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5 ways to use a grapefruit spoon (that have nothing to do with grapefruit)

Even if you don't eat grapefruit, a grapefruit spoon deserves a spot in the kitchen for a whole bunch of other uses.
/ Source: TODAY
Ways to use a grapefruit spoon
Casey Barber

I have one single, solitary grapefruit spoon in my possession. I use it all the time, but it has never once touched a grapefruit under my watch. So why is it so precious to me? The sharply serrated edges that make the spoon so helpful for scooping out citrus wedges also come in extremely handy for a handful of kitchen prep tasks. If you've eschewed this item because you're not a grapefruit fan, it's time to grab one and see how useful it can be:

Super de-seeder

Use a grapefruit spoon to de-seed squashes and melons.
Casey Barber

For squash, melons, tomatoes, or any other piece of produce that requires the removal of goopy inner seeds, the grapefruit spoon scrapes right through the mess and gets the job done. The spoon is a little bit small for Halloween jack o' lanterns, but once you've scooped the guts out of your pumpkin, you can use the grapefruit spoon to clean up the edges around the pumpkin's facial details.

RELATED: 10 tips for using your slow cooker to get the best results

Scoop out potatoes

Along the same lines, the sharp edges of a grapefruit spoon let you make a skinny but sturdy border when scooping out the tender insides of baked potatoes when you want to make twice-baked potatoes or breakfast potato boats. (Related: if you're the kind of person who scoops out bagel innards, you may want to invest in one as well.)

Peel ginger

Peeled ginger root
Peeled ginger root and a spoonShutterstock

But it's not just a scooper! The sharp tool also works wonders on thin-skinned ginger, removing the delicate but woodsy peel without wasting any of the juicy flesh inside. Lots of cooking experts recommend using a spoon instead of a paring knife for this task, but a grapefruit spoon combines the best of both tools.

RELATED: Spice up your life with ginger! 51 surprising ways to use it at home

Shave chocolate for dressed-up dessert

Use a grapefruit spoon to shave chocolate for dessert.
Shutterstock

If you want to give a professional pastry look to simple cakes, cupcakes, or brownies (whether homemade or store bought, no one's judging), pull the serrated edge of a grapefruit spoon against the long edge of a block of chocolate to create thin shavings. Sprinkle them over your baked goods and fancy them up!

Save your cheese!

Along the same lines, the shavings trick works with cheese in a pinch, but what it's even better at is scraping any of the tiny white mold spots off blocks of otherwise completely useable cheese. It ain't glamorous, but it's certainly useful, and we all know that wasting cheese is a crime.