Dawgluver
Chef Extraordinaire
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2011
- Messages
- 25,033
I buy a big jar of minced garlic at the grocery store. Lasts forever, and tastes just fine.
Okay, I confess to sitting and smelling my fingers after I chop garlic, any fresh herbs and zesting lemons...I love the fresh smells.
Like this?LOL - I do this too.... I think we have some sort of neurotic disorder.. theres a name for it lol.
...For our male members, DC has concocted a limited run of garlic scented shaving cream...
On my windowsill, I have fist sized rock, (fossiliferous chert, to be precise) that was chipped into shape by some ancient American. He or she probably used it to crack nuts or open bones to get the marrow, but I use it to smash my garlic cloves.
It just exactly fits my hand, with a nice flat spot on the bottom, and I feel a real connection to that ancient preparer-of-food when I use it. I found it in my garden, when I lived in Southern Indiana.
I don't like garlic presses because after the "squeeze", a lot of garlic flesh is left behind that you have to chop up anyway.
So I normally use the flat side of my knife on an unpeeled clove, peel it, & then chop or mince the clove. However, I also have a special little mandoline-type gadget specifically made for garlic that my mom gave me years ago (since I'm a hard-core garlic lover) that I ADORE!! One side has a grater; the other a super-thin slicer. I use it constantly. When I need really finely grated (or even juiced) or paper-thin slice garlic, this is THE tool.