On Thu, 8 Mar 2012 16:59:35 -0800 (PST) in rec.food.cooking,
spamtrap1888 > wrote,
>On Mar 8, 4:37*pm, David Harmon > wrote:
>> I do not like that, I think you will mangle the lid and it will never
>> seal again. *I open jars by holding the base of the jar down flat on the
>> counter with one hand, then grasping the lid and twisting widershins
>> with the other hand. *How much easier than that could you want it?
>
>The political candidates where my MIL lives keep her and us stocked
>with rubber jar lid mats. These provide a good grip.

Cool. Do they have pictures of the candidates printed on them so you
can grab the edges and stretch them into whatever grotesque shape you
want while you listen to the candidates lie?

>My mother believed in breaking the suction to help open jars, however.
>She would bang the lid against our porcelained cast iron sink. I
>learned to rap sharply on the lid with a butter knife.

None of this banging, please! A rubber dishwashing glove serves for me
the purpose of your MIL's mats. In extremis I will hold the lid under
the hot water tap to expand it.