Garlic Press, Mr Grindy, and the World's Sharpest Knife

It occurred to me as I was writing up my first ever recipe (you can't miss it, it's the only other post on this blog so far) that I don't just want to write about the ingredients I cook with, but also all the lovely bits of equipment I use to do it. I am quite sentimentally attached to a lot of these, in a way that's a little difficult to describe. It's like having a favourite T-shirt. It's a fairly utilitarian piece, it serves a purpose and no more. But you still find yourself drawn to one in particular that just seems better than the others. It fits better, the colour goes with everything, and even when you've worn it down to the last threads you find you can't get rid of it because you love it so.

Now imagine that the T-shirt also helps you cook stuff. Is it any wonder I get all choked up about these things? There's no good reason I should like them any more than something else that does exactly the same job. And yet I do.

Garlic Press
Do you have any idea how hard it is to find an old fashioned garlic press this days? The old garlic clove in the hollow, squeeze and done job? I didn't know either, until I tried to find one. The one I had was a cheap Tesco affair, with some sort of devilish removable box and a press that was attached to a moving hinge. I don't know why. I'm aware that what I'm describing sounds nothing like a garlic press, but you'll have to take it on faith. So I decided enough was enough and set out to buy a proper one. One where you squeeze it and it's done. Can't be too difficult, right?

Well, it wasn't. Not if I was happy to spend £20 +. For those of you who know me, and what may generously described as a 'thrifty and practical' nature (also known as being 'tight'), you may have already assumed that I decided not to take this course of action. The only presses I could find for a reasonable price were in the aforementioned devilish style. I was not happy.

I had pretty much given up on my quest and resolved to make do with garlic paste from a tube, when I stopped, as I so frequently do, at a charity shop. The Salvation Army, since you ask. Right next to the doorway was this gorgeous little beast for the grand old price of 30p.

It's nothing fancy, nothing removable. The holes are just the right size to crush the garlic finely without getting the whole thing clogged up, plus it's all little and firetruck red. I have not yet decided on a name, but I think Terry suits him quite well.


The World's Sharpest Knife



I was browsing through the House of Fraser in Leamington just before Christmas when there was an announcement that if you went to some meeting point in the homewares section you could get a free vegetable slicer. I had nothing to do, and I like free stuff, so off I went.

Obviously it wasn't that simple. I had to sit through some sales pitch for the World's Sharpest Knife (TM). Well, I was ok with that. The salesman had that forced joviality that is always so grating and tends to make me feel a little bit sorry for his sad inner life. Tears of clown, man. Anyway, he was jabbering on about how awesome this knife is - previously only available through QVC, and to celebrate it coming to Britain they're practically giving it away! Yeah, thanks but no thanks. But then he starts talking about the stuff you get with it as part of the deal. Two extra knives to give to friends as Christmas presents, two paring knives, a filleting knife, a funny little orange juicer thing and the vegetable slicer I was lured in with. Now, I'm a fairly cynical person. I don't want to be tha sort of girl who falls for a sales pitch from a loud-mouthed jeb end like this guy. But, I could do with a knife, and this would sort out a fair few Christmas presents. I struggled with my pride, but decided to go for it.

While I certainly don't intend to become a spokesperson for the company, I'm still pretty happy for the knife. It is definitely not, as they claim, 'the last knife you'll ever need to buy'; it's too long for fancy work and too light for heavy duty chopping, but for most other stuff it's pretty cool. It saws through veg which is usually so soft the knife squashes rather than cuts it, and it'll break up food that's still frozen a treat. The paring knife works fine too. I can't tell you about the filleting knife because I managed to lose it down the back of the oven as soon as I got home.


Mr Grindy

Before I start I need to confess. I love Mr Grindy. I love him more than I thought a woman could love an old fashioned coffee grinder. But even though you laugh, I know our love is pure.


Mr Grindy is another charity shop purchase, and possibly the best £2 I ever spent. He's a pretty old fashioned design, you put the coffee beans in the bronze dish at the top, turn the handle, and freshly ground coffee comes out the drawer at the bottom.

Now, I like coffee, but I don't feel the need for freshly ground beans every day. What I do like is freshly ground spices to put in curries, stews, stir fries, etc. And Mr Grindy has always been up the challenge. I like the old fashioned feel, I like the look of the thing, I like being able to control my spice blend, I like everything about him. I love Mr Grindy.