Garlic press..comments/feedback?

[Steve Kroll]

You guys and your garlic presses. I don't know what kind you all use, but I absolutely love my Zyliss garlic press. I probably use it 3 or 4 times a week and find it to be a real timesaver.

[pmeheran]

Originally Posted by no mayonnaise

I have one of these and they're not even that great at getting all the juice out of the fruit, I don't see how they could do much justice to garlic.

Granted. It takes strength and determination to use them.

[pmeheran]

Originally Posted by pmeheran

This is related to one that was posted in 09. If you are a cheap skate like me, and you have a large hispanic population in your town, then go to the more hispanically[?] oriented store and look for a lemon/lime press. It will be made of some heavy pot metal, very crudely made. Basically its like two spoons hinged together, with holes in the bowl. Put the lime half, or garlic in one, close and squeeze. Tada! I trust you have the intelligence to figure it out.

In addition, when I am in a hurry, I often take my ancient cleaver and using it flat side down, smack it onto the garlic clove. Then I take the edge and proceed chop the mashed garlic to the texture I want. Although I picked that up when watching Yan Can Cook, I still cannot match his speed and skill.

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by pmeheran

...Although I picked that up when watching Yan Can Cook, I still cannot match his speed and skill.

I can't go that fast either.

[Greg Who Cooks]

I developed a technique where I hold the tip of a chef knife between left thumb and forefinger, and the base of the blade right above the handle between right thumb and forefinger, then see-saw it as I move the blade towards and away going over the garlic I'm mincing. (The blade is not always in contact with the chopping board, it sometimes sort of hops in the air.) The rhythm is staccato. I was surprised because I just picked this up one day not even intending to do it, perhaps it was intuitive, and I've just continued to use this is one method for fine mincing. It works well on garlic and you can mince your garlic to any degree of fineness. It even works well on large amounts of garlic.

Note that the curved sharp edge and wide blade are important to this technique. Thus the chef knife.

[Timothy]

I cheat and use my food processor. I add a bit of broth in it and process the garlic for just a few seconds. Fast, easy and it minces very well.

[RPCookin]

Originally Posted by no mayonnaise

I have one of these and they're not even that great at getting all the juice out of the fruit, I don't see how they could do much justice to garlic.

Really? My lemon/lime squeezer is outstanding. I'm not a small man, but squeezing limes was always a chore until I got this thing. Pop a half lime in it and the rind and pulp come out almost dry. Lemons are a bit softer to squeeze by hand, but with this I get at least 25% more juice from each half fruit.

Never tried it for a garlic press though.

[Timothy]

Originally Posted by RPCookin

Really? My lemon/lime squeezer is outstanding. I'm not a small man, but squeezing limes was always a chore until I got this thing. Pop a half lime in it and the rind and pulp come out almost dry. Lemons are a bit softer to squeeze by hand, but with this I get at least 25% more juice from each half fruit.

Never tried it for a garlic press though.

Which citrus squeezer do you own, RPCookin? Link? Pic?

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Originally Posted by Timothy

I cheat and use my food processor. I add a bit of broth in it and process the garlic for just a few seconds. Fast, easy and it minces very well.

I cheat even more than that. I buy garlic already minced, in a jar. I also buy chopped onions in a 3 pound plastic bag, which I break down to half cup servings, place in sandwich bags, load them into a Zip Lock freezer bag and place in the freezer. They're local produce from local pacakgers, so I know they're fresh.