Kitchen jobs you hate beyond reason

[TdeV]

I have destroyed a couple of ancient Cuisinart work bowl setups grating Parmesan. The reason that it's a couple of separate setups is that the bowl is now made by a different Chinese company and no longer fits with the other parts (top, sleeve, etc.)

 

Like @JoNorvelleWalker, I have shredded my hands trying to grate cheese on a hand grater. I now use gloves for any grating or mandoline work.

 

And thanks to @weinoo, I also have an old Moulinex which works remarkably well. (Only mine is orange, from ebay).

[Margaret Pilgrim]

I use a vintage 'bolt to the counter" heavy duty hand crank grater that lives in the pantry,.    $4 at a PA flea market.    Grand-kids vie to grate cheese whenever they visit.

[blue_dolphin]

42 minutes ago, weinoo said:

The Moulinex makes quick work of grating even larger quantities of Pamigiano.

 

Yep.  The Mouli-Julienne is what I use also.  Takes a little bit of elbow grease, though maybe that's because I've been using mine for over 40 years....and the actual elbows for even longer!

I have a couple of microplanes (this (eG-friendly Amazon.com link) or this (eG-friendly Amazon.com link)) or use a veg peeler for shavings and curls. 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

I also try to grate cheese before it becomes rock hard.    There is a difference in "age" as it refers to a wheel of cheese and "age" as the super-dry chunk you've left sleeping in your cheese compartment.   

[lindag]

Someone earlier reported enjoying the breaking down of a chicken.   Wow, I can't think of a more difficult job.  I've watched it being done on ATK more than once and it looks so easy.  What I ended up with the few times I did it was a pile of unidentifiable pieces!  I really need more practice.

 

[blue_dolphin]

Just now, Margaret Pilgrim said:

I also try to grate cheese before it becomes rock hard.    There is a difference in "age" as it refers to a wheel of cheese and "age" as the super-dry chunk you've left sleeping in your cheese compartment.   

 

Indeed.  I have a chunk of Vella Golden Bear dry jack that's acquired the properties of glass. @andiesenji recommended steaming to soften hard cheeses and I need to give that method a try. 

[weinoo]

That's because instead of "breaking it down" as they might do in a restaurant kitchen or a butcher shop, you ought just cut it up. One way...

 

 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

FWIW, my sister-in-law's Genovese-born parents, fabulous cooks, only used dry jack, scoffing at parmigiano-reggiano as effete and a waste of money.

[btbyrd]

Blender parm is the way.

[Annie_H]

I've been using my Blendtec twister jar. Takes about 4-5 seconds for a sandy small pebble texture, remove some, then 4-5 more seconds I get light snow for popcorn. 

I make about a cup or so once a week. In a pinch I use one of the microplanes or a veg peeler for slivers. 

I did have one batch turn a bit creamy recently but it was going into a risotto anyway. Left a bit in the jar and made a nice salad dressing. 

 

It is possible I over blended or my cheese was room temp-ish. Dozens of times previous that never happened. 

Edited December 30, 2021 by Annie_H (log)

[weinoo]

But then you have blended cheese, not grated cheese.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

3 hours ago, weinoo said:

 

The Moulinex makes quick work of grating even larger quantities of Pamigiano.

 

Your cheese has a different texture from what I get.  I have several automated methods to produce grated cheese that looks like yours.  What I end up with using a star grater is more of a powdery consistency.  Years ago I had a hand cranked Moulinex with a star grating drum.  But I pitched it when it badly rusted.

 

[weinoo]

1 minute ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Your cheese has a different texture from what I get.  I have several automated methods to produce grated cheese that looks like yours.  What I end up with using a star grater is more of a powdery consistency.  Years ago I had a hand cranked Moulinex with a star grating drum.  But I pitched it when it badly rusted.

 

When I was in the deli world, if a customer asked for their cheese grated, we’d use a very large drum grater that was electric.  Probably modeled on the old Moulinex drum thing. Worked great.

[Kim Shook]

This is possibly more a job I resent than one I hate.  The rule in our house is that the cook doesn't clean up.  Being the cook most often, I try to be thoughtful and clean as I go so the task is a little less onerous.  But when it is someone else's job, I inevitably come into the kitchen the next morning to dirty/smeary/crumby counters and stove top.  I've made it clear that counter/stove top wiping is part of the clean up, but it doesn't seem to make much difference.  Another thing along the same lines is that almost ALL pots and pans get soaked overnight - even non-stick.  😡 So, doing the early morning wipe down and pot scrub is my most hated chore, I guess.  😉

[weinoo]

6 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Years ago I had a hand cranked Moulinex with a star grating drum.

 

Like this?

 

[rotuts]

I have a similar model , but a bit earlier

 

from my mother.

 

did an excellent job

 

an the cheese , and on a knuckle or two 

 

of the hend doing the grinding

 

 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

There is a major difference between the powdery and shredded grated cheese.   Each has its advocates, but in my mind these two are not really interchangeable.   

[JoNorvelleWalker]

17 minutes ago, weinoo said:

 

Like this?

 

 

Indeed.  Except rusty.

 

[weinoo]

15 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Indeed.  Except rusty.

 

 

Aren't we all?

[gfweb]

My unit.

 

OXO Rotary Cheese Grater, Bi-Directional, Stainless Steel, Non-Slip, Soft (eG-friendly Amazon.com link)

 

 

 

[rotuts]

I have that same one , and its a very good grater.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

6 hours ago, gfweb said:

My unit.

 

OXO Rotary Cheese Grater, Bi-Directional, Stainless Steel, Non-Slip, Soft (eG-friendly Amazon.com link)

 

 

 

 

Though from the pictures it appears yours grates like @weinoo's.

 

[weinoo]

9 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Though from the pictures it appears yours grates like @weinoo's.

 

 

I'm pretty sure that's the design OXO "improved" upon. Quite similar to how OXO has taken many designs, and improved upon them.

[Annie_H]

21 hours ago, weinoo said:

But then you have blended cheese, not grated cheese.

But it is on topic as I don't like grating or hand cranking. It is an excellent option for large batches especially popcorn. I would call it close to powered. It comes out fluffy. It starts to melt quickly and sticks to the hot kernels rather than falling to the bottom of the bowl. I use my blender for all sorts of things. Chopping nuts, coarse or finer for crusts, wheat berries for flour, etc. 

Love these little pebble bites. Will be good in winter soups.

 

I would not use the powdered on most pasta dishes as I don't care for cheese to melt into the hot sauce on the way to the table. I do like vegetable peeler slices/slivers. I have a couple box graters but find them awkward. My favorites sit flat together in a drawer. A basic rasp, a couple microplanes. My most used is the big heavy duty one in the middle. Does a quick job on a big Costco parm set in a 1/4 sheet Pan. Nice small slivers just a tad heartier than the moulinex. Nice for adding at the table for pasta and soups. 

I see the blender used all the time so I'm not the only one or two. Ina uses her cuisinart. Ina's go-to shortcut

 

 

[nonblonde007]

I saw this post and thought of this thread... made me giggle.