Hello my Foodie Friends. Many of our amateur and professional chefs spend a lot more time thinking about and preparing food than the average person. Even so, convenience can define what we eat and cook nearly as much as good taste. Take salads, for instance. Before squeeze bottles made their appearance in my kitchen, I’d eat them perhaps once or twice a month, and only when I was hosting a dinner party. The hassle of making a fresh batch of vinaigrette just for myself and my wife is simply too big (and forget about using bottled dressing).
Squeeze bottles are a good, simple tool to have. There are many reasons to own a squeeze bottle. Namely, it’ll make you a better cook and better eater. These days, I keep a couple of different vinaigrettes ready to go in 12-ounce squeeze bottles in the fridge (any of these will do). Stick your finger over the top, give it a good shake, squirt it onto your greens in a mixing bowl, and boom: lunch is served. In order to make sure that chunky items like shallots or crushed nuts don’t get caught in the tip, sometimes you’ve got to snip off the tip of the bottle with a paring knife or a good pair of kitchen shears.
As far as condiments go, squeeze bottles are another lifesaver. You can fill them with mustard, ketchup, mayo, olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, tonkatsu sauce, and vinegar. Buy these products in bulk, store the cans out of the way under the sink or in the closet, and refill your squeeze bottles as needed. It’ll make the inside of your refrigerator look all cool, organized, and “cheffy” as well.
Many of our Foodie Friends make homemade condiments such a mayo and bbq sauce, various purées, homemade plum sauce, pesto, aïoli, sweet miso sauce, chili sauce, garlic and herb oils, - you get the picture. Basically anything that can quickly transform a normal piece of food into something more complex and a little bit fancy.
Want to throw a fancy cocktail party? Squeeze bottles are your friend. Fill a big one with simple syrup, smaller ones with fresh squeezed citrus juice or flavored syrups. You’ll be cleaner, neater, and more efficient, cutting the time it takes to make each cocktail. Your guests will thank you and marvel at how pro you look.
Pro Tip: For easy sauce transport, take the lid off the squeeze bottles, cover the hole with a double layer of plastic wrap, screw the lid back on. Your sauce will stay 100% drip-free until you get to your destination.
Holy squeeze bottle!! Did you ever think that there would be so many uses for such a simple tool? Make a squeeze bottle your main squeeze. Stop by Compliments to the Chef in Saratoga Springs for your amateur and professional culinary needs. Enjoy time with family and friends. Remember, “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. Take care, John and Paula
