Sky Daily

Recipe Of The Day: Roast Turkey

Simon Hinde — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:28:00 GMT

Every day our friends at Food Network UK will be sharing a simple but delicious recipe with us for a meal you can make quickly and easily at home. For more great recipes, videos and cooking tips, check out their website at http://www.FoodNetwork.co.uk/

Roasted Turkey

From Food Network Kitchens

1 (3.6 to 4.5kg) turkey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, quartered
1 head garlic, halved
Several sprigs fresh herbs, such as; thyme, parsley, rosemary, and sage
2 bay leaves
120g unsalted butter, melted

Serving Suggestions: Sage, Sausage and Apple Dressing, recipe follows

Adjust a rack to lowest position and remove other racks. Preheat oven to 170C/Gas Mark 3. Remove turkey parts from neck and breast cavities and reserve for other uses, if desired. Dry bird well with kitchen towel, inside and out. Salt and pepper inside the breast cavity and stuff the onion, garlic, herbs, and bay leaves inside. Set the bird on a roasting rack in a roasting tin; breast side up and brush generously with half the butter and season with salt and pepper. Tent the bird with foil.

Roast the turkey for 2 hours. Remove the foil and baste with the remaining butter. Increase oven temperature to 220C/Gas Mark 7 and continue to roast until an instant read thermometer registers 74 degrees C in the thigh of the bird, about 45 minutes more.

Remove turkey form the oven and set aside to rest for 15 minutes before carving. Carve and serve with dressing.

Sage, Sausage and Apple Dressing:
450g bag stuffing cubes or 450g dried bread, cubed
90g unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan and topping
450g fresh sage sausage, casing removed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cooking apples, such as Bramley, Ida Red, or Golden Delicious, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 to 2 ribs celery with leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
700ml chicken stock, homemade or low-sodium store-bought
10g chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
70g walnut pieces, toasted (See Note)
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 170C/Gas Mark 3.
Put the stuffing cubes in a large bowl and set aside. Butter a 3-litre casserole dish.

Melt 30g of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break up with a wooden spoon. Cook until it loses most of its pink colour, but not so much that it's dry, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and pan drippings to the stuffing cubes. Melt the remaining butter in the pan. Add the onion, apple, celery, and salt. Cook until the vegetables get soft, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and parsley and bring to a boil.

Pour the vegetable mixture over the stuffing cubes and toss until evenly moistened. Mix in the walnuts and eggs. Loosely pack the dressing in the prepared pan and cook uncovered until the top forms a crust, about 40 minutes. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of turkey pan drippings or melted butter over the top. Cook until the top is crisp and golden, about 20 minutes more. Set immediately or warm.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour

Tips: Put the dressing in the oven during the last hour of cooking the turkey
Note: To toast nuts, spread them out on a baking sheet and toast in a 180C/Gas Mark 4 oven until golden, about 7 minutes

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Equipment List
roasting rack
roasting tin
basting brush
instant read thermometer
large bowl
3-litre casserole dish
large skillet
wooden spoon

BW2B04
Sponsorship: THANKSGIVING2007

A Weekend Feast

Simon Hinde — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:44:00 GMT

Antipasti Dinner Salad

From Food Network Kitchens
120ml extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra for drizzling
2 cloves garlic, crushed
8 thick slices of Italian ciabatta bread
Salt
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
1 small head radicchio, finely sliced
2 Romaine lettuce hearts, halved lengthways
3 stalks celery, finely sliced
170g Parma ham, cut into strips
10 to 15 fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
225g small mozzarella balls (bocconcini), halved
20 Kalamata black olives, pitted and halved
Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium/ high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the cread in batches and toast until golden, being careful not to burn the garlic. Set aside and season.
Whisk the vinegar with the remaining oil, a large pinch of salt and some pepper to taste in a large bowl. Add the radicchio, celery, Parma ham, basil, mozzarella and olives. Toss to coat.
Place one romaine half onto each plate. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the salad onto each half and serve with the toasts.
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Equipment List:
Chopping board
Cook’s knife
Large Bowl
Large Frying Pan

Italian-American Meatballs
Chef: Food Network Kitchens

2 slices white sandwich bread, stale and crusts removed (see note)
225g ground pork
225g ground veal
225g ground beef chuck
25g plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
25g plus 2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano
25g chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 medium onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large egg, beaten
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
85ml olive oil, divided
3 cups QUICK MARINARA SAUCE (see recipe)

Serving suggestions:
450g cooked spaghetti or linquini
On hero rolls for sandwiches

Grate the bread or pulse into crumbs in a food processor. In a small bowl toss the breadcrumbs with 85ml cold water to re-hydrate.

In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, pork, veal, beef, Parmesan, Pecorino, parsley, salt, onion, garlic, and egg and mix until combined. Season the meat mixture with pepper.

Using your hands, gently form the meat mixture into 18 slightly larger than golf ball-sized balls. (Packing the meat mixture too tightly together will result in tough meatballs). Refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 24.

Heat half the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Drain the oil and wipe out the skillet, return to the heat, and repeat with the remaining oil and meatballs.

Drain and wipe out the skillet again. Return all the meatballs to the skillet and pour in the marinara sauce. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, swirling the pan occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through about 15 minutes. The cheese in the meat balls will start to melt when the meatballs are ready. Serve immediately with spaghetti or on sandwiches. These meatballs can be stored, covered in the refrigerator for 3 days or frozen for up to 6 weeks.

Cook's Note: If your bread is fresh, dry it out in at 180C/Gas 4for 10 to15 minutes.

QUICK MARINARA SAUCE

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 medium onion, diced (about 3 tablespoons)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 1/2 cups whole, peeled, canned tomatoes in puree, (one 800g can), roughly chopped
Sprig of fresh thyme
Sprig of fresh basil
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and garlic, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the herb sprigs and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the salt and season with pepper to taste. Use now, or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Copyright 2000 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 18 meatballs

Equipment List
Medium saucepan
Large skillet pan
Food processor
Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Small bowl
2 large bowls
Slotted spoon

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Biscotti
From Food Network Kitchens

150g unsalted butter
375g plain flour
2 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
3 large eggs
275g granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla essence
120g smooth natural peanut butter, room temperature
175g dry roasted peanuts
175g chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chunks

Position racks evenly in the oven and preheat to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Melt the butter over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally. Continue to cook until the butter browns and gets a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until light and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar while beating. Then slowly add the butter and vanilla until evenly mixed, about 30 seconds more. Add the peanut butter and mix until combined.

While mixing slowly, add the dry ingredients to the wet, in 2 additions, mixing just until absorbed. Fold in the peanuts and chocolate pieces.

Divide the dough evenly into thirds, and put each portion in the center of a baking sheet. Shape the dough with slightly wet hands into logs about 5-cm wide and 38-cm long. Bake until set and brown around the edges, about 25 to 30 minutes. (For even baking take care to rotate the pans-- top to bottom and front to back--about half way though.) Cool logs on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes.

Lower the oven temperature to 170C/Gas Mark 3. Carefully transfer the logs to a cutting board. Cut logs crosswise, with a long serrated knife at about a 45 degree angle, into 1 ¼-cm thick biscotti. Place biscotti cut side down on the baking sheets. Bake until crisp, about 8 minutes. Flip the biscotti over and bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes more. Cool biscotti on the baking sheets. Serve.

Store biscotti in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.

Difficulty: Intermediate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: about 5 dozen biscotti

Equipment List
3 baking sheets
small saucepan
whisk
large bowl
medium bowl
electric mixer
long serrated knife

Gadget Test: Star Wars Phone Flasher

Jukka Viskari — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Right. This was supposed to be a review of just Star Wars Phone Flashers. But then I found out that these devices used to be popular among Chinese schoolchildren about five years ago.

This neatly brings us to the topic of gadgets and fashion. Being perceived as trendy is getting as important in the world of gadgets as it has always been in the world of fashion.

Fashionable hardware? Just think Apple. Software? Just think Firefox or Facebook. But not that long ago many people would have found Microsoft or IBM to be the very epitomes of cool.

As the global marketplace is getting more and more crowded, it matters ever more for brands to be capable of standing tall. Combine this with another trend, sharing of the internal electronical components across various brands of gadgets such as mobile phones, computer displays and you get a more complete picture of what is going on.

So. If this Star Wars gadget would have come in the shape of a life form to be found in Avatar, the forthcoming expected-to-be-blockbuster directed by James Cameron, I would have said that this is an entertaining gadget for, er, schoolchildren.

However, my Darth Vader phone flasher wasn’t quite up to the omniscient standards of the character himself, refusing to flash in notification of some incoming calls or text message.

Perhaps my Darth Vader just in bad mood.

Verdict: Geeky but potentially useful if you need to keep your phone in silent mode for prolonged periods of time.

Buy A Star Wars Phone Flasher

Our other gadget reviews: Waterbuoy; Shake And Wake Alarm Clock; Magic 8 Ball fortune teller; Garlic Zoom kitchen gadget; Mood Duck Radio; Wifi T-Shirt ; Chocolate Pizza; Toilet golf game; Retro British Candy Jar; Moon In My Room lamp; Henry Desk Vacuum cleaner; Handheld plasma lamp; Twilight Umbrella; Sound Asleep Pillow; Milano electronic cigarette; TV-B-Gone remote controller; Pocket-sized Zen water garden; Exercise device Powerball

Recipe Of The Day: Chicken with Creamy Mushrooms and Snap Peas

Simon Hinde — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:26:00 GMT

Chicken with Creamy Mushrooms and Snap Peas

From Food Network Kitchens
4 chicken breasts, patted dry
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Plain flour, for dusting
15g butter
2 salad onions, finely sliced
225g mushrooms (button, chestnut, cremini, shiitake or a combination), quartered
300ml chicken stock
180ml double cream
300g sugar snap peas, stemmed and halved lengthways
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, gas mark 6. Heat a large pan over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Dip the chicken in the flour, shake off any excess and place in the pan. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes each side, until golden; transfer to a baking dish. Cover the dish loosely with foil; place in the oven whilst you prepare the vegetables.
Add the butter to the hot pan, then add the salad onions and mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms brown, about 4 minutes. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, scraping any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the cream and boil until the sauce thickens slightly, 3 to 4 more minutes. Stir in the snap peas and heat through; season with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken topped with the creamy vegetables.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Yield: 4 Servings
Equipment:
Chopping Board
Cook’s Knife
Large Frying Pan
Baking Dish
Wooden spoon

Recipe Of The Day: Breaded Pork Chops

Simon Hinde — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:53:00 GMT

Breaded Pork Chops

Chef: Food Network Kitchens

Four 0.5cm-thick, bone-in, pork chops (about 450-675g), patted dry
Flour for dredging
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
150g fresh sourdough bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
Extra-virgin olive oil for shallow frying
2 lemon wedges

Put the flour in a shallow bowl or lipped plate. Break the eggs into another shallow bowl and whisk with the salt and pepper. In a third shallow bowl mix the breadcrumbs with herbs.

Bread the chops. Dredge a chop in the flour, shaking off the excess, then dip it into the eggs, and finally coat the meat evenly with the breadcrumbs. Set on a piece of waxed paper or baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chops. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the chops, about 65ml. When the oil shimmers, add the chops and fry 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Cook's note: To make sourdough bread crumbs, trim off and discard the crust of a fresh sourdough loaf (stale bread crumbs absorb more oil during frying), and pulse it in a food processor into crumbs.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Equipment List
Large skillet pan
Food processor
Baking sheet
3 shallow dishes
Chopping board
Chef’s knife

Recipe Of The Day: Chinese Dumpling Soup

Simon Hinde — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:41:00 GMT

Chinese Dumpling Soup
From Food Network Kitchens

2L low-sodium chicken or mushroom broth
1 5-8cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned or cut into match
1 tablespoons soy sauce, preferably dark- cross test with Kikoman
65ml Shaoxing rice cooking wine or pale dry sherry
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar/or 2 tablespoons black vinegar
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of salt
2 carrots, thinly sliced on the bias
24 frozen Chinese dumplings, pork, prawns, or 450g package
3 spring onions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
80g bag baby spinach
Chopped coriander(optional)
Asian chilli paste (optional)

1. Put the broth, ginger, soy, wine, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and salt in a soup pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Adjust the heat so the broth simmers and cooks to lightly flavor with ginger, about 10-15-minutes.
2. Add the carrots, and simmer until tender and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Just before serving, add the dumplings, cook for 3 minutes, stir in the spring onions and spinach and cook until the greens wilt, about 1 minute. Divide among warm bowls and serve. Serve with chilli sauce on the side if desired.
Optional- Cook the dumplings according to package directions for potstickers- Serve dumplings on the side of soup.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: Serves 4 - Makes 11 cups

Equipment List
Soup pot
Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Ladle

Recipe Of The Day: Chicken And Black Bean Tostadas

Simon Hinde — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:32:00 GMT

Chicken and Black Bean Tostadas

Corn or sunflower oil, for frying
4 corn tortillas, preferably white
Salt
1 400g can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 tablespoons chicken stock
Freshly ground pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
Juice of 2 limes
2 teaspoons brown sugar
150g finely shredded green or red cabbage
6 radishes, finely sliced
½ 20g bunch coriander, roughly chopped
120ml sour cream
½ a roast chicken, skinned and shredded into large pieces
Heat half an inch of oil in a large frying pan. When hot, but not smoking, fry the tortillas one at a time, until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with a little salt.
Cool the oil slightly and discard all but 2 tablespoons. Add the cumin and beans and cook, stirring, for one minute. Add the stock and cook, smashing the beans with a potato masher, until saucy and hot. Season with salt and pepper.
Whisk the garlic, chilli, half the lime juice, sugar and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in 4 tablespoons oil to make a dressing; add the cabbage, radishes and coriander and mix together. Mix the sour cream and the remaining lime juice in another bowl; season with salt and pepper.
Top each tortilla with beans, chicken, cabbage salad and sour cream. Serve.
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate
Yield: 4 servings
Equipment:
Chopping board
Cook’s knife
Large frying pan
Potato masher
Medium bowl
Small bowl

The Week In Pictures

Celine — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:01:00 GMT

The Red Arrows do a flypast over RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, as Flight Lieutenant Kirsty Moore becomes the first woman pilot to join the aerobatic team.

Paper poppies are thrown into a fountain at Trafalgar Square, London, following a public Remembrance Day concert and poetry reading hosted by the Royal British Legion.

Some of over 2000 original artworks in postcard form, including works by famous artists such as Gerhard Richter, Grayson Perry, Anish Kapoor and Yoko Ono hang alongside those of Royal College of Art students, in the college's secret exhibition which takes its name from the fact that the artist's identity is concealed until the work is sold.

A large group of people hug each other for one minute, in an attempt to break a Guinness World record at St Pancras Train Station in central London.
The attempt was part of the fifth annual Guinness World Records Day, when new World records will be set and broken all over the World.

The London Eye and the Shell Building, by the River Thames, are lit to mark Armistice, Day by the Royal British Legion.

Recipe Of The Day: A Mexican Feast

Simon Hinde — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:18:00 GMT

Six Layers and a Chip Dip
Chef: Food Network Kitchens

2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1(425g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (425g) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons chilli powder
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
200g lowfat shredded Cheddar
2 ripe avocados, preferably Hass
1 jalapeno, stemmed, finely chopped, (with seeds for more heat)
150g chopped romaine lettuce
375ml nonfat yogurt, preferably Greek
50g fresh coriander, leaves and some stems, roughly chopped, plus more for garnish
3 ripe medium tomatoes, diced
5 spring onions (white and green), thinly sliced

Baked tortilla chips, for dipping

On a cutting board, smash the garlic cloves, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt, and, with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear the mixture to a coarse paste. Put the garlic, beans, chili powder, water, and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Spread in the bottom of a casserole or gratin dish, or in individual sized dishes, as desired.

Scatter the cheese over the beans. Halve and seed the avocados, then mash with the jalapeno and another teaspoon of salt in a small bowl. Spread a layer of the avocado over the cheese, and then scatter the lettuce on top.

Mix the yogurt with the coriander and then spread over the lettuce. Add a layer of tomatoes and finally scatter the spring onions on top. Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with a few coriander sprigs and serve with baked chips.

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Equipment List
Food processor
Small bowl
Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Casserole dish

Chicken-and-Cheese Enchiladas Recipe
From Food Network Kitchens
1 small red onion, halved
675g tomatoes (green if possible), halved if large
1 to 2 large red chillies, stemmed and de-seeded
120ml chicken stock
Salt
Pinch of sugar
8 Corn tortillas
450g roasted chicken, shredded
250g shredded mozzarella and/or mild cheddar cheese
20g fresh coriander
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
75g feta cheese, crumbled
Preheat the grill to a medium/high heat. Slice half the onion into thin rings and set aside. Place the other onion half, tomatoes and chillies on a foil-lined baking sheet and grill until the vegetables are soft and slightly brown, 7 to 10 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer the vegetables and add any liquid to a blender, add the stock and puree. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and the sugar.
Meanwhile, stack the tortillas, wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave just until warm and soft, 1 minute: keep covered. Toss the chicken with all but 50g of the cheese in a bowl. Spoon a portion of the chicken mixture down the middle of each tortilla. Add a few coriander leaves and roll up. Place the enchiladas side by side in a lightly oiled 9 by 13 inch baking dish and brush with the remaining olive oil. Grill until crisp and golden, about 3 minutes.
Pour the tomato sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining cheese. Return to the grill until the cheese is bubbly and golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with the onion rings, feta cheese and any remaining coriander.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Yield: 4 Servings
Equipment:
Cook’s Knife
Chopping Board
Cheese grater
Blender/ food processor
Medium Bowl
9-by-13-inch baking dish (preferably ceramic)

Frozen Mango Margarita
2007 All rights reserved

1 (285g) bag frozen diced mango
60ml fresh lime juice
155ml tequila (preferably silver, 80 proof)
2 tablespoons Cointreau or other orange liqueur
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
475ml ice water

Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Per Serving:

Calories 180; Total Fat 0 g; (Sat Fat 0 g, Mono Fat 0 g, Poly Fat 0 g) ; Protein 0.5g; Carb 21 g; Fibre 1.5g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 0.5mg

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings, serving size 1 cup

Equipment List
blender

EK0404
Sponsorship: ET_HD_CINCO_DE_MAYO

Gadget Test: Waterbuoy

Jukka Viskari — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Ahoy! Man overboard! Or only this gadget with your precious valuables attached to it, hopefully…

For if you attach this device that secured investment in the Dragons’ Den to a valuable item of yours that goes overboard it shouldn’t disappear for forever (or nearly forever if you are a Lord Of The Rings fan…).

Rather your valuables will, aided by this key ring like device with an in-built automatically inflating balloon, gently float back to the surface.

The one-use-only gadget is no substitute to a life vest but can bring an item weighing up to one kilogram (or just over two pounds) back to the surface.

And however murky the waters in question are, the in-built beacon "visible from over 250m at night" should guarantee that you can spot it. That is unless you are at, say Loch Ness, and an underwater monster decides its appetite justifies ingesting your buoy with the valuables attached!

You would be unlikely to be carrying around a kilogram weight but this graphic should be adequate for illustrative purposes.

The "quotation" marks are because in the end I decided that dropping my keys attached to the device in my bath tube would fail to adequately mimic a real-life emergency in which this device should come handy.

However, I don’t know if this item would have been perfect for the unfortunate tourist whom I saw drop her mp3-player into a reebok this summer (Yes, a long time ago). But with clever use of a stick she managed to fetch their submerged item relatively quickly (ok, the water wasn’t too deep). But if the mp3-player had been attached to this gadget the lady might still be chasing her valuable item floating downstream, deeper and deeper into the murky forests of the vast Finnish National Park…*

But I have no doubts this gadget would fail to inflate. After all if this device has passed the monstrously demanding tests the dragons subjected the gadget to, it couldn't do that. Surely.

And all this could be yours for only £9.99...

Verdict: Good Gift for a sailing freak or a phobia for losing items underwater

Buy a Waterbuoy

*Although on that particular day, at that particular time, it was very sunny and warm I have to confess.

Our other gadget reviews: Shake And Wake Alarm Clock; Magic 8 Ball fortune teller; Garlic Zoom kitchen gadget; Mood Duck Radio; Wifi T-Shirt ; Chocolate Pizza; Toilet golf game; Retro British Candy Jar; Moon In My Room lamp; Henry Desk Vacuum cleaner; Handheld plasma lamp; Twilight Umbrella; Sound Asleep Pillow; Milano electronic cigarette; TV-B-Gone remote controller; Pocket-sized Zen water garden; Exercise device Powerball