting and b) the dish that comes from heating the cheese, scraping off the melted part, then eating it on its own or like a civilized person on a piece of bread, vegetables, or whatever else you want to put delicious melted cheese on. In the past, raclette was made by holding the cheese in front of a fire. Now, it is typically made on a tabletop electric grill.

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See? We’ve made it to the Partygrill. Basically, the Partygrill is your new favorite raclette maker.

Measuring about 2 feet long, the Partygrill comes with two cast aluminum reversible, non-stick plates (one side is smooth, the other is ribbed), and eight spatulas. You can fit around eight normal-sized burgers on the grill at a time (though in practice four is easier to flip and maintain).

To use the grill, simply let it heat up for about 10 minutes, then go to town. You want burgers and dogs and it’s raining outside? Done. You want to raclette the hell out of your apartment complex? Stop at your favorite cheese store and get ready to roll.

Raclette Partygrill — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Now, this isn’t the be-all, end-all for indoor grilling. Anything bigger than a burger will take a while to cook, somewhat defeating the point of the Partygrill. Instead, we had success with bite-sized items (beef tips, sausage coins, broccoli florets, etc) as they cooked in just a few minutes and we could rotate out on a consistent basis.

If you’re looking to do both meats and cheese, we suggest doing the meat first, then melting the cheese (remember, it’s a non-stick top, so it’ll slide right off). Our favorite combination? Cooking some bacon, then melting cheese, then pouring the cheese all over the bacon.

Partygrill — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Overindulgent? Yes. Totally awesome? You damn right.

Is the Partygrill going to replace your outdoor grill? Not in a million years, we won’t deny that. But would you really want five other people huddled around your grill, poking and prodding things while you’re trying to ensure the chicken wings cook to the right temperature? No. That’s your sacred domain and you should keep it sacred. Instead, move the friends inside and break out the Partygrill.

The Partygrill retails for $99.

Tom Brady-backed Hero launches low-carb pasta for National Pasta Month

Hero

October is National Pasta Month — and if you ask me, it’s not getting nearly enough hype. There’s never a bad time for pasta, but the high carbohydrate content can keep people running the other way. Luckily, Hero has us covered, bringing back pasta night with three new low-carb pasta shapes. Backed by celeb athletes like Tom Brady and Kevin Durant, the Hero Pasta collection now includes Elbow Macaroni, Penne and Mini Spirals. All three deliver the taste, texture, and bite of traditional pasta with a fraction of the carbs.

Every box of Hero Noodles has the same nutrition profile: 5g net carbs, 0g sugar, 32g fiber, 12g plant-based protein, and 80 calories per serving. With over 40,000 5-star reviews, Hero has shown that pasta lovers no longer have to settle for pea-based noodles, spaghetti squash, or cauliflower stand-ins. For someone like me who has followed a generally low-carb diet for years, innovations like Hero’s low-carb noodles are a true game changer (and make it possible to enjoy National Pasta Month just like everyone else).

Europe is slowly embracing wine in pouches instead of bottles. Is America next?

Medley Wine Co.

Boxed wine gets a bad rap because, well, it’s wine in a box. You’ve heard all the negative connotations by now: They’re cheap, unsophisticated, and downright boring. You walk into any party with boxed wine, and you’ll not only raise eyebrows, but also be persona non grata at the next shindig. I’ve personally never sipped wine from a box, though that has a lot to do with the fact that my introduction to wine happened when a date of mine from more than 20 years ago ordered a bottle of Château Ste. Michelle Riesling at a restaurant I frequented. The Riesling was sweet, crisp, and truly delicious for someone who runs on beer, tequila, rum, and whiskey. That bottle of Riesling, however, sparked curiosity: Buying a dozen red and white bottles of wine from my local shop in Pasadena, California. The bottles sat mostly on my wine rack collecting dust. I’d open one every few months when guests preferred something buttery or fruity over carbonated or oaky booze.

It wasn’t until my trip across Tuscany in April 2018 that I really learned to appreciate wine. After touring the tiny village, one wine came out on top, and it’s one I order every chance I get when dining out: Chianti Classico. But always make sure the bottle carries the black rooster symbol. The older I get, the more I appreciate a glass of wine. Heck, last summer while visiting Cuban Creations Cigar Bar in New Orleans, the lovely waitress recommended a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon for the Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva cigar I was about to light. It was a great recommendation.

Bowmore is bringing a new 20-year-old Islay single malt to the US

Whisky, Scotch, Bottle

Twenty years is a long time to wait for anything, let alone a whisky, but Bowmore is betting its newest release is one worth the delay.

The distillery, founded in 1779 in the town of Bowmore, is the oldest licensed distillery on Islay. It’s also the second-oldest in Scotland, and one of the few that still runs its own floor maltings, using peat smoke to dry the barley on-site.