Mini Stainless Steel Grater

Okay, sit back. Here’s the story about The Brave Little Grater.

This “kitchen novelty” walked into my life seven years ago when we lived in Coronado. It came as a freebie in a gift bag at a Pampered Chef party hosted by my neighbor, Julie Hunt. Its cuteness instantly captured my eye but I mistook it for a trinket and almost threw it into a donation bag. But, then, I thought it would make an interesting conversation piece, if nothing else, at the summer concerts at Spreckels Park where we gathered with a group of foodies every Sunday, under the direction of Denise Jones (newfinmysoup.blogspot.com).

Well, out there under the jacaranda tree, where the wine and cuisine flowed with outrageous decadence, the adorable little grater proved itself worthy. It received kudos from our foodie friends and many offers to take it off my hands. Every year, at the beginning of the summer concert season, The Brave Little Grater made me smile as I inspected our picnic equipment for the season.

Then one Fourth of July, my usual kitchen grater bit the dust. So I went downstairs to the garage and “borrowed” the brave little grater from the picnic wagon … and ever since that day, The Brave Little Grater has been the only grater I want or need. And why not? It works brilliantly on everything. Its tiny physique makes no difference because the surface of what I am grating is close to the same size. And it can take heavy use. We grate all of our cheese fresh. I also grate raw carrots and beets and jicama for salads, and garlic for sauces … all with this tiny little workhorse.

This underweight kitchen champion takes little space in the kitchen. I store it on the magnetic bar with the knives and corkscrew beside the stove so that it’s handy to shave some last minute bits of gouda onto an omelette or some ginger into a simmering broth. Not only is it a positively adorable piece of equipment that wins hearts when set on the a cheese board beside a shaggy chunk of parm, but it’s just a pleasure to use.

Though this freebie earned my love slowly, we are now inseparable and … I shall nevah scrape my knuckles bloody on an oversized grater again!!!

I love you, Brave Little Grater