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I am a designated photo friend. You know me, you love me, I took a Facebook profile picture before the pandemic, and that hasn’t changed yet. If you’re the host and also the friend who tends to take photos, it can be difficult to juggle taking group photos while also doing everything you need for the party.
However, there is an automated solution. For my most recent party, I brought HP Sprocket Photo Booth Machine ($600)And it was a hit. It’s a 21-inch portable photo kiosk that automatically prints 3 x 4-inch photos and lets you download digital versions via QR code. I love that you can create events on the device and set up custom filters — the bottom one had the word “Soupsgiving” even though it was in an incredibly small font compared to regular filter designs — and you can also add settings like the number of prints of a single photo that guests can print. We left the default setting of two on for our soup-themed Friendsgiving, but I think I’ll increase it to at least three for future gatherings. Make sure you store it HP Zink Paper Refills ($40 vs. $50) For a photo booth that can be printed, especially if the gathering is large. You will need both Wi-Fi access and a power outlet.
How to automate your appetizers
Feeding a crowd is difficult. Feeding a crowd that includes some serious allergies and dietary restrictions doesn’t make it any easier. In the spirit of automating everything I could, I turned to ChatGPT To create my own appetizers for a group that includes a couple of vegans and someone whose allergies include avocado, beans, shellfish, and eggs. (Having these two groups of friends need protein at the same time has a unique overlap in a Venn diagram of what they can all eat: tofu.)
ChatGPT did a good job brainstorming some possible options, and when I asked about a vacation nook, he came up with new options that were cute and seasonal. I opted to use the less elevated option – pomegranate and ricotta crostini – but the baked brie bites were a big contender too. I’ve been able to have this digital conversation and get the recipes all on the free tier of ChatGPT, but you can hit a paywall when you ask too many questions or ask things that need more research from the AI.
How to automate your cooking
Fellow WIRED reviewer Matthew Korvage is currently testing two different robots that will cook your dishes for you, but in the meantime, the closest robot I’ve found is the 10-in-1 Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker Pro ($119). You can choose from options ranging from searing, slow cooking and even baking. I’ve turned my experiment with broccoli and cheddar soup (I’ve been trying to replicate my favorite Panera soup to serve) into a single dish where I can saute the onions, stir in the béchamel, then combine all the ingredients and simmer until tender. It even comes with an integrated tool.
It’s been really useful in using it in an already crowded kitchen, and I imagine it’ll be indispensable for large Thanksgiving-style dinners where the stove and oven are monopolized. While I still had to do the cooking, I was able to stay in my little space and let PossibleCooker help me. It has a timer on the front to help remind me how long I’ve been cooking on a setting, though I wish there was a medium setting (your choices are low and high for the burner settings).
Photo: Nina Farrell
Ninja
Foodi PossibleCooker Pro
Automate your food disposal
There are a lot of leftovers when you’re cooking for occasions like Thanksgiving and holiday dinners. I really loved getting the can from the FoodCycler and bringing it next to where we were cooking soup so everyone could toss their leftovers as we went. When it’s full, simply place it in the machine and it will grind and dry the scraps (or food scraps!) into a kind of nutrient-rich meal that can be mixed with potting soil or sprinkled on your garden. I have the new FoodCycler Eco 5, and WIRED reviewer Kat Merk recommends it FoodCycler Eco 3 as one of our favorite household food recyclers.
What else am I experiencing this holiday season
The holiday season has just begun, and I will be testing more tools and equipment throughout the season. Here’s some of what I’m testing next:
Partizi Cocktail Maker ($349): This cocktail maker promises to be the Keurig of cocktail machines, with pods for cocktail mixes instead of coffee. You’ll need to bring your own alcoholic beverage, but once you fill the included containers with liquid, the machine should be able to take it from there. I’ll test some Fun holiday cocktails also.