citrus press -- my new toy.

[Art Blade]

yeah, that is funny

By the way, have you guys visited Pithburg? 

[PZ]

When I was a child in the 60's 

[Art Blade]

the experience must have been pithtaking

On a more serious note, regarding the citrus press. It is weird, sometimes a normal, common orange is completely resisting the leverage power. As if trying to squeeze a brick. Shifting the half around a bit and trying again, eventually it just gives in the way it is supposed to. In other words, even if it looks as if it could crush any citrus fruit, it can be a bit finicky. I don't understand why it behaves like that. However, the solution that works best if you've got one of those "hard" guys in there, just cut the half in half Put in the quarter orange and that should give in a lot easier than before. Using the press is still fun and so far, I've squeezed everything I wanted.

However, there's one more thing I'm wondering about. If you look at the halves after pressing them perhaps several times, they are often deformed in a way that their form matches the inside of the cone that you press down on them and that made me think -- I believe you not only squeeze juice out of the inside of the halves but also the outside, the peel, and if that's full of insecticides, that stuff goes into the juice as well. Hmmm.... that's not so good. So, better not try to squeeze out the last drop but just a solid go and then toss it in the bin.

[mandru]

I don't think citrus farmers go too crazy with insecticides because they know that a lot of recipes call for orange or lime zest.  I also think the copious amounts of volatile acids in citrus skins do pretty well discouraging insect pests on their own.

When zesting finely grate away the colored outside of the peels but leave off before you get yourself too deep into the pith.

[Art Blade]

you're probably right. All in all, that press is fun to operate and relatively quick. I can definitely say that now, with that press, I don't hesitate and think twice before buying oranges as I used to when I only had that plastic juicer. The press is quick, fun, and apart from the pits, there's barely any waste. It's really just a twist to dismantle it and just a few seconds of rinsing, done -- so easy to clean that thing

[PZ]

Well, I got one like the first you posted AB  It was on sale and as soon as my wife saw it, she said "order it". It was delivered yesterday, but the shipping pithers  damaged the box. Luckily the unit was not itself damaged.

Now I won't need to develop bursitis as I juice the citrus for my wife's annual holiday drink

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[mandru]

This would also be useful for extracting confessions.

"All right.  You've pithed me off to my highest level of pithtivity." (places juicer on counter) "Which one of you brushed the dog's teeth with my toothbrush?" 

[Art Blade]

mandru

Nice PZ, hope it works out nicely for you Looks like a great tool you got there

[PZ]

  mandru, and  +1 for my new four-letter word 

The only problem is now that my wife has seen it, she wants to make the holiday drink more often. I knew she had an ulterior motive wanting me to order that juicer 

It is quite heavy being cast iron, and has no slip feet. It feels solid

[Art Blade]

hehe, women

"and has no slip feet" -- erm.. there aren't any definitions for slip feet I could find. Can you define it, please? I suppose you meant something like "it doesn't slip," didn't you?

Now, how well does it w0#k? (this time it's me wanting to know from you -- when I read your question, I only read "how does it w0#k" and for some reason I missed out on that "well")

[PZ]

 

Yes - doesn't slip - that is more of a common vernacular phrase around here - the kind of thing you would hear in advertisements. 

[Art Blade]

alright, thanks

And.. have you actually used it yet?

[PZ]

Not yet - I need to go to the grocery store to purchase citrus - oranges and lemons are the two that are in my wife's holiday drink.

Although I make a bit of fun having to do all the preparation w0#k, it is quite a wonderful holiday beverage 

[Art Blade]

would you mind posting the recipe so I could try? Unless it's a family secret

[fragger]

I'm kind of intrigued by that too, PZ. It has never occurred to me to mix orange and lemon juice in the same drink.

As Art said, unless it's a family secret I don't have one of those gizmos (yet), so I'd have to do it the hard way...