My New (Old) Potato Ricer

While we were in Vermont this weekend, we decided to visit the Farmer's Diner for breakfast. This is a great establishment that uses locally sourced ingredients to make delicious meals for its patrons. I love going here when we're in the area, but on top of the delicious food and fresh, local ingredients, they also allowed us to bring Oia (the puppy) on to the patio while we ate!

from Flickr - by kaszeta

In the same complex as the diner, there is a huge antique fair that is always full of interesting finds. I love to wander the stalls and see what kinds of fun kitchen oddities I can find! Today was no exception, but they were having an outdoor flea market as well! As I browsed the tables for anything that struck my fancy, I happened upon an old potato ricer. This gadget will usually run you $20 and up, and that is the main reason why I didn't own one. Gnocchi is best made using a potato ricer because of the fineness that can be achieved in the consistency of the cooked potato. Until now, I've just used a fork or a masher to make my gnocchi "dough."

I couldn't resist the deal I found at the flea market, though. This is an old model of a potato ricer. It's a little clunky, but with the bright red metal handle, and the sturdiness of the gadget, I was really excited to see a price tag of $7. As I approached the gentleman behind the table, I said "Is this an old-school potato ricer? It's fantastic!" His response: "It sure is, $5!" Wow, I didn't even have to argue over the price, he just lowered it for me! I was going to give him $7, but hey...I'm not a girl to pass up a deal, so I pulled out a $5 bill and handed it over...and came home with my brand new (pretty old) potato ricer! It's so cute, isn't it!? While I was at Whole Foods earlier, I also grabbed some potatoes, so be on the lookout later this week for some fresh gnocchi! YUM!