zester Archives - Good Food St. Louis

Chef Favorite Cooking Tools

June 28, 2020

Mortar and pestle, a welcome addition to any kitchen.

The Big Question

Five renown chefs were asked which kitchen tools they favored. Now that’s a tough question for any cook, because it’s hard to narrow it down to one item. But these professional cooks gamely complied.

I wasn’t surprised by their answers. One said mortar and pestle (Though my grandson uses mine more than I do.) When I use a mortar and pestle, I always think of the weird witches in Macbeth, stirring a cauldron and repeating: “Eye of newt, and toe of frog, wool of bat, and tongue of dog, adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting, lizard’s leg, and owlet’s wing.“

A Kitchen Crutch

Another chef said he favored an immersion blender, that’s great for turning out creamy soups. One chef picked his fine set of Japanese knives, especially the wide blade cleaver. He even used the cleaver to peel vegetables, though it seemed very awkward. A potato peeler would be faster and safer.

Microplane perfect for zesting.

The Versatile Microplane

Two of the chefs chose the microplane. This grater-on-a-stick eases many a kitchen task. Both chefs sited its versatility in grating garlic, ginger, chocolate, Parmesan cheese, and spices, such as whole nutmeg, and cinnamon sticks. Zesting lemons, limes and oranges is a breeze. You can also make fluffy cheese curls, that melt nicely.

The chefs recommended replacing a microplane every few year, since it will get dull over time. Like a serrated knife it can’t be sharpened.

The handle on my much-used microplane keeps slipping off, so I have to hold it gingerly. I’m thinking this could be fixed with a bit of glue. On the other hand, a replacement is overdue, so I might just shuffle it to the back of my utensil drawer. Then, pop for a new one with sharper teeth and a sturdier handle.

On line, I checked for more chef-favored kitchen tools. Rachel Ray likes her extra large cutting board. She uses it over the sink so she can chop and drop. Giada De Laurentiis goes for a OXO Good Grip Wooden Spoon. While Yotam Ottolenghi favors a potato ricer for creamy, cooked root vegetables. The ricer makes for “mega smooth” potatoes, he said.

Lovin’ my new Boos Block

Chef Favorites Under $50

Chefs picked kitchen scissors, metal mixing bowls, bench scraper (used for handling dough and moving chopped veggies easily from chop block to pot). Also mentioned: silicone spatulas, (that don’t scratch pans) and cake testers, (when you want to know what’s going on inside a cake or to check vegetables for doneness).

Another must-have for the serious cook is a mandoline, that can turn out even slices quickly and safely. There’s one kitchen helper I don’t have: a knife sharpening stone or whetstone. (This one’s on my kitchen bucket list.)

A mandoline turns out perfect slices with every stroke and has a hand protector that keeps your digits at a safe distance.

My Favorites

When I thought about my favorites, I couldn’t pick just one. I prefer certain items at different times, depending on when and what I’m cooking. In the summer I’m constantly reaching for my serrated tomato knife. At Thanksgiving, it’s my potato ricer. When making soup, I love cutting the vegetables on my new Boos 12x16x2-inch cutting board. For taking honey from a jar, I find it fun to use a honey dipper. I use my cast iron skillet nearly every day.

As you can see, I’m a gadget junkie, which explains why my utensil drawers and countertops are overrun. Despite my affinity for kitchen gadgetry, I still peel ginger with a spoon and shake garlic skin loose in a Mason jar.

Bench Scraper

A serrated tomato knife

When Life Brings You Lemons, Make Dessert!

September 25, 2018

Among their other gardening pursuits, my nephew, Bob Carnahan, and his wife, Peggy, raise lemons and limes on their deck in Marshfield.

“Lemon tree, very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet, but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.” Or so went the “bittersweet” melody by Peter, Paul and Mary. While you’re not likely to munch on a lemon as you would an apple, the juice and zest will bring tang to your recipes and brightness to your life.

Lush-leaf limes thrive on a sunny deck.

Taking a Tree into Your Home

Bob and Peggy took up citrus growing after having had an avocado tree (nourished from a seed) turn their living room into a “Little Shop of Horrors,” demanding space, but producing no blooms or fruit. After several years of babying the “Invader,” they returned the plant to Mother Nature and reclaimed their living room.

Next, they turned to citrus growing with the purchase of several dwarf fruit trees from Stark Nurseries that, if pruned, stay under three feet.

Bob Carnahan with his Black Angus herd

Peggy Carnahan with the “apple harvest.” Both Peggy and Bob are retired Air Force jet pilots.

A Few Questions

I quizzed Bob and Peggy about their mini citrus grove:

How long did it take your lemon and lime trees to produce? “We have Key Limes and the thin-skinned Meyer Lemons. The first year the trees encouraged us with blooms and even a few pieces of fruit. But they soon fell off. By year three we had 9 lemons and more than 20 limes.”

Is there a difference in the taste of homegrown citrus? “The fruit is milder and more distinctive, but the smell doesn’t seem to be as intense as the fruits I’ve seen grown in large Florida groves.”

Where do your trees reside? “They go outdoors after the last frost and stay until the first fall frost. Indoors, we keep them in a sunny spot on an enclosed porch and trick them into thinking they’re in Florida by using a space heater when needed.”

How hard are the trees to grow? “They require good sun, soil and water and occasional plant food. In January, we sometimes have to deal with aphids. Surprisingly, the trees have some thorns, that you have to handle with caution.”

Lovin’ Them Lemons

Lemon are nutritious little work horses with the same vitamins and minerals as other citrus fruits, but with less sugar. On the health scale, one lemon provides half your daily requirement of vitamin C. They also improves blood pressure, heart function, cell growth, and cholesterol levels.

Good News!

Drinking lemon water made lab mice gain less weight when eating fatty foods. (Hmm. . . next time you might want to wash that lasagna down with a glass of fresh-squeezed lemon juice.)

It’s easier to zest before squeezing a lemon. Using a microplane helps leave behind the bitter, white pith just under the skin.

Add Some Zest to Your Life

Lemons and limes are expensive, so it’s a good idea to use both the juice and the zest. Before juicing, bring the fruit to room temperature and roll it beneath your palm to extract maximum juice. Or zap the fruit in the microwave for 30 seconds to soften it up.

The average lemon will deliver 3-4 tablespoons of juice and one tablespoon zest. Limes are a bit stingier. You get only one tablespoon juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons zest.

Bob and Peggy put their limes to good use with a pair of margaritas and bowl of chips and guacamole.

At Amazon I ran onto a half dozen, or more, cookbooks, that were entirely about cooking with citrus. Sweet and Tart: 70 Irresistible Recipes with Citrus has a recipe for Lemony Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler, that caught my eye, as did the Roasted Pear Tart with limoncello custard and rosemary. More on those later.

Here’s a few of my favorite ways to use lemons: