A garlic press is a kitchen tool used to mash garlic for cooking. It is debated among cooks, with some finding it produces superior flavor while others avoid it. The tool consists of two parts, an extruder basket and a press with a long handle. The resulting pressed garlic has a fine texture and rich aroma. Some cooks leave the husks on the garlic for easier cleaning. Garlic press fans claim it produces perfectly minced garlic and releases more flavor. Critics object to its one-task nature.
A garlic press is a kitchen tool specially designed for the purpose of mashing garlic for cooking. As is the case with many unitasking kitchen tools, the garlic press is hotly debated among cooks. Some argue that the press produces garlic extract with a superior flavor, while others consider the device rather suspicious and avoid it if possible. For cooks who enjoy using a garlic press, many kitchen supply stores sell the devices, and they can also be ordered through kitchen supply companies.
There are two basic parts of the tool. The parts are usually connected by a hinge. The first is an extruder basket, a sturdy little bowl that you can place your garlic into. The bottom of the bowl is made from a finely drilled piece of metal or extrusion plate, so that when the garlic is pushed, it is forced through the holes in the metal. Typically, the cup, extruder plate and handle are molded in one piece. The second piece of the garlic press consists of a press that fits into the bowl, attached to a long handle.
To use the press, the cook loads the garlic cloves into the extruder basket and then inserts the press into the basket. The long handle provides leverage, allowing the cook to force garlic into a holding container. Typically, the outside of the garlic press will need to be lightly shaved with a sharp knife to get all the strips of garlic out of it. The resulting pressed garlic has a very fine texture, with a rich garlic aroma that comes from a multitude of burst cell walls.
Some cooks find it easier to leave the husks on the garlic when they press it. This certainly makes cleaning easier, although you may need to remove the husks periodically to clear clogs in the press, allowing all the garlic to pass through. Most garlic presses also have small teeth in the press portion that match the holes in the extruder plate, forcing the garlic further.
Cooks who love garlic presses claim that the tool produces perfectly minced garlic without having to fidget with a knife. Plus, the press releases more garlic flavor, because the garlic is crushed to release its intoxicating scent. Critics generally grapple with the garlic press due to its essentially one-task nature, rather than providing any concrete objections to the tool.
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