Gadgets: Trudeau Silicone Vegetable Steamer
I've watched The Biggest Loser enough times to understand the value of steaming. Yes, it's good for you, and it preserves the flavor and nutritional value of your vegetables. I know.
But for far too long I've resisted steaming my veggies because there's simply no space in my kitchen for those clunky dual-level steaming contraptions (which I'd never be able to fill up when cooking for one, anyway). All that changed when I found this cute-looking silicone steamer by Trudeau, which does away with pretty much all my steaming woes.
The size and material make it an easy option whether you're cooking for one or four, since it can fold up and fit into smaller or larger pots. Some steamers specify that you should keep your veggies in one layer, but piling them high is no problem for this gadget.
Better yet, the handles make it easy to move back and forth, even after it's been sitting in boiling water for a while. Metal models require some crafty maneuvering, like sticking a fork through the holes to lift, and never seem to cool off. I loved that I could handle this one without flinching the whole way through, roll it up, and pour its contents onto a dish without the slightest hassle.
I'm torn over the last feature: the silicone feet. I wished they were a little taller so that I could use just a bit more water without it touching the bottom of the bowl, but I loved the secure feeling that no metal would scratch the base of my pots as I jiggled it around.
It's hard to find much fault with a gadget that performs such a straightforward function, but in the end, I was pleasantly surprised as to how much the advantages went beyond the purely nutritional.
The steamer is available for $12.95 from Cooking.com.
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5 Comments:
silicon eh? thats too fancy for me.
hungrychristel at 4:56PM on 10/08/09
Uh, I steam things by boiling less than an inch of water in a pot, then just dumping in the veggies and covering to steam. I bought a steamer basket once but the stupid thing collapses too easily into the boiling water. A steamer pot would be nice but I already have more than enough pots and pans as it is and my method has never done me wrong.
VerySmallAnna at 5:11PM on 10/08/09
So then you're blanching, not steaming
AuRevoirOeuf at 6:53PM on 10/08/09
Really? The little metal steamer inserts for pots are also size-adjustable, fold up significantly smaller than that seems to for storage, and can cost under $5, not $13 plus shipping. If you want to get fancy, you can even get one that has a handle on the top, solving your problem above - those still cost under $10.
misha at 12:03PM on 10/09/09
I'm not keen on silicone - and I do have a metal steamer along with a set of bamboosteamers (the best!).
I remove the metal steamer with a chopstick stuck through the handle - works like a dream even for me and I am a klutz!
jeromesmom at 10:14PM on 11/20/09