hh Gregg Finelines

The UltraOne vacuum cleaner has received a prestigious iF product design award. Nearly 2,500 products from 39 different countries took part in the competition. The UltraOne vacuum cleaner was one of the 778 products to receive the coveted iF product design award.
 

 

Recommended by Wolf and Sub-Zero, every home chef will appreciate Ruth Reichl’s Gourmet Today cookbook, released this fall. As you may recall, Ms. Reichl was the editor of Gourmet Magazine, which announced its closing in October. November 2009 was the last issue.

The cookbook contains over 1,000 Gourmet recipes selected by Ruth Reichl and tested multiple times in the Gourmet test kitchens. Many of the recipes can be prepared in less than 30 minutes.

We know this will not be the last we see of one of America’s favorite culinary editor. In the meantime, enjoy a taste of Ruth Reichl’s wit in this excerpt from a letter to Amazon customers regarding Gourmet Today:
 

 

It's a wonderful time for people who care about food. But it requires a new kind of cookbook, one that takes advantage of the great modern marketplace. Gourmet's twelve test cooks spent five years exploring all the new ingredients available in the supermarkets--from frozen pizza dough to Thai chili pastes and eggroll wrappers--figuring out the best ways to use them. They haunted farmers markets too, so we could offer advice on cooking everything from ramps to celery root. They spent time in fish markets, snapping up new offerings like Arctic char and tilapia. Then they cooked each dish again and again and again, taking out unnecessary steps and ensuring that each was absolutely foolproof. The result is more than a thousand recipes that are absolutely guaranteed to work. I couldn't live without this book. I love cooking from it. I hope you will too.

Best wishes,

Ruth Reichl

Fine Lines appliances were designed for the most demanding cooking techniques. It's the perfect gift for a kitchen client ... or one with potential for 2010! 

And don't forget the Fine Lines Savings Event in Charlotte this Saturday with cooking demos and full complimentary espresso bar.

 

We'd like to introduce our hhgregg blog readers to another of or blogs, finelinesblog.com.  At FineLinesBlog.com we talk about today's premium appliance brands such as Sub Zero, Wolf, Jenn-Air, Electrolux and more.

As summer fades into fall, a few moments of daydreaming are inevitable. Thoughts turn to fall entertaining and to the holidays just beyond, and for me, it’s visions of the ultimate kitchen. To add some clarity to the dream, take a look at this luxury condominium at Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, featuring both a family kitchen and a snack kitchen, priced at $15 million.

Booking a three day training experience at GE's new Monogram Experience Center is more like a gourmet cooking retreat than an industrial training seminar. With the emphasis on experience, industry professionals learn the capabilities of the GE's upscale Monogram appliance line in the 9000 square foot compound in Louisville, Kentucky.

Chocolate Decadence Cupcakes brought to you by Electrolux

Ingredients (Makes 1 dozen)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (To convert to convection, select Convection Bake. Enter temperature and time of original recipe. Select More Options and then Convect Convert.) Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
Using a mixer on low speed, mix together oil, vinegar, vanilla and water until well blended. Add flour mixture to the bowl and mix until smooth. Batter should look and feel more watery than normal cake batters.

Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small spatula to frost each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
2 cups unsalted butter
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 cups confectioners’ sugar

In a bowl, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add chocolate until just blended. Add milk, vanilla and sugar; mix on medium speed until well blended, being careful not to over mix.

After your done enjoying these fantastic cupcakes, come to hhgregg Fine Lines and see the full line of premium appliances from Electrolux. Designed with ingenious features to help you be even more amazing. Find the hhgregg Fine Lines nearest you.

Vanilla Velvet Cupcakes brought to you by Electrolux

Ingredients (Makes 1 dozen)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (To convert to convection, select Convection Bake. Enter temperature and time of original recipe. Select More Options and then Convect Convert.) Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. With a mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add in the vanilla. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the milk mixture; mix until well blended.

Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 1/2 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once the cupcakes have cooled, you can cut a hollow in the top of the cupcake (slice the very top of the cupcake off this portion and save) and add your favorite filling. Replace the saved top of the cupcake and frost.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 to 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a bowl, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 3 cups of sugar, milk and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy. If necessary, gradually add remaining sugar to reach desired consistency.



After your done enjoying these fantastic cupcakes, come to hhgregg Fine Lines and see the full line of premium appliances from Electrolux. Designed with ingenious features to help you be even more amazing. Find the hhgregg Fine Lines nearest you.

Energy Star® qualified HE washers can save 7,000 gallons of water a year, which over the 11-year lifetime of the washer is enough water to fill up three backyard swimming pools or provide a lifetime of drinking water for six people.

Washers account for more than 20 percent of water used inside the home, so having a HE washer will dramatically reduce energy and water consumption. You’ll not only lower your own utility bills but you’ll also help to protect the environment. That leaves more money in your pocket and makes you feel better about yourself.

The Department of Energy estimates a typical washer will cost $1,100 to operate over its lifetime. An Energy Star® HE washer is estimated to cut your energy and water bills by $50 per year – that’s $550 if you own the washer for 11 years which slices operating costs in half.

HE washers save time since without a bulky agitator there’s more usable space in the tub for laundry – especially for large items like comforters. More capacity means fewer loads of laundry each week.

Clothes look better and last longer with HE washers. Agitators really punish your clothes. Instead of twisting and pulling clothes around a turning agitator, HE top-loaders and front-loaders use sophisticated wash systems to flip or spin clothes through a reduced stream of water, washing your clothes gently. You not only protect your clothes, but you’re saving money too. The approximate value of one load of laundry in an average consumer home is $450, so it makes sense to make sure your clothes last.

Best of all, by using less water and energy HE washers help cut pollution to the environment, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, and help protect lakes, streams and oceans.
HE washers hold down costs while using less energy. You save money and save the earth. Plus they save you time and protect your clothes. You can’t do laundry any better than that.

And you can find an HE washer in whatever style you’re looking for – they come in a variety of colors, brands and designs with a variety of cycles, options and features.

There’s a lot that’s great about doing laundry with a High Efficiency washer, and there’s a High Efficiency washer that’s perfect for you. Visit the hhgregg Fine Lines showroom near you and learn from the best educated associates in the business.

Buy select #1-rated Termador luxury appliances and Thermador will help you complete your dream kitchen for free, save up to $4,600.

Get an unbelievable deal on #1-rated Thermador luxury appliances and turn your kitchen into a complete culinary studio. Now is the best time to take advantage of this incredible offer and enjoy unprecedented savings on a true American Icon.

Get all the details at Thermador.com. After you have seen the offer at Thermador.com, come in to your local hhgregg Fine Lines and experience the best in Thermador appliances for yourself. Find the hhgregg Fine Lines nearest you.

Come visit us at our latest hhgregg Fine Lines store. This hhgregg Fine Lines operates as a “store within a store,” showcasing premium appliance innovations, designs and concepts as they may appear in one’s own kitchen, you can see a few of these kitchen concepts in the photos accompaning this post. With on-staff demonstrators who provide thorough explanations of how each appliance works. The new Jacksonville store will feature six kitchen designs from high quality brands including Icon, JennAir, KitchenAid, Sub Zero, Thermador (which includes a Freedom model) and Wolf. Customers can also order Bosch and GE Profile kitchen designs from this location.

“We look forward to continuing to serve our Jacksonville patrons with this new location, providing the competitive prices, educated sales force and unique purchase experience that are the hallmarks of hhgregg,” said hhgregg Chairman and CEO, Jerry Throgmartin.

The newest hhgregg Fine Lines is located at 10320 Shops Lane, Suite 200 - Jacksonville, FL 32256 - 904-288-8907. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Get a map to this new store from our store locator page.

A washing machine and dryer are one of the longest-lasting appliances in the house — and ones that can make the most difference in energy bills.

How “eco” friendly are they really? Steam or no steam? Steam in the washer and dryer, just steam in the washer, or just steam in the dryer? How does the steam even work? Do you really need the six months supply detergent dispenser? What color? Options abound in teal, red, green, blue, silver, champagne, yellow and even turquoise blue. Gone are the days of only having white as a color option.

The biggest trend in washers and dryers today is the front-load machine. These open from the front, like a commercial washer or dryer at a laundromat. In contrast, a traditional washer opens from the top. How to buy the best machine depends on your space and needs.

Next week will go through some of the features to keep in mind when you are shopping for a clothes washer. Until then, visit the hhgregg Fine Lines showroom near you and learn from the best educated associates in the business.

"Grande Mocha Latte."
"Tall Carmel Macchiato."

The special requests go on and on, all day, everyday. It’s 7 a.m. at my "favorite on-the–way-to-work coffee hot spot." Watching and listening to every type of person go through what appears to be their normal routine. From executives in ties, to muddied boot construction workers, folks in workout attire, homemakers, and students, they are all paying anywhere from $1.86 for a plain ol’ cup of Java to $6.25 for their very own "frou-frou" creation. The "Brew" generation seems to have taken over the world. As I sip my own $4.86 latte, I wonder why I just spent more on one cup of coffee than I usually do on a lunch.

I asked Clint Pugh of Starbucks, who is one of my favorite "Baristas," to shed some light on this phenomenon. "When thinking on coffee and its growing popularity in our world today, there are a few possible reasons as to why people would spend more money for a good cup of coffee. Perhaps tradition or nostalgia serves as the catalyst. Convenience or habit may even suffice," he said. "I, however, believe it is much simpler. People want a good tasting, quality cup of coffee. They want it the way they like…every time the purchase it. Consistency is the key. "Of course, in our fast paced world convenience is important, but I have found that people will wait a few more minutes than usual to get it consistency with quality."

We have that same philosophy at our store with our electronics and high end appliances. I totally agree with Clint that just like our premium appliances and electronics that we "serve" at our Fine Lines Design Centers, people want the "ultra-premium" cup of coffee. And believe it or not, many consumers today want to be their own "barista", to experience coffee shop quality coffee in the convenience of their own home.With the help of some of our premium vendors, we offer a choice of counter-top and built-in style machines.



The BSH Company (Bosch, Thermador & Gaggeneau) have multiple selections from which the customer can choose. When we first displayed these appliances, I must admit, even I was a bit skeptical when I saw the price. But then I saw where Starbucks was starting to sell their high-end units for more than what better systems that we carry sell for, I was sold. If you are a coffee drinker, you will love the convenience and consistent cups that you can have at the push of "your" own button. If you are not a coffee lover, join the revolution!

 

Electrolux ICON™ wall ovens are available in both Professional and Designer Series styling, in a single or double configuration with an abundance of premium features and technology. Smooth-Glide™ oven racks offer unparalleled ease and extend fully for effortless access to your meal. They are designed with a centered easy-grip handle and a patented ballbearing rack system for a smoothgliding performance with the touch of a finger.

Wave-Touch™ control panel technology provides simple touch light oven controls for easy programming. The fully featured control panel ensures accurate cooking time and temperature. Cool-Touch™ oven door features four panes of glass, an integrated airflow system, and tangential blower to minimize door temperature.

The Third Element European convection system distributes heat faster and more efficiently. Hidden Bake Element hides the lower heating element with a porcelain cover for easy cleanup.