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Peel-A-Meal
Vegetable peelers: Where do they come from?
There are two main types of vegetable peelers. The first is the Yorkshire, or Lancaster, vegetable peeler. The Yorkshire peeler was created by a Yorkshire, England blacksmith in the 19th century. Thomas Williams based his peeler on a conventional knife. The device had a blade that had a cut down the middle. Instead of being sharpened on the outside, the blade was sharpened on one side of the center cut. The sharpened side was then twisted slightly in order to control the depth with which the peeler would "shave" the peel.
The other common type of vegetable peeler is the Rex, or Y type, vegetable peeler. This type of peeler is shaped like a disposable razor and functions in a similar manner. While the blade is constructed the same way as the Yorkshire vegetable peeler it does have one unique distinction. Both left and right-handers can use the Rex vegetable peeler just as comfortably.
Uses of the vegetable peeler
With the introduction of exotic vegetables from all around the world, the level of intimidation in kitchens has grown. Many ingredients are much easier to use if you understand how to properly peel them. Being able to remove the tough outer layer is the first step to widening the range of dishes you can make.
- A Butternut squash peeler would want to handle the vegetable lightly because of the delicate nature of its flesh. Most often peeled squash is for puree or mashing and added to soup otherwise it is suggested that the skin is left on.
- A good garlic peeler wholesale vendor will carry a new product that won a number of design awards back in 2003. This peeler is often said to resemble the bulb of a turkey baster. It is a food grade silicon gadget that you insert the clove into, roll around and find the peel of the garlic loose and ready to remove.
- A good eggplant peeler will stripe the outer skin of the fruit. This will allow the eggplant to absorb flavors but also remain intact throughout the cooking process.
- The jicama peeler would want to approach the root in much the same way as a potato, radish or carrot. When preparing this member of the legume family it is important to avoid the seeds and the greenery because they can be poisonous. This poison called rotenone breaks down in sunlight but has been known to cause Parkinson's disease.
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