Equipment: Potato Ricer

Subject: Potato Ricer
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: snowfeet1 at aol.com (Snowfeet1)
Date: 11 Jul 2001 20:18:28 GMT
--------
Can anyone suggest a place to buy a good one?
From: Tony Mazzaccaro (hyrock at shore.intercom.net)
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 18:39:55 -0400
--------
Snowfeet1 wrote:
> Can anyone suggest a place to buy a good one?

I can't help with where, but I can help with what to look for. Don't be tempted by those with interchangeable plates with different size holes. When you use them, the plate comes up with the plunger, pasted to it by a layer of potato. You must remove the plate and replace it into the chamber each time. A real PIA. Buy one that is a solid, one piece unit. It is much more efficient. BTW, a ricer is a great way to remove excess water from cooked spinach or other greens to be used in fillings or pasta verde.
From: Gargoylle (gargoylle at postmaster.co.uk)
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 18:05:35 -0500
--------
Tony wrote:
>I can't help with where, but I can help with what to look for. Don't be
>tempted by those with interchangeable plates with different size holes.
>When you use them, the plate comes up with the plunger, pasted to it by
>a layer of potato. You must remove the plate and replace it into the
>chamber each time. A real PIA. Buy one that is a solid, one piece unit.
>It is much more efficient.

Thanks for the tip Tony! I got one at a garbage sale when I was visiting Damsel_cakes. I think I paid a buck for it. It's as you described. In the fall, when I start cooking indoors again, I'll give it a whirl.
From: Christine Dabney (artisan2 at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 16:09:54 -0700
--------
Tony wrote:
> BTW, a ricer is a great way to remove excess
> water from cooked spinach or other greens to be used in fillings or
> pasta verde.

It is also a great way to get the garlic puree from whole roasted garlic heads.... I saw this technique on Joanne Weir's show..and it looked so incredibly easy!
From: Damsel in dis Dress
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 23:20:35 GMT
--------
Gargoylle wrote:
>Thanks for the tip Tony! I got one at a garbage sale when I was
>visiting Damsel_cakes. I think I paid a buck for it. It's as you
>described. In the fall, when I start cooking indoors again, I'll give
>it a whirl.

Gar, Gar, Gar ... you don't whirl potato ricers. You SQUEEZE them! Don'tcha know ANYTHING?

*Smirkles*
Dams
From: Sandy Dykes (SDykes at wam.umd.edu)
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 23:18:57 GMT
--------
Tony wrote:
> BTW, a ricer is a great way to remove excess
> water from cooked spinach or other greens to be used in fillings or
> pasta verde.

Now THAT'S an idea I can use! I practically never use my ricer, but I'm always struggling with getting the last drops out of cooked spinach in a colander. Thanks, Tony! And as far as where to find one, just about any kitchen/home store stocks them.

I think I feel a spinach enchilada coming on...
From: Diane Feder (feder at tmg.com)
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 05:12:49 GMT
--------
Tony wrote:
> BTW, a ricer is a great way to remove excess water from cooked spinach or
> other greens to be used in fillings or pasta verde.

Thanks, Tony! This is such a terrific idea! I immediately went and did a search through all my recipes for "squeeze spinach dry" and edited them. There were a lot of them, and I used to go through quite a few paper towels. That ricer will probably never have a chance to get lost in the back of the cabinet again. And I can salvage the juice this way, too.
From: Marydq at webtv.net (Mary DQ)
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 05:37:58 -0500 (CDT)
--------
Don*t know what part of the planet you are in, but most fancy kitchen tool stores in malls have them in stock.

They are also useful for making German Spatele. (might be misspelled) Mary
From: John (john at nospamnospam.com)
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 14:11:26 GMT
--------
> I can't help with where, but I can help with what to look for. Don't be
> tempted by those with interchangeable plates with different size holes.
> When you use them, the plate comes up with the plunger, pasted to it by
> a layer of potato. You must remove the plate and replace it into the
> chamber each time.

You must have a poorly designed version of this type of potato ricer. We have a stainless steel ricer with interchangeable plates, and the plates always stay put. One of these days, I'm going to use the large-holed plate to make spaetzle. :-) When it comes to making smooth, fluffy, non-gooey, mashed potatoes, a ricer can't be beat.
From: Don Wiss
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 19:56:34 -0400
--------
Snowfeet1 wrote:

>Can anyone suggest a place to buy a good one?

I also suggest that you buy a stainless steel one.

Seaching on "potato ricer" (with the quotes) on google.com I find:

[all links dead. were Oxo and Cuisipro]

and many more.

I skipped the tinned steel ones, and the ones with the interchangeable plates.
From: LeberKnodel (Leberknodel at nyc.rr.com)
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 03:48:08 GMT
--------
> Can anyone suggest a place to buy a good one?

Williams Sonoma has a plastic one for $12. The link is below

[link dead. product probably no longer available]

Two better quality metal ones can be found at happycookers.com. Here's the link
[site dead]
From: Karen O'Mara (karen at randomgraphics.com)
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 21:09:37 -0700
--------
Potato ricers are great! Plain riced potatoes are a nice change from mashed... doesn't break down the glutens (or whatever it is.) Leftover riced potatoes makes the best lefse, btw.
From: ginnysher at mediaone.net (Ginny Sher)
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 13:35:09 GMT
--------
>Can anyone suggest a place to buy a good one?

After reading all the other posts, I want to add one other recommendation. That is, make sure the ricer you buy is 'very' sturdy. The first one I bought was metal and I thought it was a good one but the first time I used it, I bent the handle in two trying to squeeze the taters through those little holes. I have since bought one that hasn't collapsed like that and it works great.

The spinach and garlic ideas were great!
From: Dimitri (Dimitri_C at prodigy.net)
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 07:19:50 -0700
--------
> Can anyone suggest a place to buy a good one?

Ikea.
From: Jamie Utter (butter at csusm.edu)
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 08:30:20 -0700
--------
Snowfeet1 wrote:
> Can anyone suggest a place to buy a good one?

I think you should bypass the ricer and get a food mill.

Ever since I got my food mill, that's what I use to make mashed potatoes. I never use my ricer anymore.
From: Karen O'Mara (karen at randomgraphics.com)
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 20:49:16 -0700
--------
Jamie Utter wrote:
> Snowfeet1 wrote:
> > Can anyone suggest a place to buy a good one?
>
> I think you should bypass the ricer and get a food mill.
>
> Ever since I got my food mill, that's what I use to make
> mashed potatoes. I never use my ricer anymore.

Well, I suggest Snowfeet 1 make you an offer...?