Oh, the corer! This gadget is worth cluttering drawer for
There’s virtually no kitchen cutting task that can’t be accomplished with a trusty paring knife. But come tomato season, there’s one gadget I’d rather not be without: a tomato corer.
The device is shaped a little like a teaspoon circled by a rim of daggerlike teeth. With one flick of the wrist, it nibbles out the hard stemmy end of any tomato in its path.
And the best part? You’ll waste less of that expensive produce than you might with a knife. The tool is designed to extract a minimal amount of ripeness, meaning more for your bowl or plate.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Why do I need one more gadget cluttering up my drawers?
Well, this device may be called a tomato corer, but it has an appetite for other fruits and vegetables, as well. It’s perfect for destemming strawberries. And if you have a thing for stuffed zucchini, I still haven’t found a better tool for scraping out the seedy core.
If you don’t have a tomato corer in your arsenal, you’re not alone. These things almost never show up at retail stores, but they’re a staple at stores where kitchen pros do their business.
Ace Mart Restaurant Supply, 3500 Interstate 10 W., for example, carries two versions — a two-pack and a slightly nicer single corer, both $3.95. At that price, you can justify the purchase after your first batch of salsa alone.