One of my most beloved and used kitchen utensils has quickly become my microplane/zester. When I ordered it online, I did not expect it to become something I used multiple times a week. It started out as something that I used only for zesting lemons, but has grown into something so much more. I can say without a doubt now that using my microplane with a few key ingredients is the easiest way to take any dish I make to the next level, and if I’m being honest, it is also just really fun to use.
Parmesan
If you have never had fresh grated Parmesan cheese before then you are missing out on one of the greatest pleasures in life. After purchasing the microplane I started to add freshly grated Parmesan to a lot of my dishes. Its just a really good way to add a bit of salty umami flavor to anything. I’ll add it to pasta, soups, salads, pizza, or almost just about anything when it’s missing that “special something.”
Desserts
One of the most surprising uses I discovered for the microplane was using it for dessert dishes. My favorite use is adding dark chocolate shavings to my ice cream, creme brulee or cakes, but I’ll also use it to add orange zest, fresh nutmeg, or cinnamon to desserts as well. When making meals to impress, its easy to forget about dessert or it can seem too daunting to do on top of a main course, side dishes, and possibly an appetizer or salad, but since getting my microplane I do not have this problem anymore. Instead, I’ll just get a simple dessert like ice cream or cheese cake from the grocery store and dress it up with dark chocolate shaving, fresh cinnamon, or orange zest using the microplane to make the dessert really stand out. It’s dead simple to do and has impressed dinner guests or my girlfriend on multiple occasions.
Citrus
Citrus zest has to be one of the greatest things I have discovered after becoming passionate about cooking. I love how versatile it is and can add a bit of freshness to any dish without the sometimes over powering flavor of the juice. My favorite uses for citrus zests are making my own lemon/lime pepper seasoning or adding them to salads and desserts. You could also use a vegetable peeler to get larger pieces of the zest to discover even more uses!
All in all, the mighty microplane is a simple tool that can garner big results in your cooking. It is easily one of the best ways to improve a simple dish, and if I’m being honest, it is just fun to use and easy to impress friends and dates with.
THE TASTE AWAKENS 