The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

dressing). These days, I keep a couple of different
vinaigrettes ready to go in 12-ounce squeeze bottles in the
fridge. Stick your finger over the top, give it a good shake,
squirt it onto your greens in a mixing bowl, and boom:
lunch is served. (In order to make sure that chunky items
like shallots or crushed nuts won’t get caught in the tip,
sometimes you’ve got to snip off the tip of the bottle with a
paring knife or a good pair of kitchen shears.)
As far as condiments go, squeeze bottles are another
lifesaver. Sure, you can fill ’em with the standards: mustard,
ketchup, and mayo, and, of course, you save money by
buying those things in bulk instead of in individual squeezy
containers. They are also great for saving money on all
kinds of sauces and oils: I buy olive oil, sesame oil, soy
sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, tonkatsu sauce, and
Chinkiang vinegar (to name a few) in big cans. Then I just
store the cans out of the way under the sink or in the closet
and refill my squeeze bottles as needed. It’ll make the inside
of your refrigerator look all cool, organized, and cheffy as
well.
Want to throw a fancy cocktail party? Squeeze bottles are
your friend. Fill a big one with simple syrup, smaller ones
with fresh-squeezed citrus juices or flavored syrups. You’ll
be cleaner, neater, and more efficient, cutting the time it
takes to make each cocktail by a not-insignificant degree,
and your guests will marvel at how pro you look.
As far as buying them goes, no need to get fancy. I
picked up a couple dozen at a Chinese restaurant supply
store. Amazon sells them for a few bucks apiece. Buy a half
dozen and see if they don’t change your life for the better.