There was an article in today’s Globe & Mail on a favourite kitchen gadget that has prompted me to write on kitchen gadgets from my five-favourite-things list even though I haven’t tried them all.
First the G&M’s kitchen gadget: the Thermomix. Apparently it is 23 appliances in one great machine. There are many things it does that sound good to me—slow cooking, hollandaise sauce (okay, I rarely make this but I’d like to make it more and the article made it sound like perfection with the Thermomix), risotto (ditto re. not making it much before but I guess the trick of advertising is that I’m now envisioning my food-happy life after the thermomix)—and there are many things I probably wouldn’t use it for—blood pudding (the example from the article) immediately comes to mind. Despite the fact that the guy who writes the article says that the device’s ability to make yoghurt, mill grain, and churn butter are unlikely to appeal to everyone, I’m thinking: I would do these things too!
The catch: this appliance (one can hardly call it a gadget) is . . . $1,600. So much for risotto with freshly churned butter on the side. Not to mention the homemade bread (it didn’t mention bread-making actually but surely it does this too?) from freshly milled grain. (Here’s the link to the article:http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/the-thermomix-23-appliances-in-1/article1792353/
On to more realistic favourite kitchen gadgets recommended by some of you:
1) the cuisanart smart stick (I have one of these and also use it all the time)
2) microplane (http://ca.microplane.com/MicroplaneClassicOriginalSeriesGraters.aspx) I haven’t used one of these but want to try.
3) ice-cream maker (I haven’t used one of these either; it seems complicated to me and I was amazed and impressed that this was someone’s favourite kitchen gadget)
My favourite kitchen gadget(s):
1) a wooden citrus juicer (it’s a stick with a ridged end that you rotate in the half’s of fruit for juice). Steve gave this to me and I love its simplicity. It’s not fancy (not $1,600, for example!) and it is efficient and easy to clean.
2) Cheese plane (for making super thin slices of hard cheeses)
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Yup, the Microplane tools are consistently good but I'm thrilled to see you write about the Thermomix! I'm sure if you met one, you'd love it! Everyone I know who has taken that culinary leap of faith has been impressed far beyond expectation. I DO mill my own grain now, and never thought I would care to. I DO make my own butter, just cuz I can... in only four minutes! and not only DO I make my own yogurt, but I make it with goat's milk now and turn it into goat's mild cheese. (much cheaper than store-bought) ;-)
ReplyDeleteyou can see all this and more on the fan blog at
http://SuperKitchenMachine.com
cheers!
Helene