Winnipeg Home & Garden Show April 1-3

Join us at the Winnipeg Home & Garden Show, April 1-3, 2016.

Why Does My Front Load Washer Smell Bad?

After nearly sixty years of using a top load washer, we had to learn a new way to wash clothes in a front loader washer. We still thought using lots of detergent and seeing lots of suds meant clean clothes. We wanted out clothes to smell clean and fresh by adding fabric softeners to our laundry.
Think again. Front load washers use much less water. When large amounts of soap and fabric softener are added to a washer that uses less water, a large amount of the product does not get fully used or rinsed away. Instead the detergent and fabric softener mixes some oils, soils, and fibers from clothing. It is trapped in a warm, moist machine or drainage pipe, just waiting for mold or mildew spores and bacteria to grow and start to smell.

There are thousands of people who never have an issue with front load washer odor. You can be one of those people too.

• Forget everything you know about using laundry detergent. More is not better. Always use an HE approved laundry detergent like SmartWash available at Midland Appliance. Use only 2 or 3 teaspoons or less per load.
• Skip liquid fabric softeners. Use a dryer sheet instead.
• Make sure  your laundry room has good air circulation. An air conditioner or dehumidifier will help dry the air. Check your dryer vent to make sure it is tight and not leaking moist air back into the room.
• Clean the washer's lint trap often and check under the rubber door seal. Alwasy leave the washer door ajar to allow air circulation. Do you laundry more frequently - don't allow moisture to sit in the machine for extended periods.
• Run a cleaning cycle at least monthly. There some good products available for this (Affresh is available at Midland Appliance) or use a homemade cleaner made with common household ingredients such as vinegar and baking soda. 

Enjoy a fresh smelling washer and clean fresh laundry.

Thermal or Convection?

Unlike radiant/thermal ovens, convection ovens have a fan that continuously circulates air through the oven cavity. This allows the food to cook more quickly and evenly.

A thermal oven takes longer to preheat than a convection oven as it must heat the cold air in the oven. As it heats the cold air that surrounds the food, the food dries out.

The convection fan will move the cold air out of the oven and allow the heated air to get to the food quickly. The rush of heat getting to the food speeds up the chemical reactions that occur as food cooks. For example meats sear quickly, keeping the juices in. Food cooked in a convection oven cooks about 25% quicker.

Baking in a radiant/thermal oven often has uneven results. Cookies are often darker on one side of the pan. If you use more than one rack, you often have to swap pans around to get even baking and browning.

A convection oven bakes at a cooler temperature, often 25 degrees lower. The fan keeps the oven temperature even throughout so you can bake on all three racks and get a nice even colour throughout.

There are many more features of a convection oven and our staff would be happy to answer any or all of your questions.

If you are thinking of purchasing a convection oven but the price was holding you back (convection oven are more expensive than thermal ovens), we have a limited promotion on right now . Be sure to check it out on our Promo Page.

Pairing Food and Wine

 

The following information was found on Food and Wine Paring - Simple rules to get started pairing food and wine.

 

Don't forget to see us for the best options in storing your wines.

Drink what you like.What you like to drink always takes precedence over any recommendation that I might make.

Start by thinking about the dish or meal as a whole. What are its dominant characteristics?

Is it mild or flavorful?
Is it fatty or lean?
Is it rich or acidic?

With these characteristics in mind, select a wine that will:

Keep flavors in balance.

Match mild foods with mild wines. Match big, flavorful foods with big, flavorful wines.
(For example, pair a bold-flavored Pepper Steak with a spicy, bold red Zinfandel.)

Similarly you generally want to match the richness of the food and the richness of the wine.
(For example, pair a rich Chicken in Cream Sauce with a rich Chardonnay.)

You can refer to our Wine Board to see what different wines taste like.

Cleanse the palate with tanins or acids.

If you're eating a relatively rich, 'fatty' dish and thinking about drinking a red wine
(when you eat a beef steak, for example)
you probably want a wine with some good tannins^* in it to help cleanse the palate.

If you're eating a very rich, 'fatty' dish and thinking about drinking a white wine
(when you eat fried chicken, for example)
you probably want to contrast the meal with a refreshingly crisp acidic wine
such as a Sauvignon Blanc. You can ignore this rule for dishes that are just
relatively fatty - such as Chicken in Cream Sauce - which will probably
do better with a rich Chardonnay that can match their rich flavors.

Match Acids with Acids

If you're eating a dish with a strong acidic content
(such as Shrimp with Lemon or Pasta with Tomato Sauce)
pair it with an acidic wine that can keep up with the acids in the food.

Acidic Wines and Cream Don't Mix

Rich cream sauces will usually clash with an acidic wine like a Sauvignon Blanc.
Think about it this way...If you squeezed lemon juice into a cup of milk, would it taste good?

Wine and Strong Spices

Strong spices, such as hot chili peppers in some Chinese or Indian food,
can clash and destroy the flavors in a wine. In most cases, wine is not the ideal thing to drink.
However, if wine is what you must have, consider something spicy and sweet itself
such as an off-dry Gewurtztraminer or Riesling.

When In Doubt...

Remember that foods generally go best with the wines they grew up with.
So if you're eating Italian food, think about having an Italian wine.
This isn't a requirement, but often helps simplify the decision.

* More About Tannins

Tannins can come from many places, including the skins of the grapes used in winemaking
as well as the wood barrels a wine may have been aged in.

Tannin tastes similar to the flavor you would get if you sucked on a tea bag.
This astringent flavor is what helps strip the fats from your tongue and
thereby cleanse the palate of the rich fats from a meal and provide a refined, refreshing drink.

Some studies have also indicated that tanin might help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
Specifically, tannin might suppress the creation of a peptide that causes arteries to harden.

What's in your cellar this season?

 

Red or white?

Do you know proper wine storage and serving techniques? At Midland, we are the experts.

IDEAL STORAGE TEMPERATURES
Keep red table wine temperature at a temperature of 62° F, but not above 70° F.  This cool room temperature range is what most people prefer. Red wines that are young, fruity and crisp, such as beaujolais, may be enjoyed more if stored and served a little cooler.

White table wines, rose wines, champagnes, and sparkling wines should be stored at 42 to 48° F, a temperature range that brings out the refreshing, fruity notes in the wine.

SERVING
A day before the wine is to be served, stand the bottle upright, allowing the sediment to settle to the bottom. Uncork and pour the wine gently into a clean decanter until you see the sediment begin to flow from the bottom of the bottle. Or decant the wine yourself by transferring the wine slowly to another container. Stop pouring the wine the moment the sediment begins to appear in the flow.

Uncork medium-bodied red table wine and allow the bottle to stand at least an hour before serving. This allows the wine to absorb oxygen from the air, an important oxidation process that activates development of the bouquet and aroma. Giving wine the time to breathe gives depth and smoothness to the wine.

For rich and full-bodied red wines, we suggest pouring the wine into a decanter.

White table and rose wines only need to be uncorked just prior to serving.  Exposing these types of wine to air for too long affects freshness and their delicate fruity fragrance.

ENVIRONMENT
Just like any living thing, environmental conditions play a critical role in wine’s development and maturation process. True wine cellars, not coolers, are designed to ensure optimal conditions for your special vintages.

 

HUMIDITY
Wine matures most gracefully between 50% and 80% relative humidity. Marvel wine cellars create a stable humidity level to provide wine, corks and labels optimum conditions.

LIGHT
Light can affect the tannins in the wine, degrading the color and nose of your wine. A dual-pane, tinted, UV-resistant glass door, such as that on a Marvel wine cellar, protects wine from light while allowing you to display your bottles with pride.

MOVEMENT
Wine does not like to be disturbed, as movement disrupts the sediment and unnaturally accelerates the aging process. Marvel wine cellars have a triple-layer Vibration Neutralization System (VNS) to protect your wines.

Win a $5000 KitchenAid Appliance Package

What do you have to do to win?

Watch Great Tastes of Manitoba on CTV each week starting Saturday, September 7, and remember the TEACHABLE MOMENT from the show.

Go over to the Midland Appliance Web site, our Facebook page, or come in to our of our two stores. Fill in the entry form and you are entered to win.

We are giving away weekly prizes of KitchenAid small appliances for twelve weeks, followed by a Grand Prize of one $5000.00 KitchenAid Major Appliance Package.

Be sure to check out the Official Rules & Regulations before entering.

Good Luck!

Half Price Dryer Promotion

From March 1st to March 31st, purchase any qualifying Whirlpool® or Maytag® high efficiency washer and get the matching dryer for half price.*

*Some conditions apply. See sales associate for details.



The Holiday Refrigerator – Yours to Conquer!

 Whether you're cooking the holiday meal or simply bringing home the leftovers, maximizing space in your refrigerator during this busy season can be a challenge. Filled to the brim with fresh produce, leftovers and desserts, you may find yourself wondering how you could possibly stuff any more in. Making sure that food doesn't get lost in the depths of your refrigerator is actually simpler than you might think. Here we share some easy tips to help you get the most out of your refrigerator during this hectic time of year.

• Begin by emptying the refrigerator and wiping it down with warm soapy water (be sure to unplug it first). This will give you a fresh start and a clean slate. A clean fridge is a happy fridge!
• Discard any food or condiments that are out of date. With those items gone, you'll discover much needed space. You'll probably be surprised by the amount of expired condiments you find. Check for any freezer burned items; you'll want to discard those as well.
• Keep your shelves clear of small, awkwardly shaped jars or squeeze bottles by placing condiments in the side doors of the refrigerator. Water bottles and pop cans can also be kept in the side compartments. Tip: If you're truly out of space come party time, use a cooler filled with ice for pop, beer and other cold drinks.
• Prepare ahead of time. Chop and prep any planned meals in advance. Seal them in airtight containers that can be stacked or clear sealable bags that can be labelled with a marker.
• Use those crisper drawers. Store any extra produce that does not fit in containers in the crisper drawers. This will free up some much needed shelf space and you'll be surprised by how much you can fit in there.
• Use mason jars for liquids and sauces. Appealing to the eye, these clear jars come in various sizes, are easily accessible and allow you to quickly identify their contents. They're also attractive enough to go straight from fridge to table.
• Keep commonly used items, such as eggs and bread, on the top shelf. Juice or milk containers with a twist off cap can go there as well by laying them on their sides. In the days leading up to your dinner, this will allow you to easily reach what you need most often.
• Freeze anything you may not eat right away. Bread and butter can both go in the freezer, and vegetables you don't expect to eat can be frozen and then used to make broth.
• Make an inventory list and hang it on your fridge, keeping track of what is in each container. Include each container's contents, date and any other information you may find relevant. You'll stay on top of knowing exactly what's in the refrigerator, what needs to be eaten or thrown out.
• Most refrigerators have adjustable shelving that can be changed for optimizing space. Once our refrigerator is in use, we often forget about this feature. Use this opportunity to raise or lower shelves depending on your storage needs.

Thanks to these simple tips, you'll now find yourself with a clean and organized refrigerator. With your new found optimized space, you're ready to fill the refrigerator with the delicious delights of the holiday season!

New Products, New Promotions

Midland Appliance carries over 40 top name brands. Many of these brands have new products and innovations you may not be aware of. 

For example, Aqualift technology is available in both Maytag and Whirlpool brands. This gives you a range with self-cleaning in less than hour, odor free and with temperatures below 200 degrees. More information can be found here.

There are many manufacturer rebates available through September and October. Save up to $1300.00 instantly on Maytag appliances or save up to $1200.00 on Frigidaire appliances through mail-in rebates. Check our Promotions page or Website for details.

QUIET PLEASE!! Bosch Dishwasher Special Purchase

We Have A Winner!!!

Congratulations, Kori Da Costa!!!  You are the winner of our Home Show Give Away.
You have your choice of one of the following prizes:
- A Panasonic 360-Degree Iron
- A Danby Bar Fridge
- $100 Cash
- 1 yr supply HE Laundry Soap

Please contact us before May 30 to claim your prize.

Thanks to everyone who entered our contest. Check back soon to see the next exciting contest.

Note: All contest winners picked at random using random.org.

Opportunity Buy - Manager's Special

ONE WEEK ONLY! Monday, May 7 to Saturday, May 12 

Dare to Compare - Sears price $749.95/899.95 - Our price $475.95/525.95

Bosch Ascenta Series Dishwasher (SHE3AR5xUC) - available in Stainless Steel, Black or White. Limited Quantities.

• Auto-Close: The auto-close feature will hold the door wherever you place it and then automatically latch when open 20 degrees or less.
• Delay Start: Delay the start time of your dishwasher using the delay start option.
• EcoSense™ Wash Management System: Checks water condition and decides if a second fresh water fill is necessary.
• Extra Dry Heat: Raises the temperature of the rinse and increases the drying time resulting in improved drying.
• Flow-Through Heater™: heats water to a sanitizing temperature.
• Noise Reduction System: uses Suspension Motor™, a two-pump motor system, and insulation to make this dishwasher one of the quietest in North America.
• Nylon Coated Racks: eliminates cuts and nicks and have a five year warranty.
• OptiDry™: This feature senses when the unit is low on rinse agent and automatically increases the drying time.
• SaniDry™: A high temperature final rinse, a low temperature stainless steel tub and the sheeting action of a rinse agent result in drying that is hygenic, energy efficient and economical. Sanitize: An option to meet sanitized conditions. This option can only be used with certain wash cycles.
• Triple Filtration System: uses multiple filters to ensure distribution of clean water and protect the main pump and the drain pump from foreign material.

Who's our lastest Winner!!!

I had hoped to get our Facebook Likes to 100 before we picked a winner for the Home Show Give Away contest. We are close but it's time to move on to the next contest. And it's an exciting one! Does anyone care to guess? Hint - it's to something coming up very soon. I can't say quite yet. However, if we get our Facebook Likes up quickly, I may be able to convince the boss that we should let everyone know sooner. Share this with your friends.

Back to the winner of our Home Show Give Away. This will be announced on Monday. They will win their choice of one of the the following prizes (no purchase necessary):
- A Panasonic 360-Degree Iron
- A Danby Bar Fridge
- $100 Cash
- 1 yr supply HE Laundry Soap

 

Check back with us often, help get our Facebook Likes up, see who wins the Home Show Give Away and what new contests are coming.

 

 

Updated Promotions for April and May

We have new manufacturers' promotions available throughout April and May. Check out the Promotions on the blog or on our Website.

HE Top Load Laundry Event - March 1-31

What is the benefit of HE laundry? Check out our previous post.

It's a great time to switch of you are not already using a high effeciency laundry team. With the Whirlpool and Maytag HE Top Load Laundry Event on until March 31, you can save... Check out our Web site or Promotions tab here.

What is AquaLift Technology?

AquaLift™ self-clean technology utilizes an exclusive enamel oven coating with low heat and water, moisture is released to fight tough baked-on messes. In less than an hour, the oven is ready for a final wipe-down to remove food and debris, with no odor or extreme heat like traditional high-temperature self-clean ovens.

Front-Load Laundry FAQs:

Front-Loading vs Top-Loading HE Washers

This new generation of high efficiency washers uses a different washing system than its traditional parent appliance - a gentle rotating tumbling action rather than a harsher agitation to get clothes clean. A high-efficiency top-loader has a slightly different washing action, a re-designed shorter agitator that draws the load down into the low water and detergent to effect a cleaning. HE top-loaders must meet the same stringent guidelines in order to be called HE washers and either style is efficient when it comes to cleaning performance.

HE Detergent Use

Because a high efficiency washer uses less water, low-sudsing HE detergent must be used in these washers in order for cycles including the rinsing action to work as designed. This applies regardless if the washer is top-loading or front-loading, as long as it has the HE seal.

Other Benefits of a High-Efficiency Laundry Team

High-speed spin cycles remove more water from the load, resulting in shorter drying times. Load capacities are generally larger than with a traditional washer, partially because the agitator is gone (or much shorter), which means a few less washloads to process - less water, detergent and energy to wash and dry.

Accompanying dryers must also meet certain criteria for lower energy use to carry the HE symbol. The Energy Star program has not been extended to dryers. Lower washer water levels means there's less water to heat which means less energy use.
(Quoted from About.com)

JennAir Promotion - Feb 11-Mar 11, 2012

It's a great time to purchase JennAir appliances. Check out the promotion details under our Promotions tab.

Are you looking for some new Appliances?

February has some wonderful promotions offered by Whirlpool and KitchenAid.

Save up to $500 on your Whirlpool purchase or up to $200 on a KitchenAid Dishwasher.

Come into the store for details.

More information can be found on our Web site and under the Promotions tab on our Blog.

See Midland at the Kitchen & Bath Show

Come and see us at the Kitchen and Bath Show, January 13 to 15, at the Winnipeg Convention Centre.

Pick up an invitation to our Private Sale.
This sale is for 5 hours Only! Wholesale Prices on 40 Top Name Brands. Factory Reps will be on hand to answer your questions.
Dont' forget you need the invitation to gain admittance to the sale.