Splatter Screens.

If you like to cook, you will invariably have splatter. Whether you're boiling a pasta sauce, or frying something, if there is any temperature gradient between your cookware, the heat transfer media in the pot (i.e. oil, water, etc), or the food - you will have splatter.

Sometimes you can stick a lid on the pot or pan (i.e. simmering a soup), but sometimes you need to let the evaporated moisture escape (i.e. frying).

The solution? A splatter screen. So when I began my quest to look for a reliable and cost effective splatter screen, I browsed through my local Bed Bath & Beyond. They had two kinds in store - an OXO splatter screen, and a Farberware splatter screen.

I ended up with neither. The OXO splatter screen was essentially a flat disk with many punched holes - basically a flat colander. I decided against it because it had too much thermal mass, which because of the temperature difference, will allow moisture to condense and remain in the frying pan. Nope - not good at all.

The Farberware splatter screen was a true woven screen, and it featured activate charcoal woven in the mesh, which was supposed to be "odor" absorbing.

Um... I'm not sure what other people are cooking, but I'm not interested in absorbing odor. I'd rather smell my food while it is cooking. Thank you very much!

Anyway - at the end I decided to get a Progressive International Stainless Steel Splatter Screen, which was on sale at $12.99.

I christened the splatter screen by frying some panko-crusted scallops and Mahi-mahi. It worked like it was supposed to, allowed moisture to evaporate, and stopped the errant oil splatter in its path! Yay!