Buzz
Whether you own a food processor or not, you’re likely aware that it includes numerous components. The largest parts are the bowl and the lid, followed by blades, shredders, slicers, the small arm that holds the shredders and slicers (which I often misplace), and the plunger—a plastic tube designed to push carrots, cheese, zucchini, or other items through the feeding tube for shredding or slicing.
Your plunger might have a hidden feature: Depending on your food processor’s make and model, the plunger may have a small hole in the center. This often-overlooked detail is incredibly useful when preparing emulsified sauces.
I like to call it “the dribbler,” even though it doesn’t exactly dribble. (It’s just a fun term to use, and saying “hole” repeatedly gets old.) The dribbler allows you to gradually add oil, melted butter, or other liquids into the food processor bowl in a thin, steady stream. This eliminates the guesswork of adding liquids too fast, too slow, or splashing them in. It’s especially helpful for creating sauces that can easily break or require a slow incorporation of liquids. In short, this little hole is perfect for making hollandaise sauce.
Using the dribbler is straightforward: While the food processor is running (with other ingredients already combined in the bowl), place the plunger into the food tube and slowly pour in your oil, melted butter, or any other liquid that needs gradual incorporation. Once set, you can relax and let the dribbler work its magic, eliminating concerns about adding too much or too little liquid or dealing with hand fatigue.
