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The Microplane: A Simple Tool that will Outshine Your Grater and Zester for a Flavourful and Textural Upgrade
Let it refine, and show you how mighty fine, your food can be — literally
Not all graters are created equal. And the Microplane is no exception when it comes to speedy prep, fine detail work, and flavourful impact in the kitchen.
Its proudest moments are when the box grater falls short of producing super-finely grated zest, soft ginger pulp, and airy tufts of Parmesan.
Deserving of gadget recognition — because it’s just as cool and prolific as the trendy spiralizer — its credibility rests with the fact that it has never failed at the hands of tough ginger and sturdy chocolate blocks.
And that’s exactly where the Microplane can give a hand. Tougher to handle with a knife, it’s such ingredients that would otherwise give any home cook or discerning chef a hard time in the kitchen.
With Canadian roots and a reputation as a utensil for smoothing out wood, it’s thanks to its carpentry characteristics of super-sharp teeth that deliver beautiful, fine flakes to dazzle any dish with elegance and oomph.
And it’s hard not to fall in love with a confetti of white chocolate atop a decadent dark chocolate torte or a delicate dusting of lemon zest around a plate of Pasta al Limone. Whether enamoured through the window of a pâtisserie or presented to you by your loved one, the Microplane is sure to play an important role.
Morsels of Flavour: A Zesty Case
While the topic of taste might not be at the forefront of utensil selection and consideration, it’s yet amazing how much power and influence a seemingly simple tool like the Microplane has when it comes to flavour.
Not only does the rasp grater mechanically excel with teeth designed to allow for a back-and-forth motion — a time-saver and an effortless exercise — but it also outperforms a standard zester in the quality control department. That is, flavour.
While either a zester or even a box grater will suffice for the sake of citrus zest, at the end of the day a Microplane will really go to town with coaxing out the beautiful nuances from the essential oils contained within the fruit’s peel.
With perforations and super-sharp edges that run along its full length, you will immediately notice a beautiful boost of flavour and aroma from simply using a Microplane — whether it’s the zest that’s baked into a tart shell or a stalk of lemongrass that’s grated into a Thai dipping sauce.
A zester, while designed to do just that, moreover, does not create lighter strands from citrus. By virtue of a curling motion, it’s a tool that can at best guarantee zest that’s thicker — which is wonderful for decorative candied orange peel curls — but it isn’t conducive for adding background flavour that’s required of many recipes.
And the same can be said about that of cheaper graters — the resultant zest often runs on the thicker side with even more of the pith intact, lending an unwanted bitterness that can very easily tarnish a dish.
As with zest size, it’s also important to note that Microplanes likewise come in a variety of sizes and styles with holes fine or wide enough to tackle spices like nutmeg, or softer cheeses like mozzarella, respectfully.
More than a Matter of Time with Aromatics
Having cooked our way through the pandemic, seeing parts of the meal prep as an extension of working from home, it’s rather refreshing to switch up the pace from monotony.
Drop the knife. And step away from the chopping.
Because hacking away at each and every garlic clove, with bits landing on top of your dog’s head; stacking decks of ginger slices for them to be cut into matchsticks, and then into a fine dice; or tackling several shallots with tears — sometimes just does not cut it. Literally.
And what if they actually fared better with the use of a Microplane?
The answer is a pungent and aromatic yes!
Besides doing away with labour frustrations and knife-cut discrepancies, opting for a Microplane allows for maximum extraction of flavour, breaking down the ingredient to its finest even before it hits the hot oil or salad dressing — already optimized for any job.
Whether you’re making a dipping sauce, salad dressing, or marinade — elements largely exempt from aesthetic concerns — by finely grating the usual suspects against a Microplane will not only save you a ton of time and trouble, but in doing so will also really help to bring out their essence and moisture content.
You’ll quickly notice how much bang for your buck and flavour you’ll be getting with every aromatic destined for the next tasty creation, because its potency will be quick to disperse and dissolve. And it will make a world of difference by adding finely grated, versus chopped, garlic or ginger to any dish.
Excellent, right?
Making for more flavourful end results, tackling these ingredients in this way can also help in the case of hanging onto the last thumb of ginger, reluctant to make a special grocery run.
And if stored in the freezer for a greater shelflife, that last piece of ginger will certainly peel away easily as well as grate incredibly well as frozen.
Dairy also Enjoys the Microplane
In addition to leveraging a bit of chemistry and physics, dairy, too, lends itself well to both pastry creations and daily hacks alike — oh yes, it’s butter.
Not only is grating hard, cold butter with a Microplane effective for achieving a flaky pie crust, but it’s also perfect for when a piece of fresh toast desperately needs its butter — but it’s in the fridge.
Not a problem: Simply grate it over, just like cheese, and it will spread like a dream.
Heck, you can even do so with Parmigiano Reggiano at the dinner table as you confidently shave it over bowls of hot Spaghetti Bolognese, to the effect of a sublime, snowy spectacle.
Besides showmanship and kitchen smarts, it’s a tool that will not only take you on a journey of different dishes and cuisines, but it will also teach you about the virtues of its use — alongside the importance of a chef’s knife.
Incredibly versatile, a Microplane is a culinary workhorse that really cannot do you wrong, but opt for a fine-tooth one as it will address most kitchen tasks, if you’re planning on adding it to your set of tools.
So, the next time a recipe calls for cloves of garlic or a thumb of ginger, say “see you later à la grater!”
