Published November 1, 2009. From Cook's Illustrated.
We put this product to the test to see if it can crush spices as easily as it claims.
Developed by British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver to crush, grind, and mix an array of ingredients, the dishwasher-safe Flavour Shaker ($29.95) is akin to an enclosed mortar and pestle: You open up the plastic cup, put in whole garlic cloves or spices, close it tight, and shake. Thanks to a heavy Ping-Pong-sized ceramic ball rolling around inside, the ingredients quickly break down. Without much effort, we were able to grind cumin and mustard seeds, crack lots of pepper, and create 1/4 cup of salad dressing (first pulverizing garlic, then adding oil and vinegar). We recommend this tool for easy spice crushing and quick dressings.
