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another gadget I've not seen before

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby Rainbow » Fri Apr 17, 2020 1:00 am

miss mouse wrote:
Stokey Sue wrote:I saw that on a shopping channel some time ago and wondered about it, but what I really need is something that slices



Would a mandolin work for slicing for you? This one is good

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Swissmar-Borne ... B0000632QE

Sue - I've got one of those but only use it occasionally these days. The safety holder works well until you get to the end of the vegetable!!
I find it quite big and bulky and tricky to store, though.

After i bought mine I saw this Zyliss version - looks more compact and easier to store, but I don't know how well it works!!

https://www.amazon.com/ZYLISS-4-in-1-Fo ... B000UCNV2W

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby Stokey Sue » Fri Apr 17, 2020 1:22 am

I actually bought the Borner as a gift for a friend, and I don’t think that kind of mandoline will be suitable for me, I have tried other people’s

The trouble is that (obviously) either the blade or the food has to move, and I usually find the set up rather than the actual slicing too tricky

I’m quite good with a knife but it’s very slow these days and not always very even

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby karadekoolaid » Fri Apr 17, 2020 4:12 am

I´ve got a de Buyer mandolin.BUT I don´t think I´ve used it in more than 5 years.
What a waste - or perhaps, what shame after I carved up my middle two fingers trying to use the bloody thing.

I tend to use a knife; and yes, I suppose that (a) since I´m cooking most of the time, it´s quicker; and b) gadgets are all very well, but only if you´re cooking for lots and lots of people every day.

I don´t think I´d acquire an Alligator - although I have no doubt my wife would love it.

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby Lokelani » Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:23 pm

PatsyMFagan wrote:
Lokelani wrote:I think the cream from chilled skimmed milk one was probably a Bamix? I tried one for a while & wasn't very impressed. I preferred my Kenwood KMix stick blender for soup, its balloon attachment for proper mayonnaise (which can be made with egg yolks, unlike the Bamix that needs the white too) & its amazing potato mashing tool.

What I did love was the small grinder pot that came with the Bamix & the larger plastic pot bought as an extra. It was like a mini food processor with small slicing & grating tools & a metal blade that made the most amazing small quantity of pastry. The problem with it was that the Bamix itself was underpowered for driving it. Also it was impossible to wash up properly as the lid couldn't be immersed.

Most people really love their Bamix. If I could have a really powerful one as well as my other tools I would. I just didn't think it did as many things well as they claim.


I have that Bamix ;) It stands on the counter top and there's not a week goes by that I don't use it. I often use the attachment that whips up skimmed milk into froth for a special coffee for my daughter (I only drink black coffee) and the processor is just large enough to mix up the ingredients for a standard portion of pastry (or cake). It blitzes all my soup mixes to a smooth consistency just how I like it as well as whizzing up a cheese, nuts or sugar when needed. I have never found it under powered :o :?


I knew most people loved them. I have often wondered if there was something wrong with mine. I do miss that small processor it was the best thing ever for pastry. I find my Magimix never brings the pastry together like most processors do. It just whizzes around compacting a layer at the bottom when I add the liquid & not bringing the top bit together at all. I've often wondered if I have a dud one of those too as I see everyone on TV making it in a processor & it suddenly starts to come together into a ball! I do love my Magimix for everything else though.

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby ZeroCook » Mon May 11, 2020 4:37 am

Did it arrive Gill?

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby Gillthepainter » Mon May 11, 2020 9:14 am

It has arrived, Zero, but I haven't used it just yet.
I shall report when I play with the gadget. I got the 2 x cutter one. That will finely dice (onions) and will also baton carrots & courgettes.

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby spangle » Mon May 11, 2020 7:24 pm

Does anyone else feel physically ill when watching someone else using a mandoline? I can use one myself but if someone's slicing away with one on tv I have to watch through my fingers or look away. It's the same weird feeling as when they show potholers squeezing through tiny crevices or someone looking off the edge of a tall building (though those are things I wouldn't do myself).

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby Stokey Sue » Mon May 11, 2020 8:34 pm

Mandolins yes - I have always shut my eyes when they show that clip of Rick Stein getting it horribly wrong

Also US tv cooks who deep fry in a heavy enamel pot on the hob filled far too full of oil to be anywhere near safe, they are all at it, Ina, Valerie, Giada, Ree and some others - I keep waiting for a an eruption of hot foaming oil

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby spangle » Mon May 11, 2020 8:42 pm

Ooohh, I didn't know Rick Stein had actually come a cropper with one on tv! Even thinking about it is just... *tries to find 'shudder' emoji*

I think with hot oil I worry the pan will tip over.

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby Stokey Sue » Mon May 11, 2020 8:57 pm

spangle wrote:I think with hot oil I worry the pan will tip over.


They do tend to use the really heavy Le Creuset type pots that I can’t lift, must ruin the enamel though, and the quantity of oil must cost $$$

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby ZeroCook » Tue May 12, 2020 9:07 am

Gillthepainter wrote:It has arrived, Zero, but I haven't used it just yet.
I shall report when I play with the gadget. I got the 2 x cutter one. That will finely dice (onions) and will also baton carrots & courgettes.


Right you are Gill.

Speaking of gadgets not seen before I recently got a manual pasta noodle gadget extruder that I've had a couple of goes with. I bought it after pasta disappeared from shop shelves. :o Thought it might also be good for Asian noodles as we like Asian soups. Had toyed with the idea of a getting a pasta roller machine but thought it might be too much action in the gadget department and that I might rarely use it so went with the hand extruder instead ... will post report

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby Gillthepainter » Tue May 12, 2020 9:15 am

Good God, I love it already. Can't wait to hear how you get on with it.
The bottom left attachment - do you think it's for spaetzle?


Spangle
I'm forbidden from buying a mandolin.

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby slimpersoninside » Tue May 12, 2020 6:52 pm

Mmmmm quite facinated by that too ZeroCook.

I am very keen to find out how much effort is needed to extrude (especially by the dominant hand wrist, mine is not as strong as it was after an injury about 18 months ago).

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby Badger's Mate » Tue May 12, 2020 7:04 pm

I too squirm when mandolines are being used. I'm also banned from going anywhere near one. I'm bad enough with my microplane grater. Mrs B is convinced that the very sharp Japanese knife I got for Christmas will cost me fingers.

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby spangle » Tue May 12, 2020 11:19 pm

Gill and Badger's Mate, yes I think there should be some kind of mandolin awareness training at the point of sale. They are such fierce things. I'm quite scared of mine and have a special way of layering all the blades when it's in the cupboard to stop it attacking me when I'm fishing around in there for teabags.

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby Gillthepainter » Wed May 13, 2020 7:19 am

I've got a herb/ soft veg round chopper. I make sure the blade has it's cover at all times. I guess it would cut pizzas great.
And am very careful when I wash it.

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby Lokelani » Wed May 13, 2020 11:51 am

I'm a believer that you're less likely to cut yourself on a very sharp knife. It's when we stay in a holiday cottage & they're really blunt & so I'm applying loads of pressure that I worry how much harm I'd do if I slipped.

We both love ceramic knives. I know they're never really caught on & they're not perfect for everything, but we have a few & I reach for them for most tasks. They just seem to stay sharp for ever. We have a wooden kitchen floor so the risk of dropping & damaging them is much lower than with a hard floor.

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby Gillthepainter » Thu May 14, 2020 4:37 pm

Tony's ceramic knife has little chips out of it.
But he's been using it for years now.

Re the Alligator, I love it!
Talk about excellent, the dice is finer than I do with a knife too. I'll be getting the slicer attachment, and the mini-chopper too for sure.

Dead easy to clean.

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby PatsyMFagan » Thu May 14, 2020 8:24 pm

Gillthepainter wrote:Re the Alligator, I love it!
Talk about excellent, the dice is finer than I do with a knife too. I'll be getting the slicer attachment, and the mini-chopper too for sure.

Dead easy to clean.


that's good to know, thanks Gill. I have problems cutting onions as my eyes burn and stream with tears so much. This seems like it will solve that :thumbsup

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Re: another gadget I've not seen before

Postby Gillthepainter » Thu May 14, 2020 8:46 pm

Honestly, get one if it's not too much trouble.
I'm thinking of chopping my large bag of onions tomorrow, and bagging them in the freezer ready to go.
As you can see in the vid, you do have to press sharply down, but not so hard.

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