The Chinois

Have you ever wondered why creamy soups in a restaurant seem so much silkier than the soups you make at home? The secret behind that smooth silky texture is the humble chinois. A chinois, aka china cap, is a conical fine-meshed strainer which is a workhorse in the professional kitchen. It is used to strain stocks. All cream soups are passed through it, usually several times for extra refinement. Clam and mussel juices are "cleaned" by straining through the chinois. The egg mixture used to make pasta is passed through a chinois to remove any stray shells. All sauces are passed through a chinois. It's uses are infinite and restaurants employ the chinois to add that extra finesse to their dishes.

Prior to culinary school, I never had one, nor did I really see a need for it. Now it's an indispensable part of my kitchen. I use it every morning to strain my smoothie to create a luxurious texture. I was amazed to see the hundreds of berry seeds that were strained out the first time I used it. It's a must for home stock making. All my sauces are passed through it to remove chunks, impurities, and to create smooth delectable texture. They are not cheap. A good one will cost over $100, but with care it will last a lifetime. Make it a part of your kitchen, you won't regret it.