Comments on: An Ode to a Microplane http://leitesculinaria.com/31425/writings-ode-to-a-microplane.html#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed Recipes, Food, and Cooking Blog Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:52:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dan Kraan, LC Community Moderator http://leitesculinaria.com/31425/writings-ode-to-a-microplane.html#comment-37619 Dan Kraan, LC Community Moderator Wed, 03 Aug 2011 01:18:09 +0000 http://leitesculinaria.com/?p=31425#comment-37619 Well... it finally happened. My "restaurant-take-home-full-of-dried Parmesan" rotary cheese grater finally died (you know the restaurant). Not bad for $10 and a 15-year life span. However, I have moved on over to the Microplane side of things. I got not one, but two! One is for grating hard cheeses, such as Reggiano and zesting. It also does a superb job of prepping grated ginger! The other is for general grating, and I still have yet to try it. So far, I love the one, and the other... who knows? Perhaps I've found another couple of winners! Well… it finally happened. My “restaurant-take-home-full-of-dried Parmesan” rotary cheese grater finally died (you know the restaurant). Not bad for $10 and a 15-year life span. However, I have moved on over to the Microplane side of things. I got not one, but two! One is for grating hard cheeses, such as Reggiano and zesting. It also does a superb job of prepping grated ginger! The other is for general grating, and I still have yet to try it. So far, I love the one, and the other… who knows? Perhaps I’ve found another couple of winners!

]]> By: Rick Casner http://leitesculinaria.com/31425/writings-ode-to-a-microplane.html#comment-21452 Rick Casner Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:53:34 +0000 http://leitesculinaria.com/?p=31425#comment-21452 I know, I know....a little late but.... Scissors!!! Not poultry shears or any other fancy kitchen gimcrackery, just a pair of scissors. 'Fiskers' with those orange handles are nice. I use 'em for everything... Chopping up parsley in a teacup, cutting the ends off green beans, cutting up canned tomatos and grilled sausage into the 'Red Sauce'. Hell when the kids were little, I even used 'em to divide their grilled cheese sandwiches. Also handy for trimming my beard just before dinner... Gotta admit, I've also got a chef's knife I'm kinda partial to... Then there's that spatula with just the right 'flex'... Ah well... I know, I know….a little late but….
Scissors!!!
Not poultry shears or any other fancy kitchen gimcrackery, just a pair of scissors. ‘Fiskers’ with those orange handles are nice. I use ‘em for everything… Chopping up parsley in a teacup, cutting the ends off green beans, cutting up canned tomatos and grilled sausage into the ‘Red Sauce’. Hell when the kids were little, I even used ‘em to divide their grilled cheese sandwiches.
Also handy for trimming my beard just before dinner…

Gotta admit, I’ve also got a chef’s knife I’m kinda partial to…

Then there’s that spatula with just the right ‘flex’…

Ah well…

]]> By: May Chan http://leitesculinaria.com/31425/writings-ode-to-a-microplane.html#comment-7704 May Chan Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:35:24 +0000 http://leitesculinaria.com/?p=31425#comment-7704 My Microplane box grater can't be beat. I got it for $14.95 from a Sur La Table clearance sale at Santana Row, California. When i found it, the original retail price was $49.95. I was delirious that I'd found such a steal! The cashier thought I'd gone mad. Frankly, I don't blame her. My Microplane box grater can’t be beat. I got it for $14.95 from a Sur La Table clearance sale at Santana Row, California. When i found it, the original retail price was $49.95. I was delirious that I’d found such a steal! The cashier thought I’d gone mad. Frankly, I don’t blame her.

]]> By: MikeML http://leitesculinaria.com/31425/writings-ode-to-a-microplane.html#comment-7293 MikeML Sun, 28 Feb 2010 07:33:37 +0000 http://leitesculinaria.com/?p=31425#comment-7293 Well, I'm fond of my Microplane, too. What most people don't know is that it was introduced twelve—or so- years ago as...a wood rasp. A very effective one, too. I'm pretty sure that it was Leonard Lee, founder of Lee Valley/Veritas, a maker and distributor of woodworking tools, who noticed that the original model (straight rasp, no handle) was pretty handy in the kitchen as well. He touted its kitchen versatility in one of his woodworking-tool catalogs; I ordered one, and was so impressed that I got one for each of my three kids, who were then setting up their own households. My youngest son was running a cabinetmaking shop out of his garage, and he moved his microplane back and forth from his shop to his kitchen. Worked just fine in both places, and the rest is history! The Lee Valley woodworkers' catalog now has a considerable section devoted to kitchen utensils. They've also added an impressive line of gardening equipment. Google them and request a free catalog—you'll be glad you did. Well, I’m fond of my Microplane, too. What most people don’t know is that it was introduced twelve—or so- years ago as…a wood rasp. A very effective one, too.

I’m pretty sure that it was Leonard Lee, founder of Lee Valley/Veritas, a maker and distributor of woodworking tools, who noticed that the original model (straight rasp, no handle) was pretty handy in the kitchen as well. He touted its kitchen versatility in one of his woodworking-tool catalogs; I ordered one, and was so impressed that I got one for each of my three kids, who were then setting up their own households. My youngest son was running a cabinetmaking shop out of his garage, and he moved his microplane back and forth from his shop to his kitchen.

Worked just fine in both places, and the rest is history! The Lee Valley woodworkers’ catalog now has a considerable section devoted to kitchen utensils. They’ve also added an impressive line of gardening equipment. Google them and request a free catalog—you’ll be glad you did.

]]> By: sarah http://leitesculinaria.com/31425/writings-ode-to-a-microplane.html#comment-6700 sarah Sun, 21 Feb 2010 13:50:55 +0000 http://leitesculinaria.com/?p=31425#comment-6700 my favorite kitchen utensil? hard question—but I must agree with Karen (rambling spoons) that my mortar and pestle is always center stage in my kitchen. That and my cast-iron skillet. my favorite kitchen utensil? hard question—but I must agree with Karen (rambling spoons) that my mortar and pestle is always center stage in my kitchen. That and my cast-iron skillet.

]]> By: Angela http://leitesculinaria.com/31425/writings-ode-to-a-microplane.html#comment-6375 Angela Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:49:24 +0000 http://leitesculinaria.com/?p=31425#comment-6375 A fun read. Mine is my rectangular and circular stones that I use roast, bake, heat up. They are always in the oven ready to go. A fun read. Mine is my rectangular and circular stones that I use roast, bake, heat up. They are always in the oven ready to go.

]]> By: Michaele Musel http://leitesculinaria.com/31425/writings-ode-to-a-microplane.html#comment-6196 Michaele Musel Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:49:23 +0000 http://leitesculinaria.com/?p=31425#comment-6196 Our culinary team gave out snickerdoodle macaroons and microplane keychains along with a PR introduction piece to our company staff this Christmas—they were a hit!! Our culinary team gave out snickerdoodle macaroons and microplane keychains along with a PR introduction piece to our company staff this Christmas—they were a hit!!

]]> By: Judith Weinraub http://leitesculinaria.com/31425/writings-ode-to-a-microplane.html#comment-6195 Judith Weinraub Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:42:05 +0000 http://leitesculinaria.com/?p=31425#comment-6195 My favorite is an egg-yolk yellow and egg-white white contraption that looks like a short thick spool of thread, used for—what else—piercing eggs. Absolutely impossible to find another (so far anyway), but nothing else is as gentle and efficient. Somehow I've managed to hold onto it. I think it's German. My favorite is an egg-yolk yellow and egg-white white contraption that looks like a short thick spool of thread, used for—what else—piercing eggs. Absolutely impossible to find another (so far anyway), but nothing else is as gentle and efficient. Somehow I’ve managed to hold onto it. I think it’s German.

]]> By: Christine R. http://leitesculinaria.com/31425/writings-ode-to-a-microplane.html#comment-6139 Christine R. Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:31:59 +0000 http://leitesculinaria.com/?p=31425#comment-6139 I love the prose about the kitchen scale by Ms. Parker. I love the prose about the kitchen scale by Ms. Parker.

]]> By: BehindTheKnife.com http://leitesculinaria.com/31425/writings-ode-to-a-microplane.html#comment-6094 BehindTheKnife.com Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:01:16 +0000 http://leitesculinaria.com/?p=31425#comment-6094 Microplanes, yes, but where are the Sharpies?? Chefs everywhere are addicted to their Sharpies! Lisa Microplanes, yes, but where are the Sharpies?? Chefs everywhere are addicted to their Sharpies!

Lisa

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