Help Urgently Needed...

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

No joke. Help!

The strainer is stuck on my cocktail shaker. Not a full fledged emergency I grant you, but important to me nonetheless.

You know how they usually work:

Take off the cap, then the strainer, pour in the ingredients with some ice

Replace the strainer and the cap (shake, shake, shake -- shake your groove thing)

Remove the cap and leave the strainer piece on so the liquid pours out without the ice.

That's where the wheels come off the cart. The cap comes off, the strainer is absolutely stuck fast. I have tried, freezing, boiling, oil, prying, praying to the Martini god. Nothing. It is aluminum with a rubber gasket fitting. I have the large Polar Bear pictured below. Any ideas??

[seraphim]

Anything that doesn't work or gets stuck usually gets a resounding whack from me... works all the time, but leaves the pers-.... er, item in slightly less than flawless shape.

Maybe try (gently!) tapping the rim with the handle of a spoon or knife? That normally does wonders for honey jars and cocoa lids that are stuck fast.

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

I did that. I'll try again. Anything for a good martini...