
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 2, 1995                   TAG: 9508020004
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

TIMESAVING TOOLS ARE THE RECIPE FOR EASIER COOKING

A sharp paring knife will take you far, but for some cooking tasks, tools made especially for the job can save you time and frustration. Nancy Byal, food editor for "Better Homes and Gardens" magazine, and Karen Hunter, owner of Provisions Kitchen Gourmet in Hunting Hills Plaza, consider the following kitchen gadgets among some of the handiest to have. Most of the utensils are readily available in the supermarket cookware section or in gourmet cookware shops.

Adjustable measures: Don't you hate it when a recipe calls for an odd-sized measure? Handy slides on these gadgets adjust to quickly mete out dry ingredients from 1/8- to 1/2 cup; from 1 tsp. to 1 Tbsp., including 1 1/2- and 2 1/2-tsp. increments; and from 1/8- to 1 tsp. An adjustable-measure spice dispenser also is available.

Apple corer: Center the round, scalloped end of the corer over the fruit's core and push the tool into the fruit. Twist to loosen the whole core, then pull the core and corer out. There is also a larger, heavy-duty version of the corer that peels and slices.

Avocado skinner: This sleek instrument has a nice heft to it. It smoothly strips the skin from slippery "alligator" pears.

Bean slicer: It looks more like something you should use for fishing. But you clamp it on to a table or countertop and almost before you know it you'll have transformed a bunch of fresh green beans into impressive French cuts.

Butter curler: To jazz up rolls and bread with elegant curls, just draw the scalloped, hooked end of the butter curler down the long side of a slightly softened stick of butter or margarine.

Citrus zester-stripper: This handy gizmo does double duty. For thin strips of citrus peel (called zest) pull the scalloped edge, with multiple holes, along the fruit. For thick citrus strips, run the single-holed, curved blade along the fruit.

Cherry olive pitter: Pop a cherry or olive (pit in) into the little cup, squeeze the handles and the pit falls out of the hole in the cup, leaving a perfectly pitted cherry or olive. There's also available a big, heavy-duty model with attached hopper for faster work on big-time pitting jobs.

Garlic press: Mince garlic the effortless way, plus keep the pungent odor off your hands by using a metal or plastic press. A tip: Don't peel cloves before mincing; let the press do it for you. Be sure to choose one that's easy to clean.

Herb mincer: Handy rolling blades expedite chopping and mincing of parsley and other fresh herbs or soft vegetables for the freshest possible tastes.

Shrimp cleaner: Looking a little like a letter opener, this gadget peels and deveins shrimp with one quick motion. Starting from the head end of the shrimp, insert the narrow tip of the tool between the shell and meat. Push the whole blade through the vein cavity. The shell pops off and the shrimp is deveined.

Tomato-berry corer: Snatch the cores from tomatoes or the green caps from strawberries by inserting the spiked end of the small, round, saw-toothed tomato corer into the tomato core, or just below each strawberry cap, then twist.

Tongula: The middle section of this lightweight plastic spatula can either lay flush to its handle or flip up to hold in place whatever you're flipping. It could be used to turn something cooking in hot oil, but don't leave it sitting in a hot pan.

- Food editor Almena Hughes contributed information to this story.

by CNB