Tuesday tools: vegetable peelers

For a while now, I have been wanting to extol the virtues of my new Oxo Serrated Peeler, which Santa left me in my stocking and I subsequently used to peel lemons for Limoncello. In fact, my love of this peeler was the original inspiration for my blog. Imagine, I could share my experiences with different kitchen gadgets!

But then, I tried my serrated peeler on a cucumber, and it didn’t work that well. In fact, it did not work at all, it mangled the peel. I went back to my trusty Kuhn Rikon Peeler, which did the job with no problem. I am generally quick on the uptake, but it never dawned on me that there might be different peelers for different jobs.

According to Cooks Illustrated, there are loads of different peelers for different situations. My Kuhn Rikon Peeler is perfect for cucumbers and potatoes (an old-fashioned straight peeler is also good in this instance). The new Oxo Serrated Peeler is good for tender things, like peaches, tomatoes, and lemons, when you just want the peel and no pith. And a julienne peeler makes beautiful matchsticks for garnish or salads or stir fry. Of course, both Oxo and Kuhn offer professional versions with swivel and high-end blade features.

Now that I have cleared up that giant mystery, I would like to heartily recommend both my Oxo Serrated Peeler and my Kuhn Rikon Peeler. And now that I finally understand how both are used, peeling should not be such a confusing experience any longer.

Photo courtesy of jugglerpm