The kitchen is full of gadgets that have their own functions and we usually know their purpose.
But these days, people are regularly learning new things about their most used appliances' hidden tricks that aren't well known. Such little-known hacks include measuring portion sizes in the hole of a spaghetti spoon and extending dishwashers to fit tall glasses.
The latest revelation is to do with the common box cheese grater and the intended use of it's so-called "fourth side". After an inquisitive mind asked about its use online, many have realised that they using their own incorrectly.
The fourth side of the grater features small sized holes with sharpened outwards ridges which have left many people stumped, despite knowing the kitchen tool's overall function. One person even took to the internet to seek answers about the smallest holes and what they're supposed to grate.
As reported by The Liverpool Echo, a post on Reddit said: "Does anybody ever use this part of the grater? What is it even for??" The author added a comment to the post which read: "All this has ever done is hurt my hand, but I've literally never used those smalls hole graters ever. Pretty much just use the other side for making grated cheese."
And it turns out he was not the only one who had struggled with the answer and others who were left with a few cuts and scrapes.
An equally confused commenter wrote on the discussion forum: "I have this exact one... and I've also assumed it was to make the cheese a bit smaller after grating. All it does though however, is f*** your hand up". Another Reddit user said: "Very handy for shredding cleaning sponges."
Thankfully, a number of savvy chefs also shared their tips. One reply read: "Yea but took years to figure out, Parmesan and lemon/orange/ lime zest is best shredded on those two sides."
A second said: "Zest hard cheese or garlic nutmeg maybe ginger to make like a paste." And someone else added: "Potato pancakes come out great with this side!"
According to MarthaStewart.com, "The smaller shredding holes are designed to finely grate cheese, chocolate, vegetables, and more."
Then the smallest holes can be used to make fine strands of cheese that will easily dissolve into salad dressings or sauces, or like Reddit users suggested, to zest citrus and grate nutmeg.
Meanwhile, the side with wide slots is used for slicing and the side with the largest shredding holes, the one many of us use most, is designed for semi-hard cheese, carrots and apples.
Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
