/ck/ - Food & Cooking

>>6614728
You can also rock-chop the garlic, depending on how many cloves you have to do. Rock-chop is better if you have to do a bunch of them.

>>6614728
>knife blade facing the wrong way

Why not lay it so that the handle is where you can easily reach?

>>6614766
some people are dumb

>>6614766
Knife is just in there temporarily until my new magnetic knife block shows up, but good point.

>>6614766
Two guesses:

>everything is neatly arranged for the purpose of photography.
>maybe anon grabs it by the blade (covered with protector) and then grabs the handle with his dominant hand?

>>6614780
disregard coz i type slow. :(

>>6614776

>>6614780
>>6614766
Definitely better if I flip it around, handle down and on the left, peg on the other side of the sheath. Then I can pick up the handle with my right hand and remove the sheath and place it back in the drawer easily with my left. Just tried it.

>>6614728
Is that a wood file?

>>6614789
Between the grater and the measuring cups? It is a microplane grater, definitely the least-used tool in the drawer. You use it for zesting fruit and doing very fine grating of other things, like parmesan, ginger, and with chocolate for garnish.

>>6614800
Ahh, thanx for enlightening me. I hadn't seen one before.

>>6614728
I disagree with you on a Zyliss garlic press. Those things are awesome, plus with the little cleaning tool they clean up in about five seconds. I can rip out garlic cloves faster than a nigger can rape white wimmenz.

>>6614807
just realised this could read as sarcasm. i just posted a pic of a wood file to show why i asked the question.

yea

>>6614728
Are these kinds of rolling pins any good? I've only ever had the kind with the handles on an axle.

>>6614789
You're not far wrong. Their use in the kitchen was supposedly inspired by a chef using a wood rasp as a fine grater.

>>6614809
Yeah, I can see that if you've got a bunch to do, but unless I'm doing a big chili or soup I'm usually only doing 4-6 cloves max, so having a special tool for something I can do myself, but maybe a bit slower seems unnecessary.

>>6614811
Nah, I get ya.

>>6614814
They are less comfortable to use than the rolling pin type, but the main advantage is that they make it easier to shape dough, since you can stretch out some parts more than others. They're cheap, ~$10-20. I'd recommend trying one.

>>6614728
Fan of America's test kitchen?

>>6614728
Gadgets are useless, fucking faggot, why do liberal frisco yuppies think they can buy their way into my respect? I guarantee I can cook circles around you. You seem like the kind of cuck who buys jarred pasta sauce.

i wish my drawers were as well organized.

>>6615131
It's okay anon, we're all friends here. No need to defend your insecurities through boisterous boasting. Maybe one day you will be able to afford nice things and not won't have to weigh every penny to make rent. Maybe one day they will let you won't have to do everyone's prep and you'll get the position you deserve. I believe in you, anon.

>>6615131
winning the chilli competition at your county fair doesn't make you a cook

>>6614728
Your stuff drawer is so neatly organised.

Mine is a clusterfuck if all kinds of shit.

>>6615195
Yeah, I'm trying to make sure my kitchen stays more organized than in my previous place. I highly recommend the friction mat stuff I use in the photo. It is great for using on top of those metal wire shelves and in drawers so the stuff doesn't slip.

I still have a cabinet with unorganized, less-used stuff that doesn't fit in my nice and pretty gadgets drawer.

>>6615102
Guilty as charged.

>>6614728
I'm at work so I don't have the ability to take photos right now, but:

>Gadgets I own:
-a couple different microplane graters
-basting brush
-pastry scraper (used for cleaning the cutting board more than for dough)
-speed peeler
-thermocouple thermometer with a remote probe
-ball end whisk
-meat saw
-mandoline
-various attachments for my food processor & stand mixer

>>6616061
What's the advantage of a ball-end whisk over a traditional one? They look quite interesting.

In regards to all the garlic shenanigans....why no mention of mortar and pestle?

>>6616083

I like it because it gets into the corners of saucepans better than the more traditional shape which makes it better for stirring sauces & reductions. They also fit into smaller containers so if you need to mix up a small quantity of something that is handy.

I have seen other people post that they are easier to wash than the traditional type but I just toss them both in the dishwasher so they are equal effort as far as I know!

>>6616098
>why no mention of mortar and pestle?
You can do that, sure. But I just whack the garlic with the flat side of a cleaver. It peels and crushes the clove (or several cloves) at once. If you want the garlic fine then smack harder. Once you get the hang of it you will find it incredibly fast.

I got a 8" Chef knife today.
First utensil I've ever bought.

>>6614728

Big OXO Omelet turner, really handy

>>6614728

You've gotta have a flat whisk

anybody can recommend a knife block that will fit a chinese cleaver?

>>6616899
Maybe one of the plastic rod ones?

>>6617036
i read on amazon that after a while the rods bend and knives don't go in smoothly anymore. doesn't help they aren't great to look at.

>>6617057
Then I'd recommend you check out magnetic knife blocks / strips. They're pretty, and can hold any sized knife.

>>6614800
I use mine fairly often. Cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic, horseradish, and chiles in addition to what you mention. I have a two sized one, though, and don't even have a very coarse one like yours to the left of the microplane.
I definitely use it more than measuring devices (spoons, cups, thermometer), basting brush, bench scraper (though I'm very glad I have one when I make or roll dough on my counter), ice cream scoop, and tongs. The lack of use of measuring devices is just how I cook, though, nothing against them or anything. Tongs can be handy, but rarely more so for me than a spoon or a spatula (or two) that I have more accessible.
I couldn't do without my rubber spatulas.
>that glory when getting all but the faintest wisps of your reduction out of the pan

>>6617218
I do a fair amount of baking, and the basting brush is used for pie crusts & potatoes and whatnot pretty often, and I use the bench scraper all the time to...scrape off my big cutting board. You can't really get away from using measuring spoons for baking, though my cups see less use now that I do most stuff be weight. Usually when I'm serving cheese on top of a soup or chili, I'll use the coarse grater. I think it looks nicer, gives a bit more texture.

Tongs might actually be less than the microplane, I mainly use them for bacon. Ice cream scoop too, since I frequently just use my normal spoons for ice cream.

>rubber spatula
my nigga

>>6617230
here is >>6617218
things

Other things that aren't used as often are strewn all over, too. Things like piping tips, cheese cloth, skewers, grinder paraphernalia, mortar and pestle, and lots of other stuff that is a rarity in use but nice to have. Hand me down marble rolling pin from great grandmother is in another drawer because it has made bestial demands.
And yeah, if I did more precise baking, I would use the measuring spoons more, but even my baking tends to be
>eh, eyeball it
or
>half this soup spoon, good nuff
and I get good results
I moved the pastry brush to the top to point it out. That little hook thing is awesome for hanging it on the lip of a bowl or pot. I have replaced it several times over the years and always search for another just like it when the time comes.