Simplicity! (Woolworths Pan Drainer)

Member Name: blackjane

Product:	Woolworths Pan Drainer
Date:	21/01/01 (169 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap but effective

Disadvantages: Can't think of one...

The simple things are usually the best...

[Background: As a modern man of the 21st century, I like to 'do my bit' in the kitchen. As such, I make use of a wide variety of appliances, implements and other bits and pieces in order to concoct a variety of culinary delights. Or at least that is my intention. There is, however, one piece of kitchen equipment that I own, that I would never be without]

OK, so you like to cook? So do I, and thanks to modern technology my kitchen is equipped with lots of gadgets and gizmos that help me to produce the finished article.

Of course, I could not do much without my cooker (electric, mind you, but with a gas hob). Microwaves are all well and good, but in most cases it is not really practical to cook an entire meal with a microwave.

However, in addition to all the appliances of which I make use, there is one other aid to cooking that I make use of more than any other. It is green, comes complete with a handle, is made of plastic, and has lots of holes on it. It cost me 79p from Woolworths a couple of years ago and has been a permanent fixture in my kitchen ever since.

I like to cook lots of pasta, rice and vegetables, and as such, I used to be left with the problem of how to drain away the water after the food had finished cooking in the pan.

'Simple!' you say - why don't you use a pan lid? Well, yes, that is one possibility, but I tried that with mixed results. I managed to scald my hand on a couple of occasions with boiling hot water or even with the steam due to the position of my hand in the centre of the pan lid, which was the only place I could hold it. I also managed to completely waste the food by allowing it to fall into the kitchen sink into the bargain. Another alternative is a sieve, but often this is difficult to clean afterwards, and also has a limit on the amount of food it can hold.

Now I no longer need to worry, as my wonderful pan dr
ainer is the perfect solution to this very problem.

My pan drainer is semi-circular, flat, and about ten inches long in total, complete with a handle that is about four inches long. It has a rim on the outer edge that means it can rest easily against the rim of your pan, covering about half the pan in the process. With its help I am now able to place the drainer over a pan containing food that has been cooked in boiling water, and drain away the excess water with ease prior to serving.

Believe me, there is nothing more frustrating to a 'wannabe' cook than a dilemma over serving food. This point in the meal preparation process is vital, as usually there are a number of different components of the meal becoming ready at around the same time (if all has been planned to perfection). In enabling me to drain food quickly and efficiently, I am afforded ample time to serve the remaining elements of the meal, and even to pour the wine.

If you are looking for a useful addition to your kitchen, you could do a lot worse than pay a visit to your local Woolworths store, and invest in a pan drainer - you know you won't regret it!

{An original Dooyoo opinion
© Blackjane 2001}

Summary: