How to "toss"??

[Nocontact]

Whenever I make a salad, pasta, or even roast potatoes with some spices and herbs, and I toss, all the good stuff ends up in the bottom of the bowl!
I don't know if this is just what I should expect or if there is something wrong with my technique. Is there a certain way I should be tossing things to incorporate all the good stuff or should I just expect to find the good stuff at the bottom of the bowl?

[todao]

If you"re "tossing" in a bowl, the depth of the bowl makes a huge difference. Large shallow bowls work better than large deep bowls. It's important to distribute the ingredients widely and evenly over the entire area of the bowl first, then tossing with large forks or sporks by getting the tools down deep near the outside edges of the bowl then then pulling those ingredients toward the center while lifting and dropping as you approach the bowl's center. It only requires about three of four strokes to complete the task.

[Nocontact]

Interesting. Ive always been using a deeper bowl I think. I'll try a shallow one and see if the results improve. Thanks.

[Berheenia]

I think it helps to have a good tool to toss with too. I have something that looks like this that I bought in the grocery store for a few bucks years ago - I take them to potlucks and they do a great job

http://www.amazon.com/EMI-Black-Plast...

[todao]

One other point. Try moving around the perimeter of the bowl as you toss. Tossing three or four times, moving about 90 degrees with each toss, helps.

[ChefJune]

My guess is your greens are wet -- or at least wet enough that the dressing picks up the water on the leaves and heads straight for the bottom of the bowl.

The first "rule" of salad after washing your lettuce(s) is to dry them well. Usually just spinning them is NOT enough. Give them a soft squeeze with an absorbent towel or Bounty.

[Nocontact]

I've tried with a spoon, but lately I'm getting my hands in there. For the potatoes I drizzled olive oil on them before adding the spices, garlic and parm but it just doesn't seem to stick as much as I'd like.
The pasta was spaghetti and the sauce was a cream sauce but the herbs and shrimp all seemed like they fell away but maybe it's better if they're added last.
Seems like such a simple thing!

[sparrowgrass]

I have that problem with salad, so I put the 'good stuff' on top after I toss the greens. It tends to get distributed as people take helpings. (Watch out for high-graders, those folks who pick out all the good stuff for themselves.)

Are you putting oil on your potatoes before you toss them with herbs and spices? That kind of stuff will stick to oil, but maybe not to dry potato pieces.

For pasta, change your pasta shape. Spaghetti or fettucine need smooth, not chunky sauces. Rotelli or some other small twisty or cupped shape will hold on to the pine nuts/mushrooms/chunks of meat better.

[Berheenia]

high-graders

lol

[cleobeach]

Too funny. I never heard of that term before but I know the "type"

[ROCKLES]

How are you tossing? are you lifting and separating, or are you turning the spoon over and over in the bowl?