Brushing beaten egg white on a loaf of bread, or melted butter atop a pastry, is a simple task. While a pastry brush serves specific tasks, smaller, simpler jobs call for a cheaper approach.

When seeking out kitchen-suitable paintbrushes, look for natural fibers that don’t come loose when pulled on. I opt for the cheap, wooden handles (which just happen to be a light golden brown) because a brush isn’t something I’m using for hours each day (thus, comfort isn’t a big issue).

A few tips, though. First, don’t toss this baby into the dishwasher, as the metal isn’t designed for it and it will probably rust. I also tend to use just the upper half of the bristles, and I wash it in warm sudsy water right after use, making sure to dry the metal enclosure and the handle thoroughly. Lifespan depends on what you do with the brush, and I often need to pull out a new one about every three months.

If there is rust on the metal, toss it. If you don’t get all the gunk cleaned out, and don’t notice this till some time later, toss it.

You can also use wider brushes for glazing ribs on the grill, or brushing pans with olive oil.

Posted Monday, January 8th, 2007 at 5:11 pm EST
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