It's persisting it down again today on the Irish Riviera so I thought I would write a post about jar openers, like you do when you know you can/ need to write about anything... Isn't that wallpaper pattern "interesting?'
Phil Cool is Stingray. People of a certain generation will remember the the television series on ITV.
A puppet to fall in love with. Lady Penelope in Thunderbirds made good eye candy to.
For many moons expletives have been used and heard coming from the kitchen when someone attempts to open a jar of red cabbage or beetroot or maybe a wine bottle.
"Bloody Hell" and "Flipping Heck" and other industrial words could be heard and I would be commandeered with the not so soft dulcet tones of:
"Here can you have a go at opening this jar of pickles?"
Sure enough I would grab a tea towel and attempt to squeeze the lid off the respective jar with my face resembling that man's face changing into the Incredible Hulk and muttering and shouting words of an Anglo Saxon derivation...
Sometimes it's (a jar lid!) that beats me and sometimes I win the battle and feel like I was victorious in some kind of kitchen tug of war competition.
Then one day we went shopping in a Home Store in Tralee in County Kerry. The scales fell from my eyes and there were jar openers for sale for less than 5 Euros. We both agreed that we would chance it and my new kitchen friend "Jarvo" came home with us back to West Cork.
It's the best thing since sliced bread. All these years of me doing Phil Cool Stingray impressions when we could have bought a jar opener. It even opens wine bottles.
Have you got one?
I do. I must have had it for 30+ years. Made by Brabantia, there are similar models around now. All sizes of jars and caps are catered for, and there's a tiny set of grips on the end which open stuck oil paint caps!
ReplyDeleteWould not be without it!
Where have we been? We only discovered jar openers last year in the Home Store. Just had a glance at the Brabantia web site. They have got some great stuff. The tiny set of grips which opens stuck oil paint caps sounds ideal if your renovating a motorbike in the house.😊
ReplyDeleteI bought one in Morrisons and broke it.
ReplyDeleteI thought they were unbreakable. Obviously not. Thanks Rachel.
ReplyDeleteNo need for a jar opener in this house as I am very strong. In fact, the neighbours often pop round to ask me to open their jars. It's all about mind over matter.
ReplyDeleteYou sound like you provide a very useful service YP. I am more of a door opener.
ReplyDeleteI have an entirely different jar opener, called a "jar key", you hook it under the lip of the jar, lift the "key" to pop the vacuum seal bubble and that's it, the jar opens easily.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of a jar key River. Sounds very good. Thanks.
DeleteWe've got something similar. Very very handy. My daughter opens jars by turning them upside down and giving the lid a bang or just banging on the lid with a spoon. It works every time for her but I never manage to open the pickles her way.
ReplyDeleteCheers for jarvos everywhere
Hi LA. I tap drinks can with a key or coin and they open without fizzing over. Sounds like your daughter is very practical.
ReplyDeleteHave one - bought it in France years ago. It joined a metal thing like a strange pair of adjustable pliers that F inherited from one of her grandmothers. Both work exceedingly well but indent the sides of the jar lid (which F often wants to avoid so that she can reuse the jar for homemade preserves and know that it will seal again). Sometimes tipping the jar upside down with the lid in very hot water - and then doing the teatowel trick - works just fine for jars she wants to reuse.
ReplyDeleteEveryone commenting on here seems to have the tricks of the trade to open lids Tigger.
ReplyDeletePhil Cool certainly remembered. I wanted to 'give' Parker a hanky with which he could blow his nose. Lesley
ReplyDeleteComic genius and incredible facial contortionist. "Yes M'lady". Thanks Lesley.
ReplyDeleteI tap the lid firmly on a rug which breaks the vacuum and jars open easily then.
ReplyDeleteSounds logical. Thanks for the advice.
ReplyDelete