Microplane is a company we have a lot of time for. Over recent years we’ve experienced its products and each time, we’ve been impressed. For this household feature, we look at two of the company’s latest offerings, its 3-in-1 Ginger Tool in Black and Bowl Grater Fine Blade.

The 3-in-1 Ginger Tool in black
Seriously sharp and efficient, the new Microplane® 3-in-1 Ginger Tool in black is designed to take the hard work out of peeling, grating and slicing fresh ginger and will prove to be very useful for a wide variety of cooking and baking recipes.

The ginger tool eliminates the need for a knife or spoon, as the rasp-like tool features a peeler on the side, which gently, quickly and easily removes the skin, releasing the fragrant oils.

A wide panel incorporating Microplane’s top-selling ultra-sharp, photo-etched fine blade (made in the USA) makes fast work of grating the ginger to a fine paste without any ripping or tearing, and the integrated razor-sharp angled blade produces thinly sliced ginger with ease and precision.

A non-slip base and handle have been incorporated into the tool’s design, increasing comfort and stability. The clever design means you can hold the tool at an angle or place it flat on a surface to slice or grate.

Its low-profile shape allows for space-saving storage in a drawer, or it can be hung from the utensil rack. A protective cover ensures that fingers are protected from the sharp blades when reaching for it, and while dishwasher safe on the top shelf, it’s easy to clean by simply running under the tap.

Ginger was one of the first Asian spices to reach Europe from around the 4th century BCE when Arab traders transported dried and preserved ginger to ancient Greece and Rome.

Fresh Ginger has a hot-spice, citrusy-woody taste and aroma. It’s commonly used in Asian cuisine, including stir-fried rice and noodle dishes with pork, beef and chicken, and it also makes an exceptional marinade and is mouth-watering when sliced with any steamed fish.

Ginger can also be used in many other dishes and drinks, such as mango for creamy puddings, poached pears, a Raspberry Fizz cocktail, and homemade ginger beer; it also lends itself to fabulous fruit, carrot and chocolate cakes, sponges and biscuits.

And, of course, it makes the perfect ginger shot for a health-busting morning boost. Prepare the ginger shortly before use to retain the complex flavours, and be aware that the longer the ginger is cooked, the gentler its spicey-heat

Bowl Grater Fine Blade
Another new addition to the Microplane® range of exceptionally sharp and effective culinary tools is its ultra-sharp Bowl Grater Fine Blade, which quickly and efficiently grates hard cheese, citrus fruits, nuts, coconut, chocolate, and spices comfortably and neatly directly into the bowl. Like the aforementioned Ginger tool, it does so without ripping or tearing ingredients so that natural aromas are released to enhance flavour.

The Bowl Grater Fine Blade sits comfortably horizontally across the top of a round bowl up to 16cm in diameter or can be placed horizontally inside the bowl. You can also hold the grater at an angle inside the bowl for safe, comfortable, and quick grating thanks to the two rounded non-slip ends, which are perfectly moulded to fit inside the bowl and prevent slippage.

As with pretty much every Microplane product, it utilises photo-etched technology pioneered by the company more than five decades ago, which makes it ultra-sharp. The long-lasting stainless-steel blade has been designed to effortlessly grates the toughest ingredients with precision.

It’s a very effective tool, reducing Hard Parmesan to soft, airy drifts; garlic, ginger and onion are quickly grated to a smooth pulp and chocolate is shaved into incredibly fine clouds, perfect for decorating deserts, cakes and summer ice cream.

This practical and versatile grater is the perfect tool for preparing larger quantities of ingredients for a variety of dishes, including citrus zest for an Orange & Chocolate Cake or Lemon Meringue Pie, coconut for a Blueberry & Coconut Pudding, nutmeg and cinnamon for a traditional Baked Rice Pudding and hard cheese for a wide range of pasta recipes.

The Microplane Bowl Grater is already available with an extra coarse blade for larger textures, ideal for raw vegetable salads, coleslaws and vegetable gratins. The Bowl Grater Fine Blade and Bowl Grater Extra Coarse Blade are the perfect duo for the kitchen.

For those wanting to save on energy bills, although the tool is dishwasher safe, the Bowl Grater Fine Blade can be cleaned quickly and easily by simply rinsing under the tap.

You can read more about the above Microplane products and place an order via www.microplane.co.uk.

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