Ode to a Garlic Press

Ode To A Garlic Press

Ah, happy, happy cloves! that cannot shed

Your skins, nor ever bid the Bulb adieu;

And, happy culinarian, unwearièd,

Forever cooking stews for flavor new;

More tasty love! more tasty, tasty love!

Forever warm and still to be enjoy'd,

If not to be roasted, then any artiste young

Will find in such a Press a passion far above,

That leaves a clove nigh juicèd and cloy'd,

For pungent spirit, and a pleasèd tongue.

You're wondering, no doubt, the reason for my waxing poetical. I recently purchased a small kitchen utensil that has dramatically enhanced my enjoyment of cooking with garlic.

I've always loved cooking with garlic, but I have been less than satisfied with the performance of my off-the-rack garlic press. It never really performed the way I envisioned it should: garlic shooting out, juicy and fragrant, from the tiny holes with the smallest of effort.

That all changed about three weeks ago when I attended a Pampered Chef party. The hostess, Angelica, was still preparing the snacks while the guests were arriving. I was glancing through the catalog and trying to narrow down my preferences to fit my teensy budget.

All of a sudden, it happened. Angelica picked up a large clove of garlic, popped it into a PC garlic press, gave it a squeeze--and out squirted garlic like noodles from a Play-Doh® noodle maker. I fell in love at first sight with that garlic press--and I've used it almost every day since it arrived in my kitchen. I'm putting the old press in the box with the Play-Doh gadgets, because that's all it's good for.

For those who would like to do further research, here's a thorough review of other garlic presses, plus an interesting take on the press-versus-chef's-knife-controversy, from the Book of Joe. (Props to J.Ro for the heads-up on said controversy.) Most of the presses that Joe reviews are more expensive than the PC one. If you order the PC press, you can give Pampered Chef consultant Angelica Tobias credit for your order by typing her name, and Chicago, IL in the "Find Your Consultant" section of the website.

Of course, this post is NOT a paid commercial announcement. I'm not getting a kick-back from Angelica or from Pampered Chef--although, I wouldn't turn down a friendly retroactive bonus. I just thought you should know about my culinary happiness.

(Apologies to John Keats for appropriating his Ode on a Grecian Urn.)