Kitchen Basics: Graters
When it comes to stocking your kitchen with all of the utensils you need, you'll find that there are two main categories of chef's tools--specialty kitchen items like cherry pitters and avocado slicers that will be hugely helpful with one or two very specific tasks and food prep essentials like spatulas and peelers that you'll reach for again and again. Graters fall squarely into the latter category of kitchen workhorses that no cook would want to be without. Often referred to as cheese graters, these versatile kitchen tools can, of course, shred cheese, but depending on the style you select, your grater may also be able to zest citrus for marinades, grate ginger and garlic for stir fry, shred carrots and cabbage for coleslaw and grate potatoes for hash browns. Williams Sonoma's collection of graters includes a variety of options in a wide range of sizes, styles and colours, so you'll have no problem finding something that's perfect for your needs.
The Options
Williams Sonoma's collection of graters includes paddle and box graters, rasps, zesters and more. While some styles are especially well suited for one food or another, you'll find that all of them are fairly versatile, especially those that offer multiple blades that allow you to grate large shreds of cheese or vegetables, finely shred zest, or create delicate curls of chocolate. Some styles have a slicing blade as well. Read on for more about a few of your options.
- Microplane® Box Grater - Microplane recently updated the design of their classic box grater, making it even sturdier and increasing the blade surface by 30%. Five grater blades allow you to coarsely grate cheese, create vegetable ribbons and finely shave chocolate. A removable collection panel keeps gratings inside for mess-free transfer.
- Open Kitchen by Williams Sonoma Fine Grater - Part of Williams Sonoma's exclusive Open Kitchen Collection, this durable paddle grater features razor-sharp stainless steel blades that easily zest citrus and grate nutmeg, hard cheeses and vegetables. It comes with a blade guard.
- OXO Grate and Slice with Spiralizer - This multi-tasking grater set comes with everything you need to grate, slice and spiralize. The all-in-one set includes four interchangeable blades, a food holder for keeping hands safe and a lidded container for collecting and measuring food.
- Zwilling Z-Cut Fine Rasp Grater - Zwilling has been making world-class cutlery in Germany since 1731, and this unique grater benefits from those centuries of experience. The fine rasp grater features Z-shaped cutting blades and two-way functionality that allows you to quickly and efficiently grate and zest a variety of foods. A removable storage tray catches the grated food.
Wrap it Up
If you've chosen a grater from a loved one's wedding registry and are looking for a few more items to pair with it, you'll find plenty of great options at Williams Sonoma. One obvious complement to the gift of a grater would be a set of gourmet cheeses, which you can have Williams Sonoma ship directly to your recipient's door. If the grater is a housewarming present for someone who is setting up their first kitchen, adding a few other kitchen basics to the gift would surely be appreciated, so you might consider packaging the grater, a set of wooden spoons and a peeler in a set of mixing bowls for a lovely and practical gift basket.