On Easter, my dad showed up at my grandfather's house with a gigantic bag of oranges. He loves fresh-squeezed orange juice and was ready to get to work. Only problem was my grandfather doesn't have an electric juicer!
Luckily, his girlfriend owns one and she was happy to bring it over. I have the Kitchenaid juicer attachment at home and make fresh squeezed lemon, lime, and orange juice all the time. How about you?
Last week, when I was looking for citrus juicers to feature in the ultimate home bar, I stumbled across this little reamer that resembles an alien. I can't decide what I think of it. It seems functional: the bottom is a suction and the top is the juicer, but when I look at the alien face I wonder, cute or weird?? And is it just me or does it resemble a stereotypical portrayal of an early 20th century rice field working "Chinaman"? Created by the Italian design firm Alessi, this citrus juicer is a little too expensive at $39.00. For that much you could almost buy an electric juicer! What do you think: Is it adorable or freaky? Alien citrus squeezer: love it or hate it?
Any knowledgeable bartender knows that the best cocktails are made with real, fresh citrus juice. Countless recipes call for just squeezed lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit juices. I would love to tell you that I have a sleek, efficient, electric juicer, but the truth is I have an old fashioned metal one - like the juicer at right. It's reliable, gets the job done and is only annoying when I want to make lemonade (at which point I enlist elbow grease from the nearest guy). A citrus reamer works well when mixing drinks in a cocktail shaker, but it doesn't protect against seeds falling directly into your drink. If you've got a big bar and do a lot of entertaining, splurge on a chic standing juicer. To check out some different juicers, scroll through below.
