Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Mine is the Garlic Twist. I had been using a garlic press but they're not fun to clean and feel a third squirts out the sides or is left inside to be cleaned out. The Twist is easy to clean, I swish it out with water or olive oil depending upon what I'm cooking, and it's an easy hand wash or dishwasher-safe. I use a lot of garlic and after going to the already-chopped garlic in jars because of the labor involved with the press, appreciate having the full garlic flavor once again. https://www.amazon.com/stores/NexTre...9?ref_=ast_bln
Mine is the Garlic Twist. I had been using a garlic press but they're not fun to clean and feel a third squirts out the sides or is left inside to be cleaned out. The Twist is easy to clean, I swish it out with water or olive oil depending upon what I'm cooking, and it's an easy hand wash or dishwasher-safe. I use a lot of garlic and after going to the already-chopped garlic in jars because of the labor involved with the press, appreciate having the full garlic flavor once again. https://www.amazon.com/stores/NexTre...9?ref_=ast_bln
OMG, I love this gadget! It made my most-hated cooking prep chore so easy. It's a game changer. Mine is pink. Thanks for the tip on swishing it out, I've been using a tiny brush and your idea is better.
Utility knife. Aka petty knife. Saw it on ATK and it's become one of my favorite, most used knives. It's smaller than a chef knife, so it fits better in my relatively small hands. Still need the chef knife, but this thing is great.
Probably everyone's favorite nontraditional kitchen gadget is the citrus zester. Did you know it started as a woodworking file to smooth wood? Some genius highjacked her husband's Microplane wood file from his workshop and used it to zest lemons. The trend caught on. The Microplane company then started a whole other sideline business, making dedicated "woodworking files" for the kitchen, a/k/a "zesters."
Julia Child had a blow-torch, for roasting bell-peppers. I just use the gas ring, but it can be a problem in an electric kitchen. I tried a blowtorch, but I guess I lacked the technique.
If you don't know about this, hold a bellpepper with a fork, right in the hottest flame. The skin will blacken, peel off easily like burnt paper, and the peppers scrumptious. Very mellow in a summer salad, or as a veg side.
======
When I wore out my wood pepper-grinder, I just poured pepper-corns between the folds of a dish-towel, hammered away at them with a claw-hammer until the desired fineness, and tossed them in the pot. Great for crushed peanuts, too.
The only non-traditional kitchen gadget I have is a Nutri Ninja Pro personal blender, which has this inverted vessel. It works well and makes some nice smoothies and juices that you can drink right from the vessel when you flip it back over - that's to me the main advantage over a traditional blender - less cleanup. Still, I am not found of taking machines apart, cleaning them, letting them dry and then reassembling them. I used it for awhile when I first got it to explore it... and yes, a smoothie made with yogurt and fresh fruit, even frozen fruit is definitely good :-). But it's been gathering dust for the past year - I am lazy and hate extra cleanup chores - I'll just throw my fruit in the yogurt in my serving bowl - it's not a smoothie, but it's simpler and easier and still good too. :-)
I don't know if it's considered non-traditional these days, but I think so, since most people don't use them now. I use a manual can opener, not an electric one. I buy the good ones (my current one is a Kitchen-Aid). It's easy to use, fast, and I keep it in a drawer, so fewer things on the counter. They also last longer than the electric ones, so saves money in the long run. It's a win-win for me.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
