The Demy Recipe E-reader: A Clumsy Cook's New BFF

by Libe Goad, Posted Jan 18th 2011 @ 1:00PM

The Demy e-reader on display at 2011 Consumer Electronics Show Photo: Libe Goad

Cookbooks and recipes have gone virtual, and while it's great to have that extra shelf space back, the digital age of cooking comes with a slew of new (and expensive) hazards. If you've ever taken your laptop or iPad into the kitchen, you know exactly what I'm talking about. One big oops!, and it's game over for what's most likely one of your most prized possessions.

That's where Key Ingredient's Demy digital recipe reader enters the picture. The $200 touch-screen tablet was on display at the recent Consumer Electonics Show in Las Vegas, and it's specifically designed to serve up your favorite internet recipes. Made with even the clumsiest cooks in mind, the 5x7 device has an extra-sturdy rubber base, and the sealed glass screen is completely spillproof, according to Key Ingredient President Wendy Jenkins. You can flip the Demy horizontally or vertically and the screen will reorient itself to the new position.

Keep reading and see a video demonstration of Demy after the jump.

The Demy works hand-in-hand with keyingredient.com, which has thousands of recipes in its database, and you can add more from most of the major cooking sites on the web, such as KitchenDailly, Epicurious or MarthaStewart.com, through a utility bar that sits atop the web browser on your computer. Then, plug your Demy into a USB 2.0 port on your computer and sync it to download any new recipes. (This whole process is kind of cumbersome, and Jenkins says a Wi-Fi version is in the works.) In addition to recipes, this multitasking kitchen device has three built-in timers, conversions and -- a personal fave -- a list of substitutions. Fresh out of fennel? Just look it up in the subs app and you might be spared an extra trip to the store.

This recipe tablet has actually been around for a while, but a new, sleeker version of the device with a flat touch-screen that looks similar to an iPad (pictured on page 1) will roll out in the next few months, along with a thermometer add-on that plugs into the device so you can ensure your various meats reach the right heat. The Demy might have a few drawbacks, but it beats seeing your thousand-dollar laptop cozying up to a bubbling pot roast.

For more food-related gear from the Consumer Electronics Show, check out Slashfood's post on the new Robotic Diet Coach.

Filed Under: Trends, New Products
Tags: consumer electronics show, New Electronics, recipe reader

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-19-2011 @12:32PM verdegrrl said... Seems rather steep for a single focus device. Granted an iPad is more expensive and does not promise quite as much durability in extreme kitchen situations, but there already exists and iGrill and a host of apps to streamline cooking. My beef (ha ha) is that the screen automatically darkens when not touched/moved in a while. Hopefully the Demy reader will develop a few unique and useful tricks that make it a compelling choice for cooks.
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1-24-2011 @9:50AM FoodimentaryGuy said... I too saw this at CES and thought, this is a device who's time has come, only it's 3 or 4 years too late. It's saving grace is it's durability. I first thought this would be a great gift for a less tech savvy. Then I realized that you still have to hook it to a computer to update. The best way for items like these to work in the marketplace is for them to be a few steps ahead of the curve. This is the main reasons I like the iGrill device which uses Bluetooth to send information from the grill or oven to your phone, iPad, or other tablet devices. Forward thinking out trumps the best intentions now a-days. All this being said if this item should cost 75 dollars and I would consider it.
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