AJ I think you are talking about a jelly stainer, Amanda, a chinois is a very fine double mesh, cone shaped strainer that used to remove very fine particulate from stocks or sauces.
I'll post a photo of mine when I get a chance (around August 1, due to time constraints) . . . it is set into a lovely three-legged stand (which itself can sit over or on the top rim of large bowls), and has a heavy, perfectly cylindrical wooden pestle. My chinois is actually more like a colander than a sieve, in that it is not a wire mesh, but rather, constructed of metal with fine holes in it. You can rotate it within the stand to scrape down the sides in a flash! It's indispensable for fruit sauces, especially those using berries with seeds. It's handy, too, when making quince paste.
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