Kitchen Requirements

4. I inherited my mother’s large strainer. It has so many uses. It works great for straining food for toothless types. I also use it as a colander for washing fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, legumes, rice and cooked pasta. It’s great for getting lumps out of soups and sauces. I also use it to steam vegetables and sift flour.

And once, after a coffee pot fiasco, I used it--lined with a paper towel--to make coffee. I admit it was not the best cup of coffee, but for a desperate, caffeine-deprived mother who had not yet made the lunches, it was just fine. I take care of the wire mesh by washing it thoroughly yet gently with soap and really hot water. Every so often I use a steel wool pad on it. Its wooden handle used to be green but most of the paint has worn off. Still, the strainer’s usefulness lives on.