garlic!

"Glitter Ninja" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I love garlic but I'm really tired of trying to mince garlic by hand,
especially if I want more zing and want smaller pieces. (Chopping is
hard! 😉 So I'm in the mood to buy a good garlic press this weekend.
What do you look for in a garlic press? I assume a press essentially
minces the garlic. Do you have any presses you recommend?

Stacia

In the mafia movie "Goodfellas", you get a great lesson in how to REALLY
mince garlic using a razor blade, and I'm not kidding. Rent the movie. Or,
if you'd rather not, let me know and I'll try to explain the garlic trick.
It's perfect, and you can do it with a small, very sharp paring knife.

Doug Kanter said:

In the mafia movie "Goodfellas", you get a great lesson in how to REALLY
mince garlic using a razor blade, and I'm not kidding. Rent the movie. Or,
if you'd rather not, let me know and I'll try to explain the garlic trick.
It's perfect, and you can do it with a small, very sharp paring knife.

What the h*ll. Do try to explain!!
Cheers
Cathy - who never rents movies
--
I don't suffer from insanity - I enjoy every minute of it

Doug Kanter said:

Sounds better than what my MIL used to serve (for xmas): 5 day old haddock,
from a fish shop where the clerks would hang over the merchandise with ashes
falling off their cigarettes. She prepared this delicacy by topping with
slices of tomatoes, and then American cheese. Absolutely awful. Fortunately,
the fish store was shut down by the NY DEC for selling local freshwater
species which were prohibited from commercial sale, AND on NY's health
warning list due to chemical contamination.

Fortunately, the MIL is also out of the fish business. :-)

<gag>

LOL....

Luckily, my MIL is a good cook. With good taste. I count my blessings
every day. Obviously some of us are not so lucky 🙂 Fish, tomatoes and
cheese, together (UGH!) Separately, they are fine.... or in a realistic
combination...

Cathy - who will stick to cheese and tomato sandwiches in this instance.
--
I don't suffer from insanity - I enjoy every minute of it

"cathyxyz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Doug Kanter said:

In the mafia movie "Goodfellas", you get a great lesson in how to REALLY
mince garlic using a razor blade, and I'm not kidding. Rent the movie.
Or, if you'd rather not, let me know and I'll try to explain the garlic
trick. It's perfect, and you can do it with a small, very sharp paring
knife.

What the h*ll. Do try to explain!!
Cheers
Cathy - who never rents movies
--
I don't suffer from insanity - I enjoy every minute of it

Never rents movies? You're missing a good one. Not typical of all the other
mob flicks.

Peel the garlic. No whining. If you're buying decent garlic, it's easy to
peel. Stand it with the root end down. Slice downward from upper tip
**almost** through the bottom. Do this several times so you end up with very
thin slices which are still attached at the bottom. Depending on the shape
of the clove, you may have to angle the blade inward as you near the bottom,
or the slices will fall off.

Now, rotate the close 90 degrees. Slice like before, at right angle to your
previous slices. With me so far? Finally, lay the clove sideway and slice
across the slices, very thin. Voila. Beautifully minced garlic. If you make
it thin enough, it'll vanish when cooked. Great for those knuckle-dragging
neanderthals who think they don't like garlic.

You need a viciously sharp knife to do this, which is why a razor blade is
ideal. If you buy some, just be aware that they're coated in light oil to
keep them from rusting. Wash thoroughly. Or, dedicate one paring knife to
this job, sharpen the bejeezus out of it, and hide it from the rest of the
family.

Doug Kanter said:

Never rents movies? You're missing a good one. Not typical of all the

other

Quoted message said:

mob flicks.

Peel the garlic. No whining.

OK, No whining, got it..

If you're buying decent garlic, it's easy to

Quoted message said:

peel. Stand it with the root end down. Slice downward from upper tip
**almost** through the bottom. Do this several times so you end up

with very

Quoted message said:

thin slices which are still attached at the bottom. Depending on the

shape

Quoted message said:

of the clove, you may have to angle the blade inward as you near the

bottom,

Quoted message said:

or the slices will fall off.
Now, rotate the close 90 degrees. Slice like before, at right angle

to your

Quoted message said:

previous slices. With me so far?

I think so....

Finally, lay the clove sideway and slice

Quoted message said:

across the slices, very thin. Voila. Beautifully minced garlic. If

you make

Quoted message said:

it thin enough, it'll vanish when cooked. Great for those

knuckle-dragging

Quoted message said:

neanderthals who think they don't like garlic.

LOL. (At this point, Cathy wipes the smile of her face) You mean there
are people who don't like garlic??? <serious face>

Quoted message said:

You need a viciously sharp knife to do this, which is why a razor

blade is

Quoted message said:

ideal. If you buy some, just be aware that they're coated in light

oil to

Quoted message said:

keep them from rusting. Wash thoroughly. Or, dedicate one paring

knife to

Quoted message said:

this job, sharpen the bejeezus out of it, and hide it from the rest

of the

Quoted message said:

family.

Why? I like them being scared of me....... LMAO at this point...

But *seriously*... this is good advice.. Seen it done on onions (with
much less precision, of course)

Thanks for the advice/laugh

Cheers
Cathy - holding a *very* sharp knife

Glitter Ninja said:

kilikini said:

I use a Black and Decker Mini Chopper for my garlic and it works
great!

Quoted message said:

Pic of chopper is here: http://www.rehabmart.com/product/5839.htm

I am in love! There's nothing I like better than kitchen gadgets,
but I never cook for more than 2 so the smaller the better. Thanks
for the link!

Stacia

Absolutely. I LOVE my little chopper! I use it for just about everything
now. I never dice with a knife anymore.

kili

[email hidden] (Glitter Ninja) wrote in news:d6l6f7$lo0$2
@news.xmission.com:

Quoted message said:

I love garlic but I'm really tired of trying to mince garlic by hand,
especially if I want more zing and want smaller pieces. (Chopping is
hard! 😉 So I'm in the mood to buy a good garlic press this weekend.
What do you look for in a garlic press? I assume a press essentially
minces the garlic. Do you have any presses you recommend?

Stacia

Stacia,

I've got a small ceramic grater (without holes). It turns garlic to mince
and doesn't grind your fingers off in the process.

I'll post a picture of it to alt.binaries.food

Don't know it's actual name.

Andy

--
"Ladies and gentlemen, The Beatles!"
- Ed Sullivan (1964)

Doug Kanter said:

"cathyxyz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What the h*ll. Do try to explain!!

Quoted message said:

peel. Stand it with the root end down. Slice downward from upper tip

[snip way more detail than necessary]

IOW, use a razor blade to cut the garlic in slices so thin they're
translucent and literally disolve when cooked. I don't know if this
is true, having never tried it. I guess if you want invisible garlic
in your food, this may work. I personally don't care since I
very much enjoy biting into the occasional garlic piece.

nb

One time on Usenet said:

I love garlic but I'm really tired of trying to mince garlic by hand,
especially if I want more zing and want smaller pieces. (Chopping is
hard! 😉 So I'm in the mood to buy a good garlic press this weekend.
What do you look for in a garlic press? I assume a press essentially
minces the garlic. Do you have any presses you recommend?

Something sturdy, that won't fall apart after a few cloves...

--
Jani in WA ~ mom, vid gamer, novice cook ~

Andy <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] (Glitter Ninja) wrote in news:d6l6f7$lo0$2
@news.xmission.com:

Quoted message said:

I love garlic but I'm really tired of trying to mince garlic by
hand,
especially if I want more zing and want smaller pieces. (Chopping is
hard! 😉 So I'm in the mood to buy a good garlic press this weekend.
What do you look for in a garlic press? I assume a press
essentially minces the garlic. Do you have any presses you
recommend?

Stacia

Stacia,

I've got a small ceramic grater (without holes). It turns garlic to
mince and doesn't grind your fingers off in the process.

I'll post a picture of it to alt.binaries.food

Don't know it's actual name.

Andy

POSTED to alt.binaries.food: Subject: Ceramic GARLIC microplaner

Andy

MY GARLIC PRESS IS EITHER OXO OR GOOD GRIPS, BUT IT'S ONE OF THE ONES
WITH THE THICK, SOFT BLACK PADDED HANDLES. ITS SUPER EASY...PUT IN THE
PEELED CLOVES OF GARLIC AND SQUEEZE THE HANDLES TOGETHER. IT PUTS OUT
LITTLE PIECES OF GARLIC AND THEN YOU FLIP THE PRESS THE OTHER WAY, AND
IT POKES TEENY PLASTIC FINGERS INTO THE HOLES TO REMOVE THE EXCESS
GARLIC. THEN ALL IT NEEDS IS A GOOD RINSE.

IF I'M CHOPPING ONIONS WITH MY PAMPERED CHEF MINI HAND CHOPPER, I JUST
PUT THE GARLIC IN THERE AND CHOP IT ALL TOGETHER. MOST OF THE TIME I'M
USING BOTH.

I LOVE MY PRESS, ALTHOUGH IT'S THE ONLY ONE I'VE HAD IN MY LIFE THAT
WORKS WELL. FAST AND EASY, AND MY IFNGERS DONT STINK LIKE GARLIC THE
WAY THE DO WHEN I HAFTA HOLD THE CLOVE TO CHOP IT BY HAND.

Jude said:

MY GARLIC PRESS IS EITHER OXO OR GOOD GRIPS, BUT IT'S ONE OF THE ONES
WITH THE THICK, SOFT BLACK PADDED HANDLES.

Before anyone has a chance to attack you for typing in all caps, do you
have vision problems or other disabilities that make the capital letters
easier for you to read or type? I just hate to see people who have a good
reason for what they're doing getting yelled at.

Carol
--
CLICK DAILY TO FEED THE HUNGRY
United States:
http://www.stopthehunger.com/
International:
http://www.thehungersite.com/

Glitter Ninja said:

I love garlic but I'm really tired of trying to mince garlic by
hand,
especially if I want more zing and want smaller pieces. (Chopping is
hard! 😉 So I'm in the mood to buy a good garlic press this weekend.
What do you look for in a garlic press? I assume a press essentially
minces the garlic. Do you have any presses you recommend?

Stacia

I have a nice garlic press but do not know it's brand name, however, you
might try putting a bunch of peeled garlic cloves in a food processor
and mincing them finely then place these in a jar with a neutral oil ( i
use canola) one can then have garlic flavoured oil or a bit of ready
minced garlic, tightly sealed and cover with the oil it keeps well.
About the only time i use my press is when i want a bit of garlic to
finish a dish with, the press purees the garlic.

Also baked garlic is very good, and gives the flavour without the "bite"
of the raw garlic.
--
---
Joseph Littleshoes
may be consulted at
---
http://finblake.home.mindspring.com/tarotintro.htm

Damsel said:

Jude said:

MY GARLIC PRESS IS EITHER OXO OR GOOD GRIPS, BUT IT'S ONE OF THE

ONES

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

WITH THE THICK, SOFT BLACK PADDED HANDLES.

Before anyone has a chance to attack you for typing in all caps, do

you

Quoted message said:

have vision problems or other disabilities that make the capital

letters

Quoted message said:

easier for you to read or type? I just hate to see people who have a

good

Quoted message said:

reason for what they're doing getting yelled at.

Carol
--
CLICK DAILY TO FEED THE HUNGRY
United States:
http://www.stopthehunger.com/
International:
http://www.thehungersite.com/

sorry about that.....that would be my daughter's chocolate milk spilled
and the caps lock glued in place til i could take the keyboard apart to
clean it out =)

Jude said:

Damsel said:

Jude said:

MY GARLIC PRESS IS EITHER OXO OR GOOD GRIPS, ....

Before anyone has a chance to attack you for typing in all caps, do
you have vision problems or other disabilities that make the capital
letters easier for you to read or type?

sorry about that.....that would be my daughter's chocolate milk spilled
and the caps lock glued in place til i could take the keyboard apart to
clean it out =)

LOL!! Sounds like a good enough reason to me!

Carol
--
CLICK DAILY TO FEED THE HUNGRY
United States:
http://www.stopthehunger.com/
International:
http://www.thehungersite.com/

Sometimes I roast whole garlic heads and then, when cool, remove the
garlic mush, and refrigerate for future use. Can last about 2 weeks,
but it's usually all gone by then.

This method is no use if you want that really strong garlic flavour,
but is very suitable for recipes calling for a milder flavour, e.g.
garlic butter for steaks or other meats. I like it spread on
crostini or even on hot toast!

Daisy

Carthage demands an explanation for this insolence!

Curly Sue said:

On Fri, 20 May 2005 17:23:51 +0000 (UTC), [email hidden] (Glitter

Ninja) said:

I love garlic but I'm really tired of trying to mince garlic by hand,
especially if I want more zing and want smaller pieces. (Chopping is
hard! 😉 So I'm in the mood to buy a good garlic press this weekend.
What do you look for in a garlic press? I assume a press essentially
minces the garlic. Do you have any presses you recommend?

Stacia

I have a plastic Pyrex Accessories garlic press. I like it because
the holes are big enough to make minces (which I cut off with a knife
as they are extruded) instead of mush. It has the opposing teeth to
push out the tough stuff that remains after pressing. It goes in the
dishwasher.

That is a very good type of garlic press
sf
who doesn't have the same brand

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Glitter Ninja) said:

Bob Myers said:

they're inefficient tools of Satan

I have never seen Satan in a Kitchens, Etc. Maybe in Wal-Mart, though.

Quoted message said:

If the knife is big (wide) enough, after you've done whack #1 to
loosen the skin, you can do whack #2 on the bare clove to
smoosh it (that's a technical term, that is), then do a few more
chops with the knife.

Maybe I'm not doing it right. I can get the skin easily enough, and I
smoosh (scientific term) the garlic, but when I cut it often doesn't
completely cut through the bits, so I get a big chunk of connected,
smooshed garlic. I even got another knife, thinking it was my knife that
was the problem.
Maybe the garlic is just smarter than I am.

Stacia

What kind of cutting board are you using?
That is a major reason I refuse to use a plastic board!
--
K.

Sprout the MungBean to reply

"I don't like to commit myself about heaven and hell‹you
see, I have friends in both places." --Mark Twain

Glitter Ninja said:

I love garlic but I'm really tired of trying to mince garlic by hand,
especially if I want more zing and want smaller pieces. (Chopping is
hard! 😉 So I'm in the mood to buy a good garlic press this weekend.
What do you look for in a garlic press? I assume a press essentially
minces the garlic. Do you have any presses you recommend?

Stacia

I had a plastic garlic press. It was horrible to use. Sometimes it
would twist a bit under pressure. Then I got a heavy duty metal garlic
press. I love the thing. Unfortunately there is no brand stamped in it
anywhere and the name escapes me. I got it at a kitchen specialty
store. It is heavy and very sturdy. It is stainless steel. The head
is large enough to hold a large clove of garlic. When I'm finished
using it, I just remove the waste from the head then pop it into the
dishwasher. So, if I were buying another press, I would look for
weight, sturdiness, durability, and dishwasher safe.

Katra said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Glitter Ninja) said:

I love garlic but I'm really tired of trying to mince garlic by hand,
especially if I want more zing and want smaller pieces. (Chopping is
hard! 😉 So I'm in the mood to buy a good garlic press this weekend.
What do you look for in a garlic press? I assume a press essentially
minces the garlic. Do you have any presses you recommend?

Stacia

I don't recommend garlic presses at all. ;-)

I use a fine cheese grater...

Same for fresh ginger root.

Ya but, I just got a fancy new stainless steel grater with different
sizes on each side. My thumb is still recovering 🙁 BTW, I have a
small hand held fine grater. It seems to be ok from my thumb's point of
view.