With Christmas coming up, let me give you a "heads up," on a really cook
cooking tool at Williams and Sonoma. I got one and liked it so well I
got one for my son, down in TX. It's a combination garlic crusher and
garlic slicer, for about $23, as I recall. As a stand alone garlic
crusher, it's fine, but right behind the crusher are parallel blades
that another anvil with teeth will force a clove of garlic through,
giving you very nice parallel slices. If you do the "stab and insert
garlic" method on roasts, the little slices are perfect. They also are
terrific in soups, chili and other dishes where you want garlic with a
bit more of a visual presence than just the flavor of crushed.

I've also tried my little slicer with whole button mushrooms and olives
with great success. If you spend time with a knife and cutting board to
do any of the above, you might really enjoy this kitchen toy.
--
---Nonnymus---
In the periodic table, as in politics,
the unstable elements tend to hang out on
the far left, with some to the right as well.