Comments on: The right tool makes sauce a snap

By: ChristineMM

ChristineMM — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:42:46 +0000

I love my chinois. Was researching today to see if I could use it instead of buying a jelly bag for jelly making.

Mine is a high quality one with fine screens. It is fantastic for making meat and veg stocks, strain and it comes out clear, all the little bits are held back.

I wanted to share that there are a variety on the market. Some are wide screened and not good. I advice a high quality one.

Also a ricer has wider holes, not the same as a chinois, two different things with different uses.

For example there is no way on Earth potatoes could go through my chinois.

Great post.

By: Janet Majure

Janet Majure — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:08:23 +0000

So sorry about your mother, Joanne S. It’s nice that you have her tools to keep her with you, figuratively speaking. As you can see in Diane’s comment (#1) above, “ricer” evidently isn’t an unusual term for this item, although I think of ricers as those tools that look rather like giant garlic presses!

By: Joanne S.

Joanne S. — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:56:16 +0000

My mother passed away earlier this year and I received all her kitchen tools. I just located what she called her “ricer” as it was a regular in our Thanksgiving meal preparation. It’s the perfect tool for making great cranberry sauce. The one in your photo and its pestle is exactly like the one I have, which my mother received as a wedding gift in 1952. Enjoy!

By: Janet Majure

Janet Majure — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 16:49:24 +0000

Hi, T. Thanks for stopping. Jelly bag holder seems to be the consensus.

And, John, as per Michele a few comments up, I’m sure you’re right. Maybe I should go in and add a note to that affect in the post. Thanks!

By: john

john — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 01:33:42 +0000

Looks like a china cap to me not a chinois

By: T

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 21:32:25 +0000

The metal ring is for holding a jelly bag or layers of cheesecloth onto the chinois. It’s for jelly making.

I have a very, very old chinois and hardwood pestle, and use it throughout the year for juicing and jelly making.

By: Janet Majure

Janet Majure — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:51:55 +0000

I’ll bet you’re right, Liz. Another thing for me to explore.

By: Liz Schmidt

Liz Schmidt — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 21:26:56 +0000

I have one and it is a wonderful tool. Have used it for years. Perhaps the extra ring is for holding a jelly bag or cheesecloth in place for even finer straining.

By: Janet Majure

Janet Majure — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:35:28 +0000

Well, Michele, you’re the culinary school grad, so I’ll take your word on it (and keep an eye out for a good reference book). And chinoise is it, with an “e”? Lucky for you, I’m always interested to learn more.

By: Michele

Michele — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:34:18 +0000

Don’t hate me, but this is not a chinoise. It’s a China cap. Only the fine mesh one is called a chinoise.