Home Cooking

The whole kitchen and caboodle can be found at the newly opened HomeChef store and cooking school at Fashion Island Newport Beach.

Cookware, bake ware, cutlery, tools and books are available to enhance the skills of cooks from beginners and experts.

The 4,400-square-foot store, which opened Wednesday across from the Farmers Market and food court area, also carries “hard to find but worth the search” items such as specialty oils, vinegars, herbs and spreads, that will add zest to dishes.

HomeChef’s cooking school offers a range of classes for all skill levels.

There are specialty classes and hands-on workshops for dishes such as sushi and tamales ($59 each). The three- to six-week series ($105 for three weeks) cover topics such as light cooking, seafood and vegetarian dishes.

The 10-week Essentials Series ($330) is a primer on cooking basics.

The classes also include step-by-step demonstrations, tastings and a question-and-answer session.

Visitors to the store can sign up for one of 28 free one-hour classes. Space is limited, so early registration is recommended. Call (714) 718-0114.

Hunting Gear

If it’s weeds you’re after, go fetch with the Weed Hound.

The tool, a product of Hound Dog Products Inc., in Edina, Minn., gets rid of weeds with little effort and a minimum of time.

The Weed Hound (about $20), made of steel with a rustproof finish, looks much like a miniature tree spade. Just as similar riggings on trucks pull trees up by their roots for transplanting, this tool has six little steel tines that go into the ground and grab the roots of the weed, lock on and pull it up by the roots.

According to Hound Dog Products, it is possible to pull more than 100 weeds in 15 minutes.

“Not only does the Weed Hound get the root, it does it without damaging the lawn,” says Michael Miller, Hound Dog president.

To order, call (800) 694-6863.

Totally Tabular

After dinner, it’s now easier to pick up the tab when cleaning the dishes.

Electrasol, one of the first makers of automatic dishwashing detergent in the United States, is introducing pre-measured tabs to replace powders and gels.

Designed with a two-layer, dual-action formula, the tabs are formulated to remove stubborn, dried-on foods such as oatmeal, spaghetti sauce and baked-on cheese. The blue layer softens and breaks up the food particles, eliminating the need to pre-rinse the dishes.

One tab, individually wrapped, cleans an entire load without any mess or spills. The tabs completely dissolve, unlike some powders and gels, which can leave residue.

The tabs are new to the United States; they have been on the market in Europe for seven years.

The tabs are sold in 15- and 26-count canisters (about $2.50 and $3.80, respectively) and are available in supermarkets and drug stores throughout the county.