"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "D.Currie" > wrote:
>
>> "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>> >
>> >>
>> >> Gloves are another thing. Rubber gloves, latex gloves; whatever. I
>> >> don't
>> >> think food is "icky" and I never saw the sense in using rubber gloves
>> >> for
>> >> washing dishes or handling food, but lately I've been battling a
>> >> little
>> >> rash
>> >> on my hands, and I've taken to wearing gloves when I'm working in the
>> >> kitchen. Seems to be helping while I narrow down the exact cause.
>> >> Using
>> >> gloves while handling dough is kind of weird, so I just bought some
>> >> fabric
>> >> "dough gloves" which I never would have bought otherwise. They work. I
>> >> don't
>> >> know if I'll continue using them forever, but for now, they're a
>> >> keeper.
>> >
>> > I _hate_ mixing ground meat with my hands but it's really the only way.
>> > Latex gloves that I purchase by the box are a godsend for that chore,
>> > and indespensible when working with hot peppers. ;-)
>>
>> Last time I ordered goves, I bought a box each of latex, vinyl, and
>> nitrile.
>> I've got to say that I'm leaning toward the nitrile ones. they're a
>> little
>> more expensive, but I've found that I can take them off and put them on
>> again pretty easily.
>>
>> And now that I've gotten used to using them, I'm finding all sorts of
>> additional benefits. Like if you've got that little cut and you're
>> peeling
>> tomatoes or squeezing lemons, you aren't putting acid in the wound. And
>> you
>> don't have to worry about handling peppers or getting that opnion or
>> garlic
>> smell out of your hands.
>
> Mmm, that's not a bad idea.
> I've been cooking with a LOT more fresh garlic lately now that I've
> found those monster cloves and My Thanh for $1.49 per lb. I've been
> needing it for it's antibiotic properties. Just been peeling it
> carefully, then pressing it.
>
> A lot of people are developing allergies to latex, so nitrile is not a
> bad idea.

My understanding with latex allergies is that they develop over time with a
lot of exposure, so people who've worn them for years will suddenly develop
problems.

The nitrile ones are nice, and I got them with textured fingers, so the grip
is good.


>
>>
>>
>> >>
>> >> Electric meat slicer. Yeah, who needs a meat slicer if you have a
>> >> sharp
>> >> knife? This isn't something I use every day, but when I have a beef
>> >> roast
>> >> and I want thin slices for sandwiches or Italian beef this thing is
>> >> great.
>> >> Or for nice even slices of anything. Bread, cheese....Yes, I still
>> >> slice
>> >> things by hand a lot of the time, especially when it's small
>> >> quantities,
>> >> but
>> >> this is a nice thing to have on hand when I need it.
>> >
>> > After a very, very serious cut to my fingers, I now use a cheese board
>> > for slicing cheese. It's just a wire and gives you ultimate "thin"
>> > control. I use a knife for everything else. Electric slicers are still
>> > not something I use.
>>
>> I'd never use this thing without the guard, but it's great when I'm doing
>> quanities of something. One or two sandwiches, I'd slice by hand. But I
>> just
>> sliced most of a beef roast into thin, even slices, and it was a breeze.
>
> We have a large box mandolin somewhere with 3 blades. Mom used to to
> make 'kraut. I probably have a small one somewhere but for quantities,
> I have one of those rotary thingies that I posted awhile back with 5
> barrels, one of which is a fine slicer. :-)
>
>>
>> >
>> > My very sharp cleaver can slice meat paper thin with care.
>>
>> I can do thin slices with a knife, but then I have to be neat and careful
>> and it takes a lot more time. The slicer really speeds things up a lot.
>
> I ran across an ancient meat slicer and it's out in "excess stuff"
> storage on the sun porch but I know where it is. If I buy hams anymore,
> I have them sliced before I leave the store.
>
> This one is not electric, it's crank, but oh man does that thing have
> some memories!!!! It's as old as I am.

I had an old rickety one that probably cost $25 new, and it was a bear to
clean. Crud got everywhere. I decided I wanted a new one for Christmas, so I
got a good one. It's not something that I'll use every day, but every time I
use it, I happy that I have it.


>
>>
>> >
>> >>
>> >> On the other hand, I've gone though so many cheese grating devices in
>> >> my
>> >> time...this must be my major impulse-buy weakness. I was cleaning out
>> >> kitchen gadgets a while back, and I got rid of quite a few grating
>> >> devices
>> >> that just didn't do the job. I had rotary graters and box graters, and
>> >> all
>> >> sorts of stupid gadgets. For big jobs, my kitchenaid has a grater
>> >> device
>> >> which does a good job, but I went through a lot of hand graters before
>> >> I
>> >> figured out what I liked for the small jobs.
>> >
>> > <lol> I have a nice tower grater that works for various things, I
>> > mostly
>> > use it for fresh ginger. I have a rotary grater for carrots etc. If I
>> > need grated cheese, I buy it PRE-GRATED! It's the same price as block
>> > cheese so why not? It freezes well and I mostly use it for cooking so
>> > texture is not an issue.
>>
>> There's a cheese import warehouse in town and they've got a huge variety
>> of
>> interesting cheeses. The only way to buy is in chunks. No slices, no
>> pre-grated.
>
> Bummer!

Yeah, especially when I go there and bust the budget on cheese. They've got
some interesting choices. And they've got a table where they sell older
cheeses at a discount. Let's see...aged cheese that's getting older...

And they've always got samples of a few cheeses, which is nice. You see it
in the package and it's no big deal, but you taste it...mmmmmm.... I bought
some goat cheese gouda last week that was really tasty. This week I found a
smoked cheddar that's quite fun.

>
>>
>>
>> >
>> >>
>> >> So...what things to you have that you found out were really wonderful
>> >> and/or
>> >> terrible?
>> >
>> > I used to hate garlic presses until I found the right one. :-)
>> > Now I swear by it.
>> >
>>
>> I've never found one that I like. I usually just bash and chop by hand.
>> So,
>> which one works for you?
>>
>> Donna
>
> It's a cylinder type. Looks like an itty bitty potato ricer.
> I have to go to work here in a minute, but I'll take a post a picture.
> :-) It really is the gods!
>

Good deal. Every time I buy one, I use it once and hate it.

Donna