Kitchen Tactics

We often go to visit my wifes family in Mexico and everytime I notice some subtle differences in the way people live, eat, work, and cook.  In the kitchens you are more likely to find hand tools like a mortar and pestle or a tortilla press.  One item that surprised me is a peice of  tuperware we would call a  Pick-a-Deli Pickle Container.  It’s pretty uncommon in kitchens in the US but my wife has told me its very common in Mexico.  We would use it store pickles in their juice or marinate mushrooms in vinaigrette.  The container includes a “lift up strainer” so you can get your pickle without getting your dainty fingers wet.

We recently found one and,  even though it looked like a pea green relic from the ’70s,  my wife didn’t hesitate to buy it.  Later on she was using the “lift up strainer” from the container to mash some re-fried beans.  That seemed practical.  The bigger surprise was when she made chiles relleno and used the container to whip her egg whites.  That wasn’t what Tupperware intended, but pretty cool.

3 egg whites went into the container.  She started to plunge them using the strainer.  Egg white squished through the strainer holes with a pleasant squishing sound.  It seemed to build up some suction as air mixed with the egg on the way up and the way down.  In a couple minutes the eggs were whipped to peaks.  I’ve tried the  Pick-a-Deli few times and it is a little easier than using a whisk and definitely more fun.

I’m interested in finding more kitchen tools used in unintended ways.  If you have a story please comment.

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Tags: Egg white, Kitchen Equipment, Mexico, Re-purpose, Tupperware