Microplane Herb Mill

Although I don't bake -- trust me, I'm really bad at it! -- I do like cooking, and I've been gradually trying to make more and more things from scratch. I love the idea of using fresh herbs to enhance flavor, but I admit it does take time and it's a mess to chop up a lot of parsley into itsy-bitsy pieces. So when I saw this herb mill at a Williams Sonoma store I instantly coveted it. The first thing I checked, of course, is that it's dishwasher safe!

Once that was out of the way, I looked more closely, and found that it uses a wrist-twisting motion to chop herbs finely, without (according to the online product description) "tearing, bruising or blemishing herbs’ delicate leaves." It measures 3 x 2.5 x 3.75 inches. In the photo it looks a bit larger than that, but the top closes to make it a bit shorter when not in use. Judging from the one I saw in the store, it should fit in a reasonable-sized stocking easily.

What: Microplane Herb Mill
Where: Williams Sonoma website or stores
How much (as of today's post): $19.95 (plus shipping)