Garlic Press

I wasn’t always a big fan of my garlic press until I started experiencing MS symptoms in my hands. I would just whack it with the side of my 10 inch chef knife and then quickly mince it. My good knife skills were not something I had to think about. I was able to cook quickly and easily. Now I have to think about how to do things that used to come easily. Currently, I have two options for mincing garlic that work for me. It really depends on my recipe and what I am cooking, I can either use my food processor, or I can use my garlic press.

I realized just how much my knife skills had deteriorated when I lost my grip and cut my finger. It wasn’t a bad cut, but it was a wake up call for me. I needed to do things differently. I often need to mince garlic. If it is just a few cloves, then I turn to my garlic press. I am so much more cautious now. The problem for me is that garlic minced with a knife has a gentler taste, while garlic from a press has a harsher flavor. This is something I am learning to ignore. I have to not worry about small things. It comes down either to me being able to cook something by fudging techniques or not being able to make it at all. My choice is clear. I figure out a way to make it, even if its not the perfect way.

If a clove is too much for my hands to press than I cut the clove in half with a pairing knife. I have a really great garlic press. It is a little more expensive than a standard press, but it has been well worth it for me. The part of the press with the holes has a hinge that levers out so that I can easily clean it. If I can’t clean it right away, than I open it up and soak it in water until I can get to it. Clean up is so much easier.