Sifting Ingredients

Recently, I had a friend post the question on facebook "If I had to go to the basement for my flour sifter, does it mean that I don't use it enough."  My response was that she had inspired a post. 

While sifting ingredients when called for is a necessary evil, not keeping a flour sifter in easy reach is not unusual for many reasons.  1.  It is not often called for, unless you do significant amounts of cooking, 2.  Most standard flour sifters are good only for that one thing and, if you fit into item one, that means you do not have much use for one and 3.  It is not a forearm friendly tool to use.

I prefer tools in my kitchen that are multi use and easy to clean - a flour sifter does not fill either bill.  If you get them wet, the flour gums up.  If you don't clean them, you can get old flour mixed into your new ingredients.  Furthermore, you sometimes have to sift other things than flour and you don't want to mess up your ratios - or your sifter.  Does this mean that I say NAY! DON'T USE A STANDARD SPRING LOADED FLOUR SIFTER?  Not at all - it just means that I prefer another method.  What is that method, you ask?  First, a question for you - what does a flour sifter do - what is the purpose of sifting dry ingredients such as flour?  It is to remove any clumps and aerate the ingredients.

The tool I prefer to use is a fine mesh sieve.  You can put it over a bowl, drop the ingredients in and just shake.  It moves the dry ingredients through, you can use it for other things - both sifting and draining.  What else do you sift?  I actually have a recipe that calls for sifted brown sugar.  For draining?  Small pasta, such as orzo or chicken stock - you really need a small one for chicken stock.