~ "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; Through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." ~ "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" ~ "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." ~ "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."~

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Product Review...FusionBrands Poachpods


Product Review...FusionBrands Poach pods.
This past week, the kind folks at Fusionbrands sent me a pair of poach pods to try out. The company has a few other products as well. Have you ever heard of the poach pods? Well, I hadn't. But, I was eager to try the poach pods...to see what they were all about. The poach pod can be used to make poached eggs, but it can also be used for a variety of other uses, such as baking, moulding and other creative uses. I chose to test the poach pod to make poached eggs, a challenge for many home cooks. Would it eliminate the stress that often comes with poaching eggs? Well, I was curious to see if it would.
What is a poach pod?
A poach pod is a silicone cup that can be used for baking, moulding, and poaching. The people at Fusionbrands came up with a simple way of poaching eggs that makes perfectly shaped eggs everytime! We all know that poaching eggs can be kind of challenging - It can actually be quite intimidating. But with the poach pods, it makes poaching eggs a snap.
The design:
The poach pod is supposed to mimic a lily pad floating in a pond... and they even made them green to look like lily pads! I loved the cheerful poach pod colors... two shades of green. The pod allows you to float and poach an egg in boiling water just like a lily pad in a pond. It has 3 "leaves" that helps you pick it up without too much trouble. You can break an egg into the pods, drop them into simmering water, and your eggs will be poached to perfection in no time.
How does the "poaching" work?:
Poaching in the pod means you have to use a pot or a skillet with a lid. This allows the steam and heat to do the "poaching". Since silicone doesn't allow for very much heat conduction, the egg is "poached" using both the steam and also the surrounding water.
How are the poached eggs different from regular poached eggs?:
The poach pod eggs are richer in flavor due to the fact that hardly any poaching water mixes in with them. The pod acts like a "shell" that keeps the egg intact and in perfect domed shape. The whites are firmer as the egg cooks from the outside in. This allows you to have a firmer white and a soft yolk. With the poach pods, you will not lose any of the egg white...you get the whole egg!:) Now, I really, really like that. Plus, you don't have to worry too much about watery eggs that need to be blotted dry.

How do you use the poach pods?
The instructions are very easy to follow.

You will need:
A pan/skillet with a lid
oil
eggs

Directions:

Fill the pan with about 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Lightly oil the pod before cracking an egg into it.

Place it in the simmering water....make sure it isn't at a rolling boil.


Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook for about 6 minutes.


Cook it longer if you want the yolk to be on the harder side. But I like mine runny. If it is too runny, you can always place it back in the water and cook it some more. That's the cool part about it. There is no stress involved.
Remove the pod when done, using a slotted spoon. I chose to just pick it up with my hands. They weren't hot at all. I used a small spoon around the edge of the cooked egg to release it a bit.


Nothing below that sticks. It slid out beautifully and was perfect in form. Usually when they are done, there is a bit of water on top of the egg, condensation coming off of the pot lid. But it is left behind in the pod as you pick up the egg. You can place the egg on top of a toast, dome side up, or you can place it dome side down. I like to see the yolk, so I just place the egg with the dome side down.


How do you clean and store?
The poach pods can be hand-washed or even placed in the dishwasher. They are easy to store in a drawer for future use.

Overall Review
These pods are perfect for those who have always struggled with poaching eggs. These pods make poaching eggs much easier and eliminates the stress that is often associated with poaching eggs. Now you can have eggs benedict whenever you want! They have a perfect round shape and look absolutely lovely.

12 comments:

Sailaja Damodaran said...

Nice cute cups....

Andrea the Kitchen Witch said...

I have seen these at teh store and wondered how they worked, thanks for your review! Nice blog I really enjoy it :)

Ellie said...

Andrea,
Thanks for stopping by. Yes, these little cups make life easier for those who have akways been intimidated with poaching eggs. I really am glad you are enjoying the blog... I appreciate your sweet comment! ~Ellie

Lori said...

What a fantastic idea. I think you sold me.

Lexilooo said...

I've seen these and have been wanting to try them! I guess maybe I will add them to my Christmas list :)

Ellie said...

Lexiloo, Yes, they are simple to use...as long as you oil the forms before placing the eggs.

tess said...

I just finished off two perfectly poached eggs using my poach pods. Love um! They sat in my drawer for a year _ they were an impulse buy- being so cute! Found your website while looking for directions which somehow got lost or thrown away. Again, loved the eggs and my hubby is enjoying his now as I post this comment. Thanks for instructions.

Ellie said...

Tess, I am so glad I could be of help...they do make really nice poached eggs.
Glad you were able to use them, and yes, they are cute little things:)...nice of you to stop by and share your feedback. Appreciate it!

Anonymous said...

These sat in my drawer until I saw your post. I just used them for the first time. They were easy to use, but you may want to caution your readers to be sure the boiling water is not a full rolling boil... Had a bit of a capsize. Next time I'll turn the heat down and wait a moment before placing them in the water.

Ellie said...

Anon, I am so glad the post was of help to you... but I am really sorry you didn't notice that I wrote in the directions to lower the heat to a simmer:(... and only then to place the poach pods in simmering water. Maybe I'll underline that so other folks can see it better.
In any case, I'm glad you were able to troubleshoot it for next time...and thanks for trying it out. I'm sure next time it will be a success:)!

Anonymous said...

My boyfriend Nathan got me these for Christmas and they are so helpful and cute!

Ellie said...

Anon, Glad you like them!