Galeotta was an orange cake! They tell those of Microplane® while they blow out the 25 candles of their birthday. Yes, because the success story of this company that from the carpentry workshops it has conquered kitchens all over the world, it seems to be born from a "case" linked to an orange cake … On the other hand it is so for many inventions and progresses of humanity and also many foods and drinks (even very valuable) were born by chance.
It was 1994 when one Canadian housewife who was preparing a cake of oranges lost patience. Her old kitchen grater was just disappointing her: the citrus skin didn't want to know how to behave properly against that pierced metal. He decided to try one of the husband's joinery tools: a rasp for wood Microplane®. The blade slipped without any effort and the orange zest fell lightly in the dough like snowflakes.
That rasp had a new type of blade which had been developed four years earlier by Richard and Jeff Grace, to work with wood. Until then, the tools produced by Microplane® were hidden in the toolboxes.
The secret of their effectiveness is a technique that is called photo-etching, a chemical process that creates durable, stainless and capable blades cut effortlessly foods of various consistencies without tearing or tearing them and thus avoiding the loss of aromas and flavors. Microplane® graters act like small razors: food is cut precisely and without being pounded they glide effortlessly over the surface of the grater without getting stuck to the inside of the blade.
That's why when these blades went from the carpentry to the kitchen world, combining functionality and design, the success was immediate. In this quarter of a century the brand has produced various successful series. There Elite Series, with the award-winning sophisticated, enlarged and rounded design, which looks like a "brush" but instead of teeth it has very sharp holes. It also has a sort of transparent plastic compartment that protects the blades and acts as a cover graduated container (up to 250 ml) which allows you to collect the grated cheese and at the same time check its quantity. There Gourmet Series brings a professional level in everyday cooking operations: extremely practical, it has 7 types of blades, from Fine to SpessaXL, from star to large flakes. There Master Series has a robust stainless steel structure in five different sizes.
And then of course remains Zester grater, a great classic now 'Cult'. The characteristic felongated footprint, reminiscent of carpentry tools from which the Zester derives, initially it was for sale without handle. Today, however, it is proposed with an ergonomic soft-touch handle, available in thirteen bright colors. 
The Premium Zester (21.95 euro) is suitable for grating citrus peel, Parmesan and other hard cheeses, chocolate, ginger and even nutmegs.
Not only: even butter can be grated, it is sufficient to freeze it: in this way it will blend more easily with the other ingredients, making the preparation even more friable; with the same procedure you can even chop marzipan cakes or even Bananas. With the Zester grater it is possible to obtain a fine mince even from the stale bread or fresh and toasted in the oven, to use instead of flour (maybe together with dark chocolate and grated macaroons, for a simple bread cake). Even the more coriaceous (or wet) raw materials they won't have a chance, see for example cinnamon and ginger. Not for nothing appears in plain sight in the kitchens of many star chefs.
Aurora Quinto
May 2019
