I saw one hanging in a restaurant's kitchen and wonder if it serves a need no other cooking tool can perform. If you own one, what's your verdict? Thanks.

On Apr 28, 11:01*am, Kalmia > wrote:
> I saw one hanging in a restaurant's kitchen and wonder if it serves a need no other cooking tool can perform. *If you own one, what's your verdict? *Thanks.

I use it for straining the seeds out of berries to make jelly. I think
that's about the only time I use mine.

On 4/28/2013 1:01 PM, Kalmia wrote:
> I saw one hanging in a restaurant's kitchen and wonder if it serves a need no other cooking tool can perform. If you own one, what's your verdict? Thanks.

Never found a need for a chinois. I have a fine mesh sieve or sifter,
and I use that.

Becca

On Sun, 28 Apr 2013 11:01:07 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

> I saw one hanging in a restaurant's kitchen and wonder if it serves a need no other cooking tool can perform. If you own one, what's your verdict? Thanks.
>
My SIL had one and loved it. I would have liked one back when I made
larger amounts of stock, but I learned how to use a colander/strainer
and survived without one. IMO, they're too expensive to be used so
little. Good for a professional kitchen, but not for mine. I
wouldn't turn it down if someone wanted to give me one though.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On 4/28/2013 12:01 PM, Kalmia wrote:
> I saw one hanging in a restaurant's kitchen and wonder if it serves a need no other cooking tool can perform. If you own one, what's your verdict? Thanks.
>
>
>


I have one that was my late mother-in-law's. I used it lot more often
years ago when we lived in N.E. and had better access to quantities of
fresh fruit.

It is very good for jam making and applesauce, both of which can be done
instead with sieves or strainers.

gloria p

Kalmia wrote:
>
>I saw one hanging in a restaurant's kitchen and wonder
>if it serves a need no other cooking tool can perform.
>If you own one, what's your verdict?

I see no use for a chinois in a home kitchen, not even in a commercial
kitchen... it's an atiquated relic, only a baby step above Cro Magnon,
in the same realm as mortar and pestle... nowadays there are far more
sophisticated tools, some are hand operated and some are motorized.
For occasional use in a typical home kitchen a hand cranked food mill
is a much better choice, and there are many types for different
purposes, but not are very costly. And once the main bulk of solids
are separated out if one wants a finer degree of separation there are
fine wire sieves and paper filters that are far more efficient than
any chinois. There are inexpensive and very efficient hand cranked
tools for separating seeds from berries and tomatoes too. The chinois
was developed centuries before the technology existed to produce fine
wire sieves.

On Sun, 28 Apr 2013 19:00:58 -0400, Brooklyn1
> wrote:

>Kalmia wrote:
>>
>>I saw one hanging in a restaurant's kitchen and wonder
>>if it serves a need no other cooking tool can perform.
>>If you own one, what's your verdict?
>
>I see no use for a chinois in a home kitchen, not even in a commercial
>kitchen... it's an atiquated relic, only a baby step above Cro Magnon,
>in the same realm as mortar and pestle... nowadays there are far more
>sophisticated tools, some are hand operated and some are motorized.
>For occasional use in a typical home kitchen a hand cranked food mill
>is a much better choice, and there are many types for different
>purposes, but not are very costly. And once the main bulk of solids
>are separated out if one wants a finer degree of separation there are
>fine wire sieves and paper filters that are far more efficient than
>any chinois. There are inexpensive and very efficient hand cranked
>tools for separating seeds from berries and tomatoes too. The chinois
>was developed centuries before the technology existed to produce fine
>wire sieves.

I've never used a chinois or seen one in operation. Does it or does
it not do as good a job as cheese cloth to produce a clear broth?
(does a chinois come in different grades of 'fine?') Is there a time
advantage to using a chinois -- that is, does it work faster than a
fine-meshed strainer or other methods? As you say, there are many
products and ways to remove seeds that are less bulky.
signed Curious

On Sunday, April 28, 2013 7:26:24 PM UTC-4, Janet Bostwick wrote:
> On Sun, 28 Apr 2013 19:00:58 -0400, Brooklyn1
>
> > wrote:
>
>
>
> >Kalmia wrote:
>
> >>
>
> >>I saw one hanging in a restaurant's kitchen and wonder
>
> >>if it serves a need no other cooking tool can perform.
>
> >>If you own one, what's your verdict?
>
> >
>
> >I see no use for a chinois in a home kitchen, not even in a commercial
>
> >kitchen... it's an atiquated relic, only a baby step above Cro Magnon,
>
> >in the same realm as mortar and pestle... nowadays there are far more
>
> >sophisticated tools, some are hand operated and some are motorized.
>
> >For occasional use in a typical home kitchen a hand cranked food mill
>
> >is a much better choice, and there are many types for different
>
> >purposes, but not are very costly. And once the main bulk of solids
>
> >are separated out if one wants a finer degree of separation there are
>
> >fine wire sieves and paper filters that are far more efficient than
>
> >any chinois. There are inexpensive and very efficient hand cranked
>
> >tools for separating seeds from berries and tomatoes too. The chinois
>
> >was developed centuries before the technology existed to produce fine
>
> >wire sieves.
>
>
>
> I've never used a chinois or seen one in operation. Does it or does
>
> it not do as good a job as cheese cloth to produce a clear broth?
>
> (does a chinois come in different grades of 'fine?') Is there a time
>
> advantage to using a chinois -- that is, does it work faster than a
>
> fine-meshed strainer or other methods? As you say, there are many
>
> products and ways to remove seeds that are less bulky.
>
> signed Curious


I imagine they'd be a lot faster to use to strain a ton of stock, than, say, setting up cheesecloth in a sieve, which would be MY method. I guess they have their uses in a busy commercial kitchen.

I didn't ask the chef how often he used it - just happened to note it hanging there.

I saw one with a hefty, wooden masher in an antique shop - 19 bucks. But the chinois was dark metal, not quite pitted but---well, not spanking clean. Prob. 90 years old.

On Sun, 28 Apr 2013 16:57:21 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

> I saw one with a hefty, wooden masher in an antique shop - 19 bucks. But the chinois was dark metal, not quite pitted but---well, not spanking clean. Prob. 90 years old.

Only $19 and with a masher? Get it and figure out the details later.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Sun, 28 Apr 2013 17:26:24 -0600, Janet Bostwick
> wrote:

>On Sun, 28 Apr 2013 19:00:58 -0400, Brooklyn1
> wrote:
>
>>Kalmia wrote:
>>>
>>>I saw one hanging in a restaurant's kitchen and wonder
>>>if it serves a need no other cooking tool can perform.
>>>If you own one, what's your verdict?
>>
>>I see no use for a chinois in a home kitchen, not even in a commercial
>>kitchen... it's an atiquated relic, only a baby step above Cro Magnon,
>>in the same realm as mortar and pestle... nowadays there are far more
>>sophisticated tools, some are hand operated and some are motorized.
>>For occasional use in a typical home kitchen a hand cranked food mill
>>is a much better choice, and there are many types for different
>>purposes, but not are very costly. And once the main bulk of solids
>>are separated out if one wants a finer degree of separation there are
>>fine wire sieves and paper filters that are far more efficient than
>>any chinois. There are inexpensive and very efficient hand cranked
>>tools for separating seeds from berries and tomatoes too. The chinois
>>was developed centuries before the technology existed to produce fine
>>wire sieves.
>
>I've never used a chinois or seen one in operation. Does it or does
>it not do as good a job as cheese cloth to produce a clear broth?

Clarifying stock has nothing to do with straining.
http://www.saveur.com/article/Techni...ith-a-Egg-Raft

"Kalmia" > wrote in message
...
>I saw one hanging in a restaurant's kitchen and wonder if it serves a need
>no other cooking tool can perform. If you own one, what's your verdict?
>Thanks.
>
>
>

a Chinois and a China Cap are two different things. A china cap has
relatively large holes, compared to the fine mesh screen of a Chinois.

I have a couple, and use them once in a while. Great for sauces.

Kalmia > wrote:

-snip-

>I saw one with a hefty, wooden masher in an antique shop - 19 bucks.
>But the chinois was dark metal, not quite pitted but---well, not spanking
>clean. Prob. 90 years old.

if this was the 'masher'-
http://www.amazon.com/HIC-Brands-Coo.../dp/B0042KZ9KK
Then it would be an OK purchase.

I used to mine for applesauce and tomato juice. Now I use a food
mill on the mixer and do twice the job in 1/4 of the time with about
1/4 of the mess- and 1/10 of the effort.
[I think I have properly apportioned the fractions-- but bottom line
is-- I've got one in the basement, un-used for decades]

Jim

On Apr 28, 6:57*pm, Kalmia > wrote:
> On Sunday, April 28, 2013 7:26:24 PM UTC-4, Janet Bostwick wrote:
> > On Sun, 28 Apr 2013 19:00:58 -0400, Brooklyn1
>
> > > wrote:
>
> > >Kalmia wrote:
>
> > >>I saw one hanging in a restaurant's kitchen and wonder
>
> > >>if it serves a need no other cooking tool can perform.
>
> > >>If you own one, what's your verdict?
>
> > >I see no use for a chinois in a home kitchen, not even in a commercial
>
> > >kitchen... it's an atiquated relic, only a baby step above Cro Magnon,
>
> > >in the same realm as mortar and pestle... nowadays there are far more
>
> > >sophisticated tools, some are hand operated and some are motorized.
>
> > >For occasional use in a typical home kitchen a hand cranked food mill
>
> > >is a much better choice, and there are many types for different
>
> > >purposes, but not are very costly. *And once the main bulk of solids
>
> > >are separated out if one wants a finer degree of separation there are
>
> > >fine wire sieves and paper filters that are far more efficient than
>
> > >any chinois. *There are inexpensive and very efficient hand cranked
>
> > >tools for separating seeds from berries and tomatoes too. *The chinois
>
> > >was developed centuries before the technology existed to produce fine
>
> > >wire sieves.
>
> > I've never used a chinois or seen one in operation. *Does it or does
>
> > it not do as good a job as cheese cloth to produce a clear broth?
>
> > (does a chinois come in different grades of 'fine?') Is there a time
>
> > advantage to using a chinois -- that is, does it work faster than a
>
> > fine-meshed strainer or other methods? *As you say, there are many
>
> > products and ways to remove seeds that are less bulky.
>
> > signed Curious
>
> I imagine they'd be a lot faster to use to strain a ton of stock, than, say, setting up cheesecloth in a sieve, which would be MY method. *I guess they have their uses in a busy commercial kitchen.
>
> I didn't ask the chef how often he used it - just happened to note it hanging there.
>
> I saw one with a hefty, wooden masher in an antique shop - 19 bucks. *But the chinois was dark metal, not quite pitted but---well, not spanking clean. Prob. 90 years old.

Mine is antique..my granny's..with the wooden cone-style pusher. I
use it only for jelly making and applesauce, but a regular modern food
mill would probably do the same thing.

N.

On Monday, April 29, 2013 8:07:25 AM UTC-4, James Elbrecht wrote:
> Kalmia > wrote:
>
>
>
> -snip-
>
>
>
> >I saw one with a hefty, wooden masher in an antique shop - 19 bucks.
>
> >But the chinois was dark metal, not quite pitted but---well, not spanking
>
> >clean. Prob. 90 years old.
>
>
>
> if this was the 'masher'-
>
> http://www.amazon.com/HIC-Brands-Coo.../dp/B0042KZ9KK
>
> Then it would be an OK purchase.

The end wasn't pointed. Rounded as I recall.

I just mash my applesauce with a potato masher. I do it right in the crockpot after the apples are good n soft.

On Sunday, April 28, 2013 8:45:25 PM UTC-4, sf wrote:
> On Sun, 28 Apr 2013 16:57:21 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
>
> > wrote:
>
>
>
> > I saw one with a hefty, wooden masher in an antique shop - 19 bucks. But the chinois was dark metal, not quite pitted but---well, not spanking clean. Prob. 90 years old.
>
>
>
> Only $19 and with a masher? Get it and figure out the details later.


Ha. It would mean a 120 mile round trip. No way and I don't plan to go thru that town ever again. I bet there are lots of em tho lurking in other shops. Not that I think I really need one after reading the replies here.

On Sunday, April 28, 2013 11:58:12 PM UTC-4, Pico Rico wrote:
>
> a Chinois and a China Cap are two different things. A china cap has
>
> relatively large holes, compared to the fine mesh screen of a Chinois.

Sur la Table doesn't even recognize the China Cap term. They DO list
a chinois for 139 bucks ( cripe - must be platinum), but they also list 'conical strainers' for around 30 bucks. Hard to tell from the photos about the quantity or size of the holes.

You must be a real avid cook if you a. own and b. use these. My china cap's doffed to you.

On Sunday, April 28, 2013 9:33:33 PM UTC-4, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>
>
> Clarifying stock has nothing to do with straining.
>
> http://www.saveur.com/article/Techni...ith-a-Egg-Raft

I am just dying to try an egg raft. Thanks.

I tried that method of dragging paper towel strips across the top of a broth, but it was messy and very time consuming.

On Mon, 29 Apr 2013 06:55:28 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

>On Sunday, April 28, 2013 9:33:33 PM UTC-4, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>>
>>
>> Clarifying stock has nothing to do with straining.
>>
>> http://www.saveur.com/article/Techni...ith-a-Egg-Raft
>
>I am just dying to try an egg raft. Thanks.
>
>I tried that method of dragging paper towel strips across the top of a broth, but it was messy and very time consuming.

I follow this technique and get a consomme that tastes fantastic-
*and* is as clear as a fine gemstone.
http://www.food.com/recipe/beef-cons...#ixzz1CO47WPz9

In this the beef and egg form a completely tasteless 'raft'. After
removing the raft I strain through a cloth becaue the raft always
loses little bits.

The method in the saveur link above looks like it might be worth a
try, though.
" Stir beaten egg whites into simmering broth. Stop stirring and the
egg whites will rise to the surface, forming—you guessed it—a raft. As
it bubbles, the raft attracts all stray particles."


Jim

"Kalmia" > wrote in message
...
> On Sunday, April 28, 2013 9:33:33 PM UTC-4, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>>
>>
>> Clarifying stock has nothing to do with straining.
>>
>> http://www.saveur.com/article/Techni...ith-a-Egg-Raft
>
> I am just dying to try an egg raft. Thanks.
>
> I tried that method of dragging paper towel strips across the top of a
> broth, but it was messy and very time consuming.

you should not beat the egg whites to a froth. That will incorporate too
much air, and it will rise too fast. Lightly beaten is the way to go.

Janet Bostwick wrote:

> I've never used a chinois or seen one in operation. Does it or does
> it not do as good a job as cheese cloth to produce a clear broth?

It's easier to use than cheesecloth for broth, but the results are about the
same.

I once had one, and it had only one application where it shined -- straining
berry pulp. But it still took a lot more work than a rotary food mill.