Thursday, September 1, 2016

The Incredible Versatility Of An Electric Herb Grinder

By Frank Morgan


These days you can find a kitchen appliance for almost anything. With so much choice, the challenge is not to spend your money on ones you will use only a few times before you let them gather dust on the shelf. One gadget that is a really good investment and that will pay for itself over and over again, however, is an electric herb grinder.

With fast-spinning blades not unlike those you find in a blender, an electric grinder can chop up almost anything. It's a breeze to clean after use too, because you just need to take a paper towel or a cloth and wipe the inside. Another advantage is that it saves you time because grinding something takes only a few seconds. If that still isn't enough to convince you, think about the incredible versatility of this little gadget.

Obviously one use for the appliance is to chop herbs into a finer texture. If you use fresh herbs, it's best to pulse the machine or it will turn the herbs into a paste. Dried herbs are more suited to being ground and you'll use less too. You can even grind herbs such as sage and then use them to roll herbal cigarettes that are a healthier alternative to tobacco.

The ground spices you buy in the store can quickly go stale and lose their flavor. Whole spices keep their flavor for a longer time and with your little grinding machine, you can grind the small quantity that the recipe requires. It will take you a few seconds and you will never again have to struggle crushing those cloves, peppercorns or cardamom seeds with a mortar and pestle.

If you have leftover, stale bread, simply grind it to make breadcrumbs that can form a coating for meat or vegetables. Cookies can be crushed to make crusts for pies and cheesecakes. You can also make small batches of special flours like buckwheat, lentil or almond flour.

For a tastier cup of coffee, you need to use beans that are freshly ground. Your grinder is also handy for making your own confectioner's sugar, grinding regular sugar until it is powdery. Instead of buying different textures of salt, buy a large pack of coarse salt and then grind it into a finer texture when you need it.

You don't even have to use your grinder for food only. It can turn herbs or flowers with medicinal properties into a fine powder that you can add to homemade hygiene products such as deodorants or lip balms. For a natural and inexpensive tooth powder that will also give you fresh breath, grind some dried peppermint, cloves of anise together with baking soda.

The dried petals of flowers like roses will get a finer, less uneven texture if you take a few seconds to grind them a little. Even bits of paper in different colors can become a festive confetti. Add a sprinkling of potpourri or confetti to a gift bag for a creative, thoughtful touch.




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