Food Word Friday: Peelers

Today's food word is...peelers!  They may not sound like the most interesting topic, but believe you me, they are pretty neat stuff.  They provide an easy (and in my opinion, safer) alternative to peeling vegetables with a paring knife, and they make a quick job of prep work.  There are two main styles of peelers available today:

On the right is an old-school stick-style peeler, and on the left is a Y-shaped peeler.  I am a fairly recent but thoroughly devoted convert to the Y-shaped peeler (ever since my internship!).  The Y-shaped peeler allows you to rest whatever you are peeling on the counter, and then just slide the peeler down the product.  Then, if needed, you can flip over the product to do the other end.  With a stick peeler, you tend to need to hold the product in your hand while peeling it (if I try to rest it on the counter, my knuckles end up hitting the counter), and I have dropped plenty of food trying to do that!  Plus, I've peeled a fingertip or two. 

In terms of cleaning, I also find the Y-shaped peeler easier to wash, since I don't have to try to get my finger and a sponge between the blade and the support at the back.  This particular Y-shaped peeler is also fairly inexpensive, which I find to be a huge plus - peelers tend not to be an investment purchase, since the blade is eventually going to rust, no matter how much you paid for it.

There you have it...peelers can be more interesting than you ever expected!