Speed rack
Robert and Mary Lou Simmelink are in the middle of remodeling their Shorewood, Wis., home, but already love their "speed rack on wheels." It sits next to the stove, under a counter, ready to be pressed (or pushed) into service. It gets used a lot.
"I used to be a pastry chef, so I had used speed racks for years in my professional life, but it never occurred to me that one would be useful at home. I saw a picture in a kitchen inspiration design book that included one and it was an 'aha,' or really a 'duh!' moment," said Mary Lou.
Robert, executive chef at Alto-Shaam, a maker of food-service equipment for commercial kitchens, agrees.
"The best thing we did was to put a half-size speed rack that is on wheels next to the stove," he said. "We use this for hot trays coming out of the oven, such as the Christmas cookies. . . . We can also park hot saute pans just before plating. I plan to use it to stage platters of food and 'backup' food when we entertain. This way, the backup food is away from the guests and we can all have a good time in the kitchen without clutter."
An auction find
Dean and Valerie Ferber know a thing or two about shopping around. The previous owners of the Ferbers' cottage-style home in Hales Corners, Wis., had an antique bread table. It gave the antique-loving Ferbers an idea. They hunted flea markets, antiques shops, estate sales. At one antiques mall, they spotted the perfect piece: a woodworker's bench. But at $1,100, it was too pricey.
Then, on the way to another store, they stopped at an auction and found a bench covered with paint and equipped with two vises. Where others might have seen a mess, the Ferbers saw potential. But first they had to get it.
