The Top Way to Mince Garlic – Garlic Press vs. Knives

I’ve been cooking for a long time. It first started out as a necessity, but I later realized that I actually love it and what first started as a necessity became a passion.
When I was young, I’d often watch my grandma cook in her kitchen. That was a lifetime ago, and kitchens back then didn’t have the technology that we have today. I’d watch my grandma use everyday kitchen tools such as knives to whack garlic cloves, for example, and I’ve always thought that’s how you’re supposed to do it.
I love using garlic a lot, and when I first tried my hand at cooking, I’d whack a couple of cloves with a knife, peel it by hand and then patiently chop it to minuscule bits. You can only imagine the work this takes, plus the odor it leaves on my skin. I mean, I love this herb a lot but not when it’s uncooked!
Fast forward a couple of years, I got introduced to what a pressing tool is and started using it. Oh boy! My grandma would have loved using it! This tool is very easy to use:
Take a couple of cloves from the bulb.
Place them into the chamber (capacity would depend on the chamber’s size)
Squeeze the handles together.
Collect the minced bits on a small plate.
What I really love about these presses is that you don’t have to touch the uncooked herb at all. If your pressing device has the right feature, there’s no need to peel it too.
Not only that, using a device will save you several precious minutes because you don’t have to spend time mincing. Just press, put another clove and squeeze the handles again. It’s very quick and easy.
Even when cleaning, there’s no need to get in contact with the raw herb. Some tools come with its own cleaning device, though I find that these kinds are more expensive and the cleaning device is completely unnecessary. You can just wash the tool under running water, and it would clean away the garlic bits stuck to it.
After that, wipe the tool with a piece of cloth and then store it in a dry place. Just make sure to look for a stainless steel garlic press so the smell wouldn’t stick to the material.
If you’ve never used a pressing tool before, I suggest that you invest on a really good garlic press. It will make your cooking life easier, and you’d never look back into whacking cloves ever again.