Microplane Zester-why do you hurt me when I love you so much?
So, I've just zested the top of my knuckle with my microplane zester and realized that I love the little thing so much, I can't stay mad at it, even when I'm feebly trying (and failing) to wrap my finger with a band-aid.
I'm not schilling for the co, I promise, just realized that since I've gotten my wee zester buddy, I've used it nearly every day. Am I alone? Does anyone use it for anything other than the usual suspects (garlic, citrus, nutmeg, hard cheese)? I've demolished a tomato with it when I wanted to get some of the delicious juice directly onto a toasty baguette.
I was grating some soft-ish cheddar with mine when I took off the top of my knuckle. I find the find grate makes grilled cheeses get to optimum meltiness faster.
So, what do you zest? do you zest? Am I bound to get tired of my little friend? It's a grey rainy day here--
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22 Comments:
I have a couple of graters with different sized holes. I use my micro for zesting, ginger and nutmeg (and sometimes chocolate). I use graters with various sized larger openings for cheeses and vegetables.
CJ McD at 3:46PM on 09/21/09
I love mine too...but you do have to be careful with it. I don't think I zest anything weird. I do zest onions along with the usual suspects. As a matter of fact I just used it about 45 minutes ago!
Now, if you want to talk about the Mandoline...well DON'T. That bitch gets me every time!
arm1970 at 3:48PM on 09/21/09
Poor 'nanamonkey! I've definitely had my fair share of grating the tips of my fingers and/or knuckles when I've been using my Microplane zester.
Mostly I use my zester for grating fresh parmesan and citrus zest, though I've also deviated occasionally and found it handy with horseradish root.
avaryne at 3:52PM on 09/21/09
garlic, ginger, citrus, cheese, that's about it for what I can think of off-hand. But I'm with you on loving it to death. My bf broke the first one we got (no idea how), and I didn't realize how much I loved it until it was gone. I replaced it within days.
joyyy at 4:09PM on 09/21/09
I love my microplane zester.
I use it on the usual (citrus, ginger, cheese, garlic) and also on onion when I want a juicy, mushy pulp to keep my meatloaf moist.
I've zinged myself good a couple of times, but not as bad as when I was using a mandolin. NEVER again.
oh_no_eric at 4:22PM on 09/21/09
Never zest yourself into your own food. It is against the law and about 20 health codes.
JerzeeTomato at 4:28PM on 09/21/09
i always seem to zest myself while i'm doing citrus...the tiny cuts plus the juice makes for insane pain, but i too love it despite that-lol.
mandolines scare me like pressure cookers and deep frying do.
gastronomeg at 5:06PM on 09/21/09
Thank you for reminding me that I don't have a microplane... lost it in the divorce... More like a pound of flesh than a skinned knuckle...
Off to Amazon to buy one now!
gb944 at 5:17PM on 09/21/09
I only use mine for nutmeg, citrus rinds and parmesean.
I'm glad to hear you haven't murdered yours yet BananaMonkey.
Have you considered those Mesh / Oyster Gloves?
A bit of a pain but it seems you loose a lot of flesh :D
hungrychristel at 5:53PM on 09/21/09
I have several microplane products - my current favorite is the box grater with its variety of grating options...and as I sit here typing I am painfully reminded of my run in with it last night ;)
GrimChef at 6:32PM on 09/21/09
Also love my microplanes, and have little "family" of them, from baby to the wide plate. Garlic is very much my favorite use for them, so much faster and finer than mincing!
For those who cut themselves while zesting citrus, try turning the microplane over and moving the microplane over the fruit instead of moving the fruit. That way the zest collects on the plate and you are in little danger of getting cut since the hand holding the fruit stays still.
bobcatsteph3 at 7:54PM on 09/21/09
"Hey, what's with the skinned knuckles?"
"Just got into a brawl at the bar with a Microplane zester."
avaryne at 8:16PM on 09/21/09
Discovering I could use my microplane for garlic was a revelation. But seriously, we had to find a new place to store our box grater because the bf was taking serious chunks of finger off just barely brushing against it reaching for other things on the same shelf.
annabanannas at 11:14AM on 09/22/09
MMMMMMMMMM.....knuckles! It's what's for dinner! I use the microplane for everything, absolutely love it! I've grated many a knuckle (bon appetit to everyone who came to my house for spaghetti last winter).
The trick is to grate like hell until you get down on what you are grating then take your time...sounds a little like DUH, but it took me a lot of knuckles to figure out slowing down was the answer. Besides, you're not saving much time going for band-aids or finger cots.
Pavlov at 9:41AM on 09/23/09
my feet. seriously. got one just for my feet.
dmarina at 2:01PM on 09/23/09
@dmarina---I did realize after I shelled out $$ on a ped egg that it was essentially the same thing.
BananaMonkey at 2:19PM on 09/23/09
Need the attachment that you can add on to the Microplane stuff.. I think its only like $5 or so from William Sonoma. So you can grate nutmeg without having callous skin as the secret ingredient in your dishes. I use the big ones, not the really skinny ones...
I like the attachment cause its like using a mandoline zester/grater...
I dont know why people think they shouldn't use a guard on a mandoline unless they like playing with fire every time... im not down with getting cut, unless there are some masochistic people on this site ;)
plazmaorb at 2:38PM on 09/25/09
I also have a love/hate relationship with my microplane, as well as with my 25+ year old box grater. On multiple occasions, they have inflicted grievous bodily harm on my hands, sometimes detaching fingernails well below the quick - rather like the ancient bamboo beneath the nails torture. Even more so, they've destroyed expensively and exquisitely manicured nails and maimed knuckles and fingers at times when I wanted dearly to impress dates or company. Suffer though I might, I could not cook, or serve, many, many dishes without them.
MMinNYC at 3:36PM on 09/25/09
I just zested myself along with nutmeg into pumpkin cake. Maybe it's time to get a kevlar glove a la Alton Brown.
Lyra Ngalia at 5:25PM on 09/25/09
The best thing I have found for my Microplane is to use it to grate frozen butter for making biscuits, scones, or pie crusts. It makes this lovely pile of butter that looks like mounds of snow. It also makes for a cool presentation at dinner ;)
oneemu at 5:29PM on 09/25/09
I actually just peeled my knuckle while peeling carrots with a standard veggie peeler. Sigh. (at least it gets me off dish washing duty tonight...) I love my microplane too, and haven't ever zested myself - I stick to the usual uses: nutmeg, garlic, citrus, occasionally ginger. Cheese goes through the box grater.
AliceBlue at 6:36PM on 09/25/09
oneemu---that's genius--i've heard people grate butter to bring it to temp quickly, but never thought of it as a presentation.
BananaMonkey at 2:15PM on 09/26/09