Rave: Zyliss Susi 2 Garlic Press

I have an OXO garlic press, and every time I've used it, I've been like, "SERIOUSLY? That's ALL the garlic you're going to give me?" I did some digging, and found the Zyliss Susi 2 Garlic Press had received great reviews. I got mine last week and I LOVE it! It's easy to use, and you don't have to peel the garlic cloves first. The only problem, which is not really the Zyliss's problem, is garlic cloves seem to be HUGE now, even when I'm not buying elephant garlic, that sometime you have to fiddle to get the device lined up right before you press. But overall, a great garlic press! And very affordable at $14.99. There is also a model that comes with a cleaner, which is supposed to help get out the garlic bits--I just rinse mine well and put it in the dishwasher.

Knives!!

We received some Henckles knifes at our wedding shower, and though I have a sharpening steel, I've always worried I'm not really sharpening them as good as I can. Everything I've read has said to keep it at a 30 degree angle and hell if I know what a 30 degree angle is when I'm pulling it along the steel. I just signed up for a trial issue of Cook's Illustrated magazine and the November/December issue confirmed my suspicions. A sharpening steel doesn't sharpen--it's a tuneup device. As it reads, "As you cut with a sharp knife, the edge of the blade can get knocked out of alignment. The knife may seem dull, but its edge is simply misaligned. Running the knife blade over the steel repositions that edge. But you can't reshape a blade that's rounded and worn down--that's when you need a sharpener to cut away metal and restore the 20-degree angle of each side of the edge."

Once again, Cook's Illustrated, you have persuaded me to buy something I never would have considered! I bought the Chef'sChoice 310 sharpener on sale at Kohl's. It retails for $74.99. It's an electric sharpener. You first have to re-condition the blade in the first set of sharpeners, and then run the blade through the final set. From that point on, you just run it through the final set for maintenance.

In any case, my knives most definitely are sharper since I ran them through and it's good investment to keep my knives in good shape!

New toy: Reynolds Handi-Vac

I've been eyeing this for a few weeks and it went on sale so I finally bought it! I hate freezer burn and it seems like it ruins the meat after awhile. The Handi-Vac retails for $10 and comes with 3 1-quart bags. It's battery operated and comes with batteries in it.

There's a little hole in each bag and you put the device over the hole and press the blue button. You have to press down pretty hard and sometimes wiggle it a bit so it gets the right suction.

Due to the way that it sucks out the air, it shouldn't be used for foods with liquids--the meat below had a little sauce left and I had to stop suctioning so it would pull the liquid out of the little hole.





Overall, I would give it a B+. It seems like it takes a little work to get the hole in the bag aligned right to work with the suction device, but it's a great price if you'd like to vacuum seal your foods!

A few of my favorite things

I was going through my kitchen the other day and thought I would post the things I absolutely CANNOT live without.



OXO Tongs--it's not so much the brand that matters, but up until a couple of months ago, I had not figured out it's so much easier to turn over chicken breasts and steaks in a pan with tongs than a spatula. Me=not smart.

Pyrex storage containers--you will never, ever use Tupperware again if you get a couple of sets of these! I registered for one set and loved it so much I bought another after our wedding. They're glass, the contents can be reheated in the microwave, and they never stain.

simplehuman dish rack--this thingamabob is so cool. It's metal, has slots for dishes and silverware, a little rack you can pull out for glasses, and my favorite, a little tab that sticks out that drains the water into the sink.

See, isn't that cool? It, and the cup holding tray, swivel back to the center of the rack so you can easily store it. I seriously love this thing. I hand wash our everyday china because the pattern is so pretty and I have no doubts this will last forever.

Henckles 7" Sontaku knife and sharpening steel--every kitchen needs a good knife like this, and you must invest in a sharpener, too! I sharpen it about every other time I use it, 6 times each side.

All-Clad 3-Quart Stainless Steel Saute Pan--ever since I bought this baby I haven't even used my other All-Clad 12" fry pan. If you have to pick one, this is the one. It's deeper to accommodate dishes with a lot of veggies or a sauce.

What are your favorite kitchen tools?