> So...what things to you have that you found out were
> really wonderful and/or terrible?

Since I'm tagged as the cook among my friends -- though I only do it
because otherwise I'd *starve* -- I get cooking paraphernalia as gifts.
I never wanted a microplaner, but I'm reasonably glad I got one,
though I've only used it like four times for nutmeg.

On the other hand, I've got this weird little thing and I'm not even
sure what it's for. It's like a very small handheld grinder: turning
a crank turns a little spiky wheel that forces *something* down into
some little parallel blades and then out.

But what?

As I recall, I was told it was an herb chopper, but for the life of me
I can't figure out what herb. I wouldn't put rosemary in the thing,
for example -- or thyme, or anything with a stem. Even assuming it
could handle basil, I think it'd just rip it into miscellaneous shapes
rather than nicely chop it.

Anyway, anybody have an idea of what I'm talking about? Obviously I
don't.

wrote:
> > So...what things to you have that you found out were
> > really wonderful and/or terrible?
>
> On the other hand, I've got this weird little thing and I'm not even
> sure what it's for. It's like a very small handheld grinder: turning
> a crank turns a little spiky wheel that forces *something* down into
> some little parallel blades and then out.
> Anyway, anybody have an idea of what I'm talking about? Obviously I
> don't.
Sounds to me like the little "parsley chopper" I thought I'd use, but
it's way too awkward. Sent it home with son at Thanksgiving time.

Something I never want to be without is my silly little 1 cup jar with
the top through which I put walnut halves to be crank-chopped. No
chopped-size choice, just what I would call medium-chop, and perfect
for my primary want of putting nuts in cookie batter. Easy to take
apart and clean, uses very little shelf space, and certainly cheap
enough to replace every year if need be. After using it for a few
months I did buy a spare just in case, but am still using only the
first one after more than ten years.

Another is the little wood block with the wire cheese slicer attached.
I used the same one for at least thirty years, only replacing it with
an all stainless one while buying same for my grandson to use with the
Pannini maker I got him for Christmas.

Picky

wrote:
>
> > So...what things to you have that you found out were
> > really wonderful and/or terrible?
>
> Since I'm tagged as the cook among my friends -- though I only do it
> because otherwise I'd *starve* -- I get cooking paraphernalia as gifts.
> I never wanted a microplaner, but I'm reasonably glad I got one,
> though I've only used it like four times for nutmeg.
>
> On the other hand, I've got this weird little thing and I'm not even
> sure what it's for. It's like a very small handheld grinder: turning
> a crank turns a little spiky wheel that forces *something* down into
> some little parallel blades and then out.
>
> But what?
>
> As I recall, I was told it was an herb chopper, but for the life of me
> I can't figure out what herb. I wouldn't put rosemary in the thing,
> for example -- or thyme, or anything with a stem. Even assuming it
> could handle basil, I think it'd just rip it into miscellaneous shapes
> rather than nicely chop it.
>
> Anyway, anybody have an idea of what I'm talking about? Obviously I
> don't.

I had one many years ago....It was for chopping nuts....Sharon

>> It's like a very small handheld grinder: turning
a crank turns a little spiky wheel that forces *something* down into
some little parallel blades and then out.

Where I live it is a parsley chopper, but then we use a lot of parsley.
I expect it would work for any leafy herb, like celery leaves?
"Trittaprezzemolo."

On Wed 15 Mar 2006 02:34:19a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Judith
Umbria?

>>> It's like a very small handheld grinder: turning
> a crank turns a little spiky wheel that forces *something* down into
> some little parallel blades and then out.
>
> Where I live it is a parsley chopper, but then we use a lot of parsley.
> I expect it would work for any leafy herb, like celery leaves?
> "Trittaprezzemolo."

Depends on the size. Larger versions of this design are for chopping nuts.
The smaller versions, as you said, are parsley choppers. I swear by the nut
chopper. My mom had one when I was growing up, and I have one now.
Depending on the direction you turn the handle, it chops fine or coarse. I
once owned a parsley chopper, but it never produced anything but mush. I
kept it around for years, then finally sold it at a garage sale. A knife
works much better for me.

--
Wayne Boatwright o¿o
____________________

BIOYA

In article .com>,
wrote:

> > So...what things to you have that you found out were
> > really wonderful and/or terrible?
>
> Since I'm tagged as the cook among my friends -- though I only do it
> because otherwise I'd *starve* -- I get cooking paraphernalia as gifts.
> I never wanted a microplaner, but I'm reasonably glad I got one,
> though I've only used it like four times for nutmeg.
>
> On the other hand, I've got this weird little thing and I'm not even
> sure what it's for. It's like a very small handheld grinder: turning
> a crank turns a little spiky wheel that forces *something* down into
> some little parallel blades and then out.
>
> But what?
>
> As I recall, I was told it was an herb chopper, but for the life of me
> I can't figure out what herb. I wouldn't put rosemary in the thing,
> for example -- or thyme, or anything with a stem. Even assuming it
> could handle basil, I think it'd just rip it into miscellaneous shapes
> rather than nicely chop it.
>
> Anyway, anybody have an idea of what I'm talking about? Obviously I
> don't.
>

A jpeg would help. :-)
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:

> In article .com>,
> wrote:
>
>
>>>So...what things to you have that you found out were
>>>really wonderful and/or terrible?
>>
>>Since I'm tagged as the cook among my friends -- though I only do it
>>because otherwise I'd *starve* -- I get cooking paraphernalia as gifts.
>> I never wanted a microplaner, but I'm reasonably glad I got one,
>>though I've only used it like four times for nutmeg.
>>
>>On the other hand, I've got this weird little thing and I'm not even
>>sure what it's for. It's like a very small handheld grinder: turning
>>a crank turns a little spiky wheel that forces *something* down into
>>some little parallel blades and then out.
>>

That sounds like a rotary grinder. Does it look like this or similar?
http://www.klinq.com/details.asp?mtc...&prodID=106444

>>But what?
>>
>>As I recall, I was told it was an herb chopper, but for the life of me
>>I can't figure out what herb. I wouldn't put rosemary in the thing,
>>for example -- or thyme, or anything with a stem. Even assuming it
>>could handle basil, I think it'd just rip it into miscellaneous shapes
>>rather than nicely chop it.
>>
>>Anyway, anybody have an idea of what I'm talking about? Obviously I
>>don't.
>>
>
>
> A jpeg would help. :-)

Yep

On 14 Mar 2006 13:16:52 -0800, wrote:

>> So...what things to you have that you found out were
>> really wonderful and/or terrible?
>
>Since I'm tagged as the cook among my friends -- though I only do it
>because otherwise I'd *starve* -- I get cooking paraphernalia as gifts.
> I never wanted a microplaner, but I'm reasonably glad I got one,
>though I've only used it like four times for nutmeg.
>
>On the other hand, I've got this weird little thing and I'm not even
>sure what it's for. It's like a very small handheld grinder: turning
>a crank turns a little spiky wheel that forces *something* down into
>some little parallel blades and then out.
>
>But what?

Garlic, I think, if it's what I'm picturing.

serene

"serene" > wrote in message
...
> On 14 Mar 2006 13:16:52 -0800, wrote:
>
>>> So...what things to you have that you found out were
>>> really wonderful and/or terrible?
>>
>>Since I'm tagged as the cook among my friends -- though I only
>>do it
>>because otherwise I'd *starve* -- I get cooking paraphernalia
>>as gifts.
>> I never wanted a microplaner, but I'm reasonably glad I got
>> one,
>>though I've only used it like four times for nutmeg.
>>
>>On the other hand, I've got this weird little thing and I'm not
>>even
>>sure what it's for. It's like a very small handheld grinder:
>>turning
>>a crank turns a little spiky wheel that forces *something* down
>>into
>>some little parallel blades and then out.
>>
>>But what?
>
> Garlic, I think, if it's what I'm picturing.
>
> serene

Sounds more like one of those herb cutters.

Audrey