Potato Ricer is an essential kitchen tool which is used to press boiled potatoes or any other soft food to get noodle-like strands or to mash it uniformly. The potato ricer works on the mechanism of extrusion. It consists of a handle with a perforated base through which the boiled potatoes or other soft food are pressed to mash them uniformly. The potato ricer comes in different varieties, sizes and can be made of various materials. Stainless steel is the most commonly used material, as it does not rust and is dishwasher safe.
History of Potato Ricer
The exact time and the person who invented the potato ricer is not known. However, it can be certainly said that the potato ricer was widely used before it was first patented in the year 1932. The 1932 design was simply an improvement on the previously used designs, but it is not when the first potato ricer was made. The use of potato ricer has also been mentioned in a cookbook published in 1918, which makes it safe to state that the potato ricer has definitely been in use from atleast 1918 and may be even much earlier.
Types
Grid Potato Ricer – This type of potato ricer is the most easy to use and clean. They are also dishwasher safe and comparatively reasonable and inexpensive. It comes with a short handle with a base which is perforated with holes to allow the food to pass through. It gives uniformly mashed potatoes which are lump-free. This type of potato ricer is usually made of stainless steel with a steel handle or sometimes a plastic coated handle. Some times these grid style potato ricers are also available in wood.
Zigzag Potato Ricer – This is similar to the grid style potato ricer, and differs only in the base which is zigzag shaped instead of the perforated type. These are also made with stainless steel and are dishwasher safe. They are reasonably priced and available at most supermarkets or grocery stores.
Garlic Press Potato Ricer – This type of potato masher resembles a giant-sized garlic press. It consists of a container with a perforated disc at its base, which is filled with food and another flat surface comes over it pressing it hard to push the food through the perforated disc. The discs are interchangeable and come with different sizes of perforations. These are also made of stainless steel and may or may not be dishwasher safe.
How to Buy a Potato Ricer
While buying a potato ricer one can choose from the grid style, the zigzag style or the giant garlic press type of potato ricers. Stainless steel is the best choice which is usually dishwasher safe and does not rust either. Buying from a reputed brand always helps as their products are of reliable quality.
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