Mortar and Pestle -- Old School

Jamie Oliver Mortar and Pestle

Not many modern home kitchens have a mortar and pestle, and if they do, it's more for decoration.

I really like my mortar and pestle and purchased it about a year ago.  My favorite cookbooks are those of Jamie Oliver and he uses a mortar and pestle frequently in his recipes to crush and grind fresh herbs and spices, mix oils and create fresh mayonnaise and pesto.

There are plenty of sources for buying a mortar and pestle, including grocery stores and World Market, but I chose to order the Jamie Oliver brand and have been completely satisfied.

Look for one that holds about a cup or cup and a half -- bigger if you plan to really create a lot of creations.  Find one that is solid (stone) and that has a good amount of weight to keep it steady.

Jamie Oliver Flavour Shaker

Jamie's "Flavour Shaker" is a bit more limiting, but can still quickly crush herbs and spices and easily create flavored oils and dressings.  This would be a good option for those who have more limited space, have less ability to use heavy objects, or who want something a bit more modern and basic.

The mortar and pestle or shaker are great ways to grind whole and fresh herbs and spices and really create something nice for your recipe.

The aroma from your creation and old world connection to your food preparation will bring extra pride to your finished dish.

I highly recommend this addition to any kitchen.

Why You Need a Butter Keeper

Real butter will tear apart any soft slice of bread if you try to spread it straight from the refrigerator.

The solution for those like me who forget to bring butter to room temperature an hour ahead of a meal is a butter keeper.

Essentially, it is a container that holds the equivalent of one stick of butter that is flipped upside down into a small jar of water.  The jar is light-proof and the water* keeps air from spoiling the butter.  Butter stored this way on the counter can last a week or two and is always ready and easy to spread.

There are many brands with slight variation in size, but a lot of it comes down to personal choice in appearance.  We chose this one ($7.69) from Norpro and are very happy with it, but a friend really likes hers from King Arthur Flour ($14.99).

Keep real butter around and enjoy it on your timing by using a butter keeper.

*Replace the water every other day.

Spurtle for Oatmeal

I purchased a bag of Bob's Red Mill oats today and read they recently won the "golden spurtle" world porridge contest in Carrbridge, Scotland.

Winning the contest is great, but what in the world is a spurtle?

Dating back to at least the fifteenth century, a spurtle is a special wooden spoon (really more of a round stick) that is used to constantly stir and spin the oats so that it doesn't clump together.  This originated in Scotland and I assume the primary place for finding and using one.  But I had to wonder, does it really help make a better oatmeal?  Please chime in if you've used one.

It turns out these are hard to locate.  Amazon.com doesn't even offer an option.  I did find a handmade one here and here.

So I'm curious?  If you have one, what do you think?  Would you recommend to others?  Where did you get yours?  Are there other uses?

Preserving Fresh Herbs Using a Dehydrator

Top of Nesco FD-75PR Dehydrator

I love mint and other fresh herbs, but sometimes find I can't use it all before it starts to go bad.

One quick way to preserve those herbs (and fruits and vegetables) is by using a dehydrator.

A dehydrator is similar to a slow cooker.  You can set it and forget it.  And if you go a little long, it's very forgiving.  For most things, you can place your items to be dried in the dehydrator in the evening and wake up to a finished product.

Fresh Mint on Dehydrator Tray

I did this with fresh mint the other day using our $60 Nesco FD-75PR dehydrator.  It works well for the price, creates a low hum when operating, and comes with five drying trays, though you can have up to twenty if you buy extra.

Raw foodists opt for the more expensive Excalibur (around $220) that offers a more even drying result and on/off timer.

As our kids were enjoying their dried pineapple pieces as a snack today (from the fresh pineapple I dried last week), I thought I would write a quick post and suggest a dehydrator as a way to preserve your foods and offer a preservative free snack option.

Mint Leaves After Dehydrating

If you already have one, how do you use your dehydrator?

Dehydrated pineapple chunks the kids love for a snack

Digital Thermometer for Baking and Cooking

Thermoworks RT600C Digital Thermometer

Thermoworks is the leading manufacturer of digital thermometers for cooking and baking.

Since I started making all of our breads at home, I've always wanted a quick-read digital thermometer that would replace our analog (and very slow) thermometer.  A quick-reading thermometer is crucial when you've got the oven door open.

Early in my bread-making I found that all ovens are different and can be several (if not a lot) of degrees off from where you set it.  Rather than depending on the baking time a recipe suggests, the internal temperature test is the most accurate (190 degrees for standard wheat breads and 200-210 degrees for gluten free).

However, the best thermometer (the Thermopen) is nearly $100 and I had a hard time justifying that expense.  If you can, by all means go for the best.  I compromised on a separate Thermoworks model (RT600C) that cost under $20 and reads only slightly slower (about 6 seconds) than their top model.  It's water resistant and dishwasher safe to 190 degrees.  It can be switched from Celsius to Fahrenheit measurements.  I have found it meets all of our needs.

I use this for baking, but also on the grill.  Meat should only be flipped only once while grilling, so having a quick and easy temperature read lets me know when the meat is ready.

If you are still messing with an analog thermometer or are fighting with one that takes a long time for a reading, you might consider this option.  It's size makes it convenient to carry and use.

A Better Rolling Pin?

Food Network Western Rolling Pin

My parents always used the traditional "Western version" of the rolling pin.  The roller itself was a heavy marble and the handles made of wood.  Perhaps you have one of those?

So when I purchased my first rolling pin, I purchased what I knew -- the Western (or American) rolling pin.

It wasn't until I started making hand-rolled pasta that I discovered there were options for rolling pins.

Food Network French Rolling Pin

The French rolling pin is a preferred rolling pin for many chefs because it allows for greater control and hand-feel.  I started reading about this pin in quality cookbooks and after several American rolling pin purchases (always too light, not made well, too heavy, etc.), I did a minor splurge and bought a French rolling pin at Kohl's.  The brand is Food Network, it's made of wood, and I think it cost around $13.

Did it make a difference?  You bet!  I tossed the old rolling pin into the donation pile after its first use and have never looked back.

You can better feel the nuances of the dough and have better control of the pressure you apply.  You truly are in complete control of your rolling.

Toss the Western rolling pin and replace it (or supplement it) with a French rolling pin.

Which do you use?  What do you prefer and why?

Does your water filter, filter?

Like many, we filter our water with a designated filter jug (extra large) in our refrigerator.  And, we use what is purportedly the largest manufacturer/seller of filters, and presumably most reliable -- Brita.

So, I was surprised when I opened my February 2012 edition of Consumer Reports Magazine to find that Brita carafes didn't appear in their ratings because the company had dropped their claims that their filters removed lead and lead removal is an important part of Consumer Reports scoring.

Because Brita had previously made claims about lead removal, Consumer Reports did conduct an off-record test and said it would have only tested as "fair".

This bit of information along with a new refrigerator purchase, in which we chose no water dispenser, got us to rethinking our water filtering needs.  

What does a refrigerator purchase have to do with this you ask?  Well, in addition to other reasons, we didn't want to be beholden to one brand of filter for the remainder of the life of the refrigerator.  Not having a filter allows us the freedom to choose what filter is best for us.

We haven't come to a definitive conclusion on which brand/system we will next choose, but here are the top models according to the Consumer Reports independent study ranked highest to lowest along with approximate price in several different categories:

Carafes/Dispensers

1. Tersano (Lotus LWT-100) $229
2. Clear2O (CWS100A) $15
3. ZeroWater (ZP-010) $38

Faucet Mounted:

1. Culligan (FM-15A) $15
2. Pur (FM-3700B) $30
3. Brita (Base on Tap OPFF-100) $19

Countertop:

1. Amway (eSpring 10-0188) $941
2. Shaklee (BestWater MTS2000 #82300) $260

Undersink:

1. Multi-Pure (MP750SB) $400
2. Aqua-Pure (by Cuno AP-DWS1000) $565
3. Ecowater (EPS 1000) $390
4. American Plumber (WLCS-1000) $251

Reverse Osmosis (these systems waste 3-5 gallons of water for every one gallon filtered):

1. Kinetico (K5 Drinking Water Station) $1,800
2. Coway (P-07QL) $700
3. Ecowater (ERO-375) $675
4. Culligan (Aqua-Cleer) $1,000
5. Whirlpool (WHER25 -- Lowe's) $146
6. Kenmore (Elite 38556) $255)

I have a friend who sells water filtering systems for Water Wizard and he always says, "Buy a filter or be a filter."

We know this is an important decision.  What do you think?  What filtering system do you use?

Microplane Graters

While not one of the most revered kitchen tools, a microplane grater or two will make your home cooking easier.

I had purchased my share of box graters and the sort at kitchen stores over the years.  When I read about the microplane grater in cookbooks, I assumed it was a style of grater and that it couldn't work any better than what I was using.

I researched this kitchen tool while looking for a zester, discovered how inexpensive they were, and decided to give one a try.  I also found that microplane is a brand not a style of grater.

I first purchased the classic zester.  I have since added the spice grater, but don't use it much.  I wish I had chosen a larger microplane grater over the small spice grater as the zester is sufficient for most spices too.

The Microplane company is based in the USA and the graters are produced here -- I assume in Arkansas, where they are based.

Grating with a microplane requires less effort as the blades cut so nicely.  And these are so much smaller than most graters that they save significant amounts of space in your drawers.

Give them a try.  Grate some fresh Parmesan, nutmeg, or zest an orange or lime.  I'm certain you will never regret making this small addition to your kitchen.  It's a workhorse in our kitchen.

Ode to the Vitamix -- and free shipping offer

I was going to title this "Why we love the Vitamix", but that will become obvious in my writing and I knew my wife would prefer the "ode!"

Anyway, this is it.  The King of gadgets in our kitchen and number one appliance we couldn't/wouldn't do without.

We've had our share of blenders during our marriage but they either didn't produce the results we wanted or simply broke with use.

We always wanted a Vitamix, but never wanted to spend the extra money.  In the end, we spent as much or more experimenting with other brands, so this time we did it right and bought the Vitamix 5200.

We had no idea was we were missing!  Here are a few features we absolutely love:

• Total speed control
• It can demolish anything and make is creamy (another blogger described it as powerful enough to blend a cowboy boot.  I haven't tried, but don't doubt it.)
• It self cleans (one small drop of soap and a quick swirl on high)
• It breaks down whole foods into such fine particles you don't see any chunks
• It can truly make "snow" out of ice
• Is completely reliable (it comes with a complete 7-year full warranty!)

We use ours at least once daily and often several times each day.  We use it to make whole food smoothies (no need for the preservative laden pre-mixed stuff with this baby), sauces, dressings, soups, peanut butter (to die for), ice cream, powdered sugar, mixed drinks, pancake/waffle/crepe batter,  hummus, salsa, and jam just to name a few.

I am proud that Vitamix agreed to be affiliated with us a couple days ago and am even more excited that as a reader of this blog, we have arranged for free shipping on your purchase, just click this link or call JP Minard, account manager at Vitamix, at 440-782-2303 or 800-848-2649 (ext. 2303) and mention discount code 06-006899.

Bring your family health and whole foods this New Year!