Norpro has a handy citrus squeezer that makes a simple job of juicing lemons and limes. $20.99 at Amazon.While traveling in Mexico a few years ago, Ellen Hays’ eyes were snared by an amazing sight. Not an Aztec temple. Not a smoking volcano. Not a bullfight.
A lime squeezer.
“We came home and got one at Carneceria Loa No. 7 (Main and Broad) and couldn’t live without it,” the Chattanooga resident says. “Best way to get the most lime juice from a lime!”
Getting juice from a lime isn’t on everyone’s list of Things I Need to Do, but anyone who cooks can use a time-saving gadget in their kitchen. We’re all familiar with the easy-peasy crockpot (just fill it up, turn it on and leave) and the handy hand mixer (shove it in a glass full of stuff and whir away). And are there any kitchens anymore that don’t have an electric can opener?
The GEFU Spirelli Spiral Cutter quickly slices veggies into slender strips. $29.99 at Bed, Bath and Beyond.Yeah, those are great, but there are many more gadgets out there, and chances are you may not even know some of them exist. But once you see them, you may think: “I need that!”
For instance, Sarah Callahan Farmer and Anu Gona Cheemakoti, both of Chattanooga, love their pineapple slicer and decorer. For Cheekmakoti, who uses a stainless-steel version made by All Ware, it isn’t just the ease of getting out the fruit that makes her happy.
“I was excited, not so much for the pineapple pulp you can get out of it, but for the beautiful cup it creates,” she says. “I fill it with cut, assorted fruit and top it with a dollop of ice cream or cream custard; kids love eating out of pineapple cup.
The Chef’NGarlic Peeler is $11.95 at surlatable.com.“I also fill it with assorted cut fruit and use it as a centerpiece during entertaining friends and family at home.”
The All Ware slicer is $5.90 at amazon.com.
Over in Flintstone, Ga., Sallie Beckes is a big fan of her Chef’N Garlic Zoom Chopper. Peel a few cloves of garlic, drop them in the chopper, then roll it back and forth on its big wheels. As they turn, the blades inside hack away at the garlic. Depending on how long you roll the chopper, you end up with a pile of chopped or minced garlic. $10.49 at target.com.
“It’s a time saver and works great,” Beckes says.
Create an airtight seal to lock in freshness with the battery-powered iTouchless Bag Resealer, above. It’s $30.99 for two at itouchless.com.And, since we’re in a garlic mood, how about another Chef’N product, the Garlic Peeler? You pop a bunch of cloves of unpeeled garlic in it, put the top on and twist back and forth. When you open the lid, peeled garlic is sitting there, waiting to be used. $11.95 at surlatable.com.
Here are a few more gadgets that may come in handy in your kitchen.
* GEFU Spirelli Spiral Cutter. If you need to julienne a vegetable and your knife skills aren’t quite up to full-time chef standards, this device can be your savior. It quickly turns whole vegetables into slender spirals; excellent for carrots, zucchini. $29.99 and bedbathandbeyond.com.
The Joseph Joseph Large Scoop Colander drains food straight from the pot. $8.99 at kohls.com.* Onion Goggles. Kind of a No More Tears deal for you. No more wiping away the tears when you’re slicing up onions or leeks or scallions. With a foam seal around the edges and anti-fog lenses, your eyes won’t suffer from fume burn. $19.99 at bedbathandbeyond.com.
* Joseph Joseph Large Scoop Colander. Don’t carry that steaming-hot pot of boiling water and pasta over to the sink. This scoop drains the food straight out of the pot, eliminating the extra step. $8.99 at kohls.com.
* Ninja 3-in-1 Cooking System. Steam, roast, bake, sear, simmer, saut and slow cook – all without ever moving your food from one place to another. Forget heating the oven; you won’t need it. The Ninja system can hold six quarts and maintain a temperature between 250 and 425 degrees. $185 at amazon.com.
Along with easily getting out the fruit, the All Ware Pineapple Slicer and Corer makes a nice cup out of the skin. $5.90 at Amazon.* iTouchless Bag Resealer. So your frozen English peas don’t have a ziplock bag, but you don’t need to cook the whole bag. Put away the twist ties and rubber bands, the iTouchless Bag Resealer creates an airtight seal on any bag – peas to potato chips. Powered by batteries, it reseals bags in seconds to reseal the bag. With its enclosed magnet, you can stick it to your refrigerator so it’s always in reach. $21.95 for two at itouchless.com.
Contact Shawn Ryan at sryan@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6327.
Tribune News Service contributed to this report.