The problem many people have when trying to make their own margaritas is achieving the fine, smooth consistency that is well known in restaurants. With home made margaritas, I’ve come to expect an ice chip or two, and there is always a grainy texture that no blender can get rid of.

The Margaritaville Frozen Concoction Maker was designed to shave ice into powderlike flakes. Like the traditional blender, it has several different speeds you can use, which gives you the option of making your drink as coarse or as fine as you’d like. Its drainer will keep melted ice from mixing into your drinks and diluting the flavor.

The only drawbacks are the quantity of drinks you can make at a time and the price. You can make up to three drinks at a time, which is fine if you’re making frozen drinks for you and your kids. If you have a house full of guests, that could be a problem.

Then there is the price, which runs at $299. If you entertain often or make smoothies for your family on a daily basis, the Margaritaville is worth the investment. Consider this the Cadillac of blenders.

Swissmar’s Slicer Pro Mandeline lets you julienne, slice, dice, and shred many kinds of vegetables, including the hard to cut celery. The mandoline comes with three different inserts, equipped with German-made surgical blades that allow nine cuts. Make homemade french fries to go with your burger. Slice perfect, uniform avocado or egg slices for your salad. This gadget is perfect for the home gourmet.

My husband has used Springform pans for 10 years to bake his cheesecakes because of their strong base and durability. His cheesecakes have always cooked evenly, and he’s never had a problem with the cakes sticking to the sides of the pan.

These pans clean up very well, either by hand or the dishwasher. I’ve never had a problem with them warping after I’ve run them through the dishwasher. One thing I did notice is that the Teflon will flake off over time. If memory serves me correctly, we had our first set for five years before we had to replace them.