Tool of the Week: The Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester/Grater
—Contest now closed—
IMO, the key to using a tool on a regular basis is that it should make you smile every time you look at it.
I have a potato masher like that. Actually, it’s a pastry cutter named Pastry Pal, but I thought it was a potato masher when I bought it. Slightly bent tines, a bright blue soft plastic handle, perfect to work out your angst by mashing some spuds.
Plus, it made me happy just to open the drawer and see it. This was in my whatever’s-on-sale-at-KMart days, so it stood out. Plus, I felt a bit subversive, and if you’ve been reading BehindTheKnife.com for any amount of time, you know that this vein runs pretty deep.
Anyway, a neighbor saw me use it one day, and next Thanksgiving asked to borrow it. I gave it to her, but she forgot to give it back. The next time I bought potatoes with the express purpose of mashing them, no Pastry Pal! I tore up the kitchen looking for it.
Then I remembered. I knocked on the door.
She wasn’t home. I sorrowfully consumed my unmashed potatoes and in my stupor, forgot about the masher.
Until the next time. The cycle repeated itself a few times, until one day when I was about to move 1000 miles away. This time, the planets aligned: I remembered the Pastry Pal, and she happened to be home. When I asked her for it, she got a sheepish look on her face.
She reluctantly gave it back. It almost felt like she was giving me my own going-away present.
I still have the Pastry Pal, but I learned my lesson. Never again will I make the mistake of having anyone see me actually use it.
And I still smile when I look at it, though these days it has some hot competition since two Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester/Graters with sherbet-color handles arrived here at the BehindTheKnife.com offices. Orange and lime. So I’ve been grinning like a fool lately.
But alas, they are not mine to keep. Instead, YOU could be the lucky winner of one of them as the featured Tool of the Week. Yes, this week there will be two winners. And unless you plead a pretty strong case, I’m choosing which color you get.
Got your own subversive tool/borrow-happy neighbor stories? Leave a comment about it — or anything else — below and you could win a brand-new unborrowed Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester/Grater of your very own.
I’m not sure if you’ll decide to use it for anything but its original intention, but if you win, you could give it a try.
At the very least, I dare you not to smile when you look at them. And you just may decide to do your zesting and grating in private.
Win one!
Two lucky BehindTheKnife.com readers will win a Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester/Grater FREE, a $15 value. Just leave a comment below by Friday November 20th, 11:59 pm. Check our contest rules
BONUS! Get an extra chance to win by leaving a comment and signing up for our newsletter, The Blowtorch.
What are you waiting for? Leave your comment now !
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Comments now closed
I have the cutest egg slicer with an egg face on it. It makes me smile everytime I slice eggs!
Oh, I’ve been meaning to get one of those! Thanks for the giveaway!
There is NOTHING better than a Microplane. But mine has a boring black handle. I can give that one away to a neighbor if I win one of these, right?
I once loaned my hand-held cherry pitter to a good friend. When I asked for it back a few weeks later, she said: No. I had to go buy a new one. Seems her husband told her that if she gave it back he would be extremely sad. I didn’t mind – very good friends – and not an expensive kitchen item. A good excuse to go to the restaurant supply store.
This would be the best stocking stuffer for my husband. He loves to cook and has been wanting one of these.
Thanks for the chance — I’ll use it to make some lemon poppyseed cookies :)
Either color is fine.
I live in Florida and fresh citrus is available all over the place including deserted groves, where the sweetest and sourest fruit grows.
A zester would be wonderful as I peal and thinly slice the peelings to add to all sorts of meals and cooking, as well as, adding to sachets to give at the holidays. Waste not , want not.
I would be pleased to give which over one you can part with a happy and useful home.
Thank you
Signed up for the Blowtorch, I look forward to reading more of your humorous and mysterious writing.
count me in
Every time I’m fumbling with garlic or ginger I wish for one of these!
Great tool.
O, I could really use this! I love Orange and lemon zest!
I just got an inexpensive microplane grater & love it! I’d love to win this one for my daughter!
I was really hoping for a picture of the pastry pal at the end of this post!
Nice win for Thanksgiving!
Okay, these things are amazing….the ribbon one is so functional. It is one of the best kitchen tools I have.
My mom in law seems to have taken to collecting microplanes-
She gave us a cast off kitchenaid grater that was cracked- of course it didn’t survive very long in our home. Would love to have a ‘real’ microplane!
I freakin’ LOVE the green- THAT green!
inalak at msn dot com
I’d actually give this as a stocking stuffer for my sister.
I would give my left pinky toe to have one of these! Seriously, I haven’t been able to find one in my neck of the woods, and I am so tired of scraped knuckles from using the side of my grater (I know, right). Thanks for the chance to win one.
I have been wanting one of these. Thanks for the chance to win it.
This would be great for Zesting lemons!
I so need one of these
I could use one of this. My current grater is pretty old.
I would love one of these
I love kitchen gadgets!!
I would feel like a real cook with one of these. My new favorite item is my pastry cutter, which is radically different looking than traditional pastry cutters. This one has a long handle, and it works great!
Kitchen gadgets are always of interest—even if they sometimes are things I don’t use very often!
Have a great weekend.
Now, I want a Pastry Pal. I would love to win this grater looks great and easy to use.
I would really love to have this!!!!
This would be so awesome to win!
This would make a great stocking stuffer present for my wife! I hope I win one for her—either color—hey, it’s cool enough that you’re giving them away to two lucky winners!
This would be great for grating garlic.
I love kitchen gadgets. This would be great to win!
Thanks! Good luck to all.
don’t have this, would love it
Signed up for the Blowtorch and would love one of these! Thanks for the chance to win one. GLTA
I don’t have a Microplane Grater so I hope I win this one. jelly15301@gmail.com
This is something my son has been asking for. He loves cooking.
I have a boring black microplane grater. I’d love to win this. Then I can give my black one to my daughter who doesn’t have one. They are wonderful.
I’ve been coveting one of these! With an over eager lime AND lemon tree, I’ve got plenty of citrus to use it on and would love to have zest at the ready!
I love kitchen gadgets!
I once loaned my pizza stone to my son, who “kept forgetting” to return it. Then, he moved to Japan. I made him send me a new one. :D
These are so cool and I’d love to win one! Thank you!
My bro loves cooking, I would put this in his stocking! Thanks for the chance.
mogrill@comcast.net
I have one zestter but I real don’t really like it. This one would be nice.
These are great tools to have in the kitchen
Believe it or not, a zester is actually on my Christmas wishlist. I love kitchen gadgets and this is one I don’t have.
My favorite kitchen tool is the microplane nutmeg grater I got from my husband as a stocking stuffer a few years ago. He bought enough whole nutmegs to last several hundred years.
I am an email subscriber
This would make a nice gift for my husband. He loves to cook!
the grater is the one thing that is a must have sick of using my big one for smaller jobs
very nice
I would love to win this. It would really help when I make my lemon bars and key lime pies!
Signed up for the newsletter.
Unfortunately, I think I’m the tool-borrowing neighbor! I don’t have a lot of cooking accessories, so i find I’m always borrowing them from someone…but at least I always give them back!
Cool new looking grater
jason(at)allworldautomotive(dot)com
Looks like it works great and easy to clean!
This would be great for grating fresh nutmeg for all my holiday recipes!
I like this! Thanks :)
I love it. Thank so much for the chance, I love trying new gadgets out.
I could really use this.
This would be a great addition to our kitchen. Happy Holidays.
Would love to win this!
I lost my microplane in a cross-country move. Oh, how I miss it!
What a great tool
email subscriber
I’ve been using the same old zester I got for culinary school almost 20 years ago, I have always wanted to try an upgrade! Since there’s green in my living room and orange in my kitchen, I have no argument to make if those are the two choices!
This is one gadget that I’d love to have!
I’ve never owned a zester. I use sand paper :) just joking
Awesome, Id love to add this to my favorite kitchen gadgets :)
I would love this. I don’t have a zester and get by with using the “fancy” side of the cheese shredder. Not really fancy at all. :)
My santoku knife does that for me. It makes chopping so much easier.
oooh I love this zester/grater . My friend has one and they are so-o-o-o-o nice!
Thanks for the giveaway!
I could use a nice grater. Thanks for the chance to win one
I would like to win this grater
Would love to win this! I’ve just started really getting into cooking and this would be great!
Ooh – does this look nice! I’d love to have one! None of my kitchen gadgets ever feel neglected – I use ALL of them.
would love this
I would use it on lemons & oranges…Zest for me!
This is a great looking kitchen tool that I bet works great!
A Microplane would help me on the way to a well-equipped kitchen.
Would love to add this to my kitchen tool collection. While the orange or lime handles make it attractive, it’s still not as cute as my halibut shaped ceramic ginger grater. Nice try!
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Count me in to win!