Durenberger said he was "gratified but surprised"

Durenberger said he was "gratified but surprised" that Bloomington decided to press charges."The whole issue of unlicensed activity is a real sore spot in the industry," Durenberger said. "We'll support anything that discouraged unlicensed activity, especially against those that are taking money or harming consumers in other ways."Like everyone, I like a good kitchen gadget that works, though I've never been suckered in by any of those sold by informercials on TV, when, "if you call now, you get two extra thigamajigs and a whole set of steak knives for just $29.95 in three easy payments, plus shipping!"I'll never be convinced of the importance of owning a can opener shaped like a toucan or a wheat grass juicer, and the microwave oven someone gave me years ago has never come out of its box.

So when I come across three items that really impress me for their utility and as-promised dependability, I want to tell all my friends who spend any serious time in the kitchen.About 15 years ago, the great French master chef Alain Ducasse proudly showed off his ridiculously expensive new induction range installed in his New York restaurant. He put a pot of water on the circle, turned it on and within 30 seconds the water was boiling furiously. He then told me to touch the cooking surface with the palm of my hand. Hesitating but dutiful, I did so and found it cool as glass. Now, this was a really amazing piece of machinery, but wholly out of the question --A with Firefly Tapas Kitchen & Bar co-owner John Simmons at thousands of dollars -- for a home kitchen.

Then, this summer, I was sent a demo model of the Waring Pro Double? Induction Cooktop, which looks more or less like a simple hot plate but is actually every bit as impressive as what I saw in Ducasse's kitchen. Weighing only seven pounds, it's easy enough to put on your kitchen counter, and its various settings allow you to instantly modify the cooking temperature, has a 150-minute timer and shuts off automatically 30 seconds after a pot is removed. And it uses 70 percent less energy than conventional cooktops.