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Chantal offers heart-shaped bakeware.

CHICAGO - Home as a safe haven is a trend that been growing for years; after the Sept. 11 attacks, it is even stronger. Products that provide comfort, convenience, and simplicity are in demand in all areas, especially the kitchen.

People are cooking at home more and entertaining at home more. In the process, they want to save time and energy.

Products that follow these trends were on display as 1,750 vendors gathered at the 2002 International Housewares Show Jan. 13-15 at McCormick Place. Thousands of items for every room of the home and outdoors included new styles, products, colors, and ways of doing household tasks.

Nearly 60,000 buyers and sellers from 100 countries, one-third of whom are from countries other than the United States, walked the floors. "This show is strong for us internationally," said Jeffrey W. Joyce, director of corporate marketing for Libbey Inc., which sells to 100 countries around the world.

Japanese Tetsubin Cast Iron Teapot from Joyce Chen has a porcelain enamel interior.

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Mr. Joyce and the Libbey contingent, which included creative design manager Robert Zollweg, were showing customers the hand-blown glassware in the Crisa line from Monterey, Mexico, and the contemporary stemware called Colonna, which has a fashionably wide flat stem. Black and clear white stemware is emerging as a new color trend. Equally stylish are 13-ounce margarita glasses and martini glasses, which are often used to serve appetizers and desserts.

Calphalon's kiosk directed buyers and tradespeople to a shuttle area where they would be whisked through Chicago's downtown to the Calphalon Culinary Center for a tour and introduction to two new product lines.

The new lines are Simply Calphalon Nonstick, with a domed stainless steel cover, and Simply Calphalon Stainless with tempered glass covers, both at $149 for eight pieces and $199 for 10 pieces.

The new lines offer a lower price and are lighter in weight as compared to the Tri Ply Line in Commercial and Professional Non Stick Calphalon Cookware.

Called hearth and home, "The concept of creating those foods and dishes that harken back to earlier times is big," said Lisa Casey Weiss, lifestyle consultant for the housewares show.

Cookbook author Rick Rodgers demonstrates the rehrucken cake using Kaiser's La Forme Half-Round loaf pan.

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Consumers are recalling childhood memories. "They remember smelling baked bread, so they buy a bread machine. It may mean different things to different people, depending on the era when they grew up."

Over at Kaiser Bakeware, known for its La Forme creative shapes, a Braided Ringmold was introduced. Fresh baked goods were supplied from the adjoining demonstration kitchen.

In addition, cookbook author Rick Rodgers showed off his latest book and talked about the rehrucken cake made with a La Forme five-cup Halfround Loaf Pan (rehrucken mold). It is a recipe from Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts From the Classic Cafes of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague (Clarkson Potter, February 2002).

Mr. Rodgers used the Kaiser products, some of which are European pans, to test the recipes in his cookbook. "People need to know more about these kind of specialty products," he said, recommending Rehrucken as "a great Valentine's Day dessert."

Walking the aisles of the massive McCormick Place, one could see there is a piece of cooking equipment or a pan for just about any culinary creation.

From French cookware to cast iron, from Mexican tortilla warmers to Asian specialities such as Joyce Chen Products' expanded line of steamers and steaming utensils, the global palate can be satisfied.

Demonstrations of bread machines, juicers, and George Foreman grills reminded me of television infomercials.

Celebrity chefs included Mr. Food, a.k.a. Art Ginsburg, who has endorsed Gourmet Standard's line of Non-Stick Carbon Steel Bakeware; Emeril Lagasse at the All-Clad booth with his Emerilware products, and cookbook author Joanne Weir of the PBS cooking show Weir Cooking in Wine Country at the Calphalon Culinary Center.

Also being promoted were new ways of using familiar products. At the Wilton display, Nancy Siler and Lois Levine demonstrated the Cookie Max, which will be available in August. It is advertised as the most comfortable cookie press, and has an ergonomic cushioned handle. Wilton is a leading provider of cookie supplies, bakeware, and party goods and publisher of the annual Cake Decorating book.

Nearby, Ms. Siler, the director of consumer affairs, was decorating gingerbread houses for Halloween festivities. So don't be surprised to see gingerbread expanding to other holidays.

New materials were also unveiled, such as Wovo, an assortment of plastic service ware that has the look of art glass. This new product uses unusual shapes, colors, thicknesses, and textures to create a stylish look.

Demarle, a French company, demonstrated muffins baked in a Flexipan mold, which are pushed out from the bottom, and Silpat mats, a line of baking sheets. Introduced in this country about 11 years ago, these products were marketed for professionals only; now they are being sold to the home cook as well.

New products include Back to Basic's Smoothie Elite and Smoothie Pro machines built specifically for making smoothies. Froth au Lait introduced an electric home milk frothing machine that makes rich, thick froth for cappuccinos, hot chocolate, or desserts.

Chantal expanded ceramic bakeware with the new hearts collection. Available in hues of crimson, cobalt blue, and classic white, the Chantal Heart-Shaped Bakeware is designed to go from oven, broiler or microwave straight to the table. Star-shaped ceramic bakeware is also available.

This fits into the patriotic theme that was evident at some vendors at the Housewares Show. The colors of the American flag decorated dishware, glassware, and even thermal carrying containers. The strength of the trend may have initially taken the industry by surprise.

"It is a renewal of patriotism, with more at-home entertaining," said Mr. Joyce of Libbey. The Toledo company has a line of dishware called Stars and Stripes and two lines of glassware called Proudly, with red and white vertical stripes with a horizontal blue stripe with stars, and America's Strong glassware with red-and-white wavy stripes. All have proved to be popular.

New colors were introduced. "The palette becomes softer. It is not bold and bright. There are muted greens and blues. Purple might be used," said Ms. Casey-Weiss. "What is called fiber-optic colors are popular. These are iridescent or translucent. It's color that when you look at it, a couple of different colors are possible depending on how you turn the product."

Chantal displayed teapots, tea kettles, pie plates, and mini-fondue dishes in six colors. According to Chantal marketing manager Deborah Hollywood, the company was testing the colors and two would be introduced. Naming the colors is fun: the burnt orange-red, which I would call persimmon, was being labeled as tomato red.

Watch for enhanced safety factors on small appliances, including an automatic off feature; microwaves with internet connections to download recipes and information, and programmable small appliances.

Today's market is different. "Consumers are more aware of consumer price value. There's a status with brands," says Ms. Casey-Weiss. "Older consumers are more willing to restock their kitchens. They have more disposable income. They probably registered for the same thing that their parents did [when they were ready to be married]. Now the generation wants to step up in quality."