Keeping the Vampires at Bay: A Review of A Garlic Press

OXO garlic press (image from Pottery Barn)

Kitchen gadgets are personal in the sense that not everyone thinks the gadget you must have is worth a damn. This is how I felt about the garlic press, something that Susie, and many others I know, talk about as if it were a microplane (something I cannot live without, and something that purees garlic, too!). My feeling was this: if I can puree a clove of garlic with my microplane, or with my favorite 7" Santoku knife in probably less time than it takes you to peel the garlic, press it and then clean that thing, what is the point of having one more item cluttering up my tiny kitchen drawer? Plus, I felt that presses wasted part of each clove that was inevitably left behind when the pressing was done.

The only flaw in my conclusion was that I'd never used a garlic press, so I was basically speaking out of my ass. That changed a few weeks ago when I was buying a gift in Crate and Barrel and happened to walk past the display of garlic presses. The lovely one pictured above caught my eye, so I picked it up. It had a nice heft, and was certainly pretty to look at, but $19.95 to do what I could do with two tools I already owned...why would I need this thing?

Still, I don't like running my mouth if I don't know that of which I speak, so I bought it, if only to prove myself right.

So, was I?

Well, I will say this for it: that thing squishes a clove of garlic zippity doo-da fast! Perfect, pureed garlic in just one manly squeeze, and yes, faster than I could do it with my knife or microplane. BUT, I still find myself using my knife whenever garlic is involved, because I smash my garlic with my knife's flat side to peel it, I cut the little hard stem end off and, because my farmer's market no longer has any garlic, the garlic I've been buying at the grocery store has that bitter green sprout in the middle so I have to take that out, all before I can properly press each clove. And, I just can't throw away the flat little slice of leftover garlic that the press won't press through, so I find myself chopping that up, too. As for cleaning, although this press has those nubs that push up the remaining bits of garlic from the holes, you do still have to manually pick the garlic from it, and it IS one more thing to wash. Also, it's a bit bulky for my tiny NYC kitchen drawers.

That said, I'm using it and I have used it every single time I have needed garlic since the day I bought it, and that's pretty much every day, as I am a garlic fiend.

Do I need a garlic press? No. Would I cry if my garlic press disappeared? Probably not. Do I curse it when I can't open the kitchen drawer because it has become stuck inside with its bulk? Yes. But why the hell do I think it's so much fun to squish garlic in it?  No idea.  I'm not sorry I bought it.  Rating:  A-

I Hate To Clean

Image from Mrs. Meyer's

I love to cook, but it's no secret that I hate to clean.  I'd love to hire a cleaning person but, because I'm insane, I'd feel the need to clean before she arrived in order to prevent her from thinking I'm a slob, thereby negating the purpose of hiring her in the first place.

However, I do love to wash dishes, and one of the reasons dish-washing is so pleasant to me (beyond the soothing feeling of hot water on my hands, and being able to look out my kitchen window at the birds in the trees and the neighbors in their living rooms) is the luscious scent of my Mrs. Meyer's Geranium dish soap, which to me smells particularly like Rose Geranium instead of plain old Geranium.

Image from The Organic Authority

And, speaking of Rose Geranium, if you're lucky enough to grow your own Rose Geranium, you must try this Rose Geranium Sangria.  It is divine!

Beyond the scent of this yummy dish soap are the facts that it biodegrades, is friendly to our planet, gets dishes squeaky clean, cuts grease like a dream, and is very cost-efficient, as a little goes a long, long way.

I use nearly every product in the Geranium line, and they do what they say they'll do, all while intoxicating me with their essential-oil-based scent.

I have to admit I tried the Lemon Verbana (a scent I usually like) dish soap when my grocery store was out of the Geranium, and I hated it.  My fiance loved it though, so he took it home with him.  Fragrance is a very personal thing, and I am loyal to Mrs. Meyer's Geranium.

OXO

Allison

Tea For One

Image of Octavia Tea's Japanese Teapot from their website

A number of years ago, Susie gifted me with this sweet, plump lilac teapot that I have used nearly every single day since she gave it to me.

The teapot has a fine mesh strainer inside that never lets even one leaf of tea into your cup. The lid keeps things hot while the tea is brewing. And it's just so damned cute. It makes a ritual of getting something hot to drink.

Since I've had to reform my caffeine-addicted ways, and I've yet to find a decaf English Breakfast tea that tastes anything like English Breakfast tea (if you know of one, let me know!), I now use my little teapot daily to brew a delicious caffeine-free, coffee-like hot beverage by Tecchino.  My favorite variety is the Java, but I recommend ordering a sample pack and finding your own favorite, they are all delicious.

(Although the product is certified gluten-free, I do as they advise and put a paper coffee filter into my teapot's filter as the 'coffee' brews. For those of you who care about being gluten-free, you can read about this here, but I have NEVER had a problem with Teechino and I drink it every day.)

I love simple, well-designed products that make my life nicer, and rituals that make me pay more attention to what I'm doing instead of just rushing through my day like I'm trying to get rid of it. Thank you, Susie!

OXO

Allison

Chalkboard Paint

I so want to write on my walls like this!  @Faiella Design

The chalkboard paint craze has been around for a few years now, and I think it's fantastic, and fun!

Adorable jug found here.

Examples of chalkboard paint here, here and here; and, of course, Martha takes it to a different level with color here. You can buy it here.

Love this!  Found on Pinterest at sfgirlbybay.

Think of the possibilities! And no nails-on-the-blackboard sound or feeling!

OXO

AT