It is the middle of summer, and that means you are going to a back yard party, or you are throwing a party yourself. If you are bored with the same old ideas, or need a good hostess gift, look no further! I am the gadget queen! Forget about bringing another dessert, who has time or energy to bake? I know I hate to turn on the oven during these hot summer months. I also have no energy to walk around the stores looking for gifts, so the list below is all available online. Anyone can get a spatula, but take a look at these new and innovative gadgets I found. The following list has fun and different ideas, which makes them the perfect unique gift!

1. Grill charms from grillcharms.com

Grill charms are dime sized solid stainless steel charms, placed into the food BEFORE grilling. They are made to hold on tight, even with the sloppiest griller. This way everyone knows whose piece of steak is whose- if one person wants their beef rare and another person wants their steak well done. You can also use these items when cooking for someone with health issues, to determine if certain foods have an allergen in the recipe like peanuts or fish. I like it to distinguish my sweet ribs, from my husband’s hot and spicy ribs. This is a great gift for the king of the grill at your house! I think this would be a great Father’s Day gift, or a cute new “usable” gift for your groomsman for your wedding. Outdoor grilling is becoming more and more popular all year long. I always hear that men are so hard to shop for, well now you just found a great gift!
2. Wing dipper cups from wingdipper.com

I want to meet the guys who thought of this item, because I admire the fact that they saw a need and made it! Normally when you dip wings, you only get sauce on the bone part that you don’t even eat. This little black cup has 2 connected parts – a circular section and an oval section. The circular part is for the drumstick, while the oval section is for the flat part. These two shapes coat both parts of the wings with dressing. If you love wings, or if you know someone who does, what a cute specialty gift! I think this is great for the summer when you are making wings on the grill, but this is also good for those Sunday “Game Day” parties!
3. The Pizza Pro from www.thepizza-pro.com

Forget the pizza wheel; it only does half the job! When you get tired of bar b queing, and you are like me you order in! I eat pizza often, so I couldn’t wait to try out this new gadget to see if it would really work. For the skeptics out there, it looks kind of like a triangle shaped spatula, with a scissor attached. Looks silly and odd, but works well. You can cut, slice, and serve in one easy motion with one hand. This is a cute gift for anyone, but especially good for anyone with hand disabilities. The soft contoured grip feels secure in your hand. This neat little gadget will make cutting a pizza into slices so neat and easy. Don’t be fooled, it might look big in pictures, but it does fit nicely in my regular sized kitchen drawer.
4. Wine stems from winestemcompany.com.

When I saw this product I knew it was meant for me. I love being outside and spend many summers out by the bar b que, in the grass. I have sat on the beach and grass listening to outdoor concerts. All these times I am sitting uncomfortably holding on to my wine glass as I try to unsuccessfully balance the glass object filled with liquid on the unstable ground. With my shaky arthritis hands, this looked comical at best. Now I know the inventors of this product were probably watching me when they thought of this fabulous idea! I Love it! Not only are they cute- but they work quite well. This is a fabulous hostess gift, or buy some for your wine drinking guests at your next celebration. They will be thankful you have them.
5. The Taco Rack
· Okay, admittedly it may seem odd for me to include a taco rack in an outdoor party story, but trust me…. The tacos I just ate right from the grill convinced me to think of making tacos differently. I was able to use this gadget in my bar b que and get a cool smokey flavor and choose my own fixings etc. I only wish I saw this in time for Cinco De Mayo! The “Taco Rack” provides a stable foundation for you to create your own delicious taco recipes upon. There are slots for 6 tacos and the good news is no more taco shells breaking. It is stainless steel and oven & dishwasher safe.

Try something new and fun next time you go shopping!
Review written by: Christine Miserandino © 2008, butyoudontlooksick.com