Chef'n Garlic Zoom revs up the prep work
Single-purpose kitchen gadgets — chromed coffee bean massagers, leek deveiners, cast iron quinoa forks — are the bane of the modern kitchen. Yet despite doing nothing a sharp knife and a deft hand couldn't do, I really want this "Chef'n Garlic Zoom" chopper, which minces those wonderful little bulbs into yuppie ketchup like a transparent penny racer. I can smell the fun already!
The reviews on Amazon are generally positive, although clean-up is said to be a bit of a chore as the sharp stainless steel blades like to nibble on fingers just as much as they like to chaw on garlic.
Rolling Garlic Chopper Looks Kind Of Fun [Oh Gizmo!]
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Perfect for the cook who likes to make motor-car noises while cooking. "Vrrrrroooooooommmmm!"
I suppose it's an interesting alternative to putting a hand-crank on the thing.
Downside: Like a computer mouse, you need to have enough counter space (or other flat surface) to roll it over. Unless you want to run it along yourself or your friends. "It's a garlic chopper! It's a massager! (Caution: Not for use on vampires.)"
My wife bought one of these for me.
It has pros and cons:
+ fast for small amounts (large amounts would be easier with a big knife)
+ fun!
- need a dry surface to roll it on
- will jam if you put too much in at once.
Tips:
- Roll until shredded, then bang it on the counter to get the larger pieces off the sides to roll some more.
- Rinse it immediately after to clean, leave the top open and toss it in the drawer to dry
#1 - Heh.
I think I'll stick with my garlic press.
There is no substitute for good knife skills.
Although this clever device does a great job of breaking down garlic and cleans with a quick rinse under the tap.
Garlicpunk
While this gadget looks cool, it's not the best for the job. When I cook, and require finely minced garlic I use a Microplane rasp. Fine garlic puree and a snap to clean. Plus, works equally well as a lemon zester, and for grating a wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
The best tool for this job is, as always, your kitchen knife.
LOL! There really is *no* substitute for good knife skills. You can break down and puree a garlic clove in seconds with a chef's knife and a tiny bit of skill.
#7/#8 I agree that knife skills are vital in the kitchen. In fact, if I know the garlic is going to simmer in the sauce/soup for a while, I won't use the Microplane... I'll just peel it then smack it *hard* with the side of my knife on the cutting board. Splat! Instant garlic paste. However, sometimes a nice cold puree from the rasp is better...like in guacamole or salsa. For most folks (those who insist on a garlic press, for example) the rasp is a better option. Garlic presses are awful.
For a lot of recipes, I put all the ingredients that are supposed to be chopped fine in a food chopper (for salsa I guess that'd be garlic, onions, hot peppers, parsley, vinegar, lime, and whatever spices... and I don't know what else, it's been like a year since I last made salsa), and then mix that with some knife-diced tomatoes.
(A food chopper is also great for making dog food. I love my food chopper, even though I rarely eat anything that comes out of it.)
I hate my garlic press. I will have to get a rasp. The problem is that if I cut up garlic too fine, all the sissies in my family are like "waaaah! It's too garlicky!" and I'm like "Whatever!"
As the happy owner of one of these gizmos (I got it as a stocking stuffer last year), I'd have to say that they're cool, but not really an improvement on a quick hand with a blade.
They /are/ a boon to anyone who isn't as deft with a knife as I am, and the improvement over a garlic press cannot be properly expressed in words. Also, I've found that holding it in both hands and using one hand to roll it back and forth across works better than my counter does for traction.
Clean up, as someone else has noted, is essentially just a matter of rinsing the thing off.
this would be appropriate for an "it's ok to play with your food" dinner party where as many playful gimmicky gadgets are used as possible. molded foods, extend-o-fork, dribble glasses, whimsical plates...
although i imagine that it would all end in a massive food fight.
Judging by this video. This is going to still leave quite a clean-up mess and not be all that helpful to anyone who does a bit of cooking.
Major BoingBoing effect here. Not only does Amazon only have three left, but it also said that "Customers who bought this product also bought Apple Mac OS X Version 10.5.1 Leopard"
So to use this device, you have to peel the garlic, first.
I have what some people call a "fruit knife" which I use for everything.
Here's my 1337 knife sk1llZ:
1) Place garlic on counter, hold knife flat on top of garlic, whack blade with other hand, lightly, until peel separates. Remove peel.
2) Repeat, whacking very hard, until garlic is pretty much smooshed. This is "chopped garlic."
3) Chop with knife if you need "minced garlic."
4) L33T SKILLZ: Scrape it up using the not-sharp side of knife blade, dump in pan. By using not-sharp side, your blade stays sharp longer. w00t!