What odd or especially useful kitchen gadget do you love? - Page 6 - Recipes & Cooking Advice - Eat Your Books

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#103 Posted : Tuesday, June 2, 2020 3:08:22 PM(UTC)

bittrette - I think you may be using a different Microplane than we are.  We are talking about the rasp (long thin) that has slightly curved edges. So you hold the citrus fruit in your left (if you are right-handed) and the zester blades down in your right. Then pass the rasp over the fruit, collecting the zest in the top side of the rasp. If you get too much zest to hold in the edges then turn over the rasp over a bowl and tap to knock it out.


This is the grater on Amazon.

#104 Posted : Friday, June 5, 2020 2:11:02 PM(UTC)

Ah, I thought you were talking about the Flexizesti.


ETA: During this lockdown I discovered a second use for one of my gadgets. I made caramelized (not sautéed) onions for the first time, and it won't be the last time I make them. To get them from the pot to the plate, a spaghetti fork is just the thing. I suppose you can use spaghetti tongs if that's what you use for spaghetti.


As for the tuna can drainer, it's not as important anymore. As tuna canners put less fish and more liquid in each can, you can remove the excess liquid just by pressing the lid down, after you've removed it with a can opener.

#105 Posted : Sunday, September 20, 2020 10:51:20 AM(UTC)

My milk frother! I use it for small batch whipped cream- that definitely increases our consumption of this treat.

#106 Posted : Sunday, September 20, 2020 11:34:22 AM(UTC)

My choice is a simple little set of individual silicone muffin cups (1/3 cup volume).......in which I have NEVER baked muffins!  However, I use them to make individual egg bakes that I then pop into a Tupperware container in the fridge for quick winter breakfasts. They also make a great mold for freezing small portions of caramelized onions, soffritto, pesto etc and I really like having frozen 1\3 cup portions of homemade stocks for quick additions of extra liquid to soups, stews etc.  Food pops out effortlessly (far easier than ice cube trays in my experience) and they are much quicker to clean than my traditional muffin pan.  I also find it easy to slice chunks off of these little frozen "hockey pucks" with a sharp knife as needed.  My freezer is FULL of prepped ingredients where these little guys lent a hand.

#51 Posted : Saturday, March 20, 2021 1:52:14 PM(UTC)

Barb_N;18796 wrote:
I have loved my flexizesti for citrus. I took a calculated risk and used it to grate garlic; alas I can't rid it of the smell. Now I will own two- one dedicated to citrus, one to garlic. I keep my knuckles and fingernails intact with the flexizesti much more easily than the Microplane.


Anther word of caution about using the flexi-zesti for garlic. After doing so a handful of times, I can't rid it of the garlic smell. Fortunately I have a separate one for citrus, but I can't store the garlic scented one in the drawer, even after soaking in dish soap and running it through the dishwasher. This is not a problem with the original microplane grater. The plastic must absorb the odor.

#108 Posted : Saturday, March 27, 2021 3:43:33 PM(UTC)

If you are willing to try a science experiment, there might be a way to remove the odor.


There is a trick using baking soda, salt, aluminum foil and boiling water for removing tarnish from silver. It works because the the tarnish is a sulphur compound. But the sulphur has a greater affinity for the aluminum than it does for the silver alloy.


The odor of garlic is a sulphur compound as well. It's worth a try to see if it would work with the silicone. It might not. I've seen things indicating that the silver needs to be in contact with the aluminum foil, suggesting there might be an electirical/ionic component to the effect. But all the parts are cheap and in the house, so might as well try.

#109 Posted : Saturday, March 27, 2021 11:41:52 PM(UTC)

Quote:
What odd or especially useful kitchen gadget do you love?
I have this silicone garlic peeled tube I got as a bonus when I ordered a really good garlic press. It's wonderful in quickly getting the garlic cloves cleaned and ready to press!


I had, but lost in a move, a silicone flat gripper that made quick work of getting tight lids off jars. Been trying to find another one like it but can't seem to locate anything similar. I got,one with the teeth-grip and a handle that works ok, but it isn't as simple or as easy to use as that old silicone grip.