What is your most indispensible non-standard kitchen gadget?

[dv3]

Zojirushi electric water dispenser...keeps water for tea at the right temperature so I don't have to spend time boiling etc.

 

[HORNS]

Fish Spatula
Stainless Steel Chopsticks with ebony handles - for all kinds of delicate manipulations

 

[ama]

Originally Posted by ChicagoRon

FTFY (I hope)

Yea...

Originally Posted by iammatt

Well, bread crumbs are a bit of an exaggeration, but it is definitely the least used piece of equipment in my kitchen. Creamed butter cakes I can see. I don't really think I'd use it for pasta, but maybe. Mousseline, yes. For everything else mentioned... soup, sauces (pesto

) no way. The texture is terrible and it ruins the flavor of olive oil.

It ruins the texture if you puree the hell out of it. Pulsing works like a charm though. As to the olive oil, I have no idea what you are talking about. Can you elaborate?

 

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by ama

As to the olive oil, I have no idea what you are talking about. Can you elaborate?

The friction causes heat which breaks down flavor components and makes it taste no bueno.

 

[foodguy]

Originally Posted by iammatt

Well, bread crumbs are a bit of an exaggeration, but it is definitely the least used piece of equipment in my kitchen. Creamed butter cakes I can see. I don't really think I'd use it for pasta, but maybe. Mousseline, yes. For everything else mentioned... soup, sauces (pesto

) no way. The texture is terrible and it ruins the flavor of olive oil.

well, we'll have to agree to disagree. the texture is "different". blenders take sauces from chunk to smooth in about 3 seconds. with a food processor you have a lot more control, but it'll never get quite smooth. but on the other hand, perfectly smooth sauces aren't always what you want. i'd never make a flavored mayonnaise in a blender, but i would in a food processor, in a pinch. as for pesto ... by far the mortar and pestle is better. smashing the leaves rather than chopping them gives a much better result. but i'd be interested in hearing your explanation about how a blender does less damage to olive oil than a food processor.
and, of course, i did forget mousses, etc. and they were the thing the robotcoupe was invented for. can you imagine having to grind everything and force it through a tamis until it was smooth?

 

[ama]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

The friction causes heat which breaks down flavor components and makes it taste no bueno.

I've never noticed that. As I said, I do short pulses, not long burst (if that is the opposite of short pulses

).

 

[foodguy]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

The friction causes heat which breaks down flavor components and makes it taste no bueno.

i am aware of this theory. and i'm willing to grant that there is possibly a grain of truth in it for those of extremely sensitive palates. this would be a particularly fine difference if one were to pulse carefully rather than turning the machine on and walking away, as some kitchen commis are probably wont to do (no, i'm not begrudging you your fwap break during prep). but are you suggesting that a blender would do better? is there anything that would do better, excepting a mortar and pestle? how many times do you think you've been served a pesto in a restaurant that was made with mortar and pestle? have you ever?

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by foodguy

well, we'll have to agree to disagree. the texture is "different". blenders take sauces from chunk to smooth in about 3 seconds. with a food processor you have a lot more control, but it'll never get quite smooth. but on the other hand, perfectly smooth sauces aren't always what you want. i'd never make a flavored mayonnaise in a blender, but i would in a food processor, in a pinch. as for pesto ... by far the mortar and pestle is better. smashing the leaves rather than chopping them gives a much better result. but i'd be interested in hearing your explanation about how a blender does less damage to olive oil than a food processor.
and, of course, i did forget mousses, etc. and they were the thing the robotcoupe was invented for. can you imagine having to grind everything and force it through a tamis until it was smooth?
I'm not a fan of sort of smooth, so that is probably why I find them useless for sauces and soups. Even after a blender, whatever is blended always needs to be forced through something. As for olive oil, I wouldn't put it in a blender either. Unfortunately, I can imagine having to grind meat and then go through a tamis.

I would never do it on purpose, though. Really though, I don't make too many protein mousses. Processors are good for them. The do still need a tamis afterward, though.

 

[ama]

I use a mortar and pestle to make pesto for 1 - 4 people and I am going for a more rustic feel, but when I am making a lot of it and its for pizza/paninis/on the fly pasta food processor is the way to go.

 

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by foodguy

i am aware of this theory. and i'm willing to grant that there is possibly a grain of truth in it for those of extremely sensitive palates. this would be a particularly fine difference if one were to pulse carefully rather than turning the machine on and walking away, as some kitchen commis are probably wont to do (no, i'm not begrudging you your fwap break during prep). but are you suggesting that a blender would do better? is there anything that would do better, excepting a mortar and pestle? how many times do you think you've been served a pesto in a restaurant that was made with mortar and pestle? have you ever?

Have I ever gotten one in a restaurant? Doubtful. Actually, no, I'm going to go on a limb and say I've never been served one. And probably never been served one that was even pulsed. Those lazy fuckin cooks probably turned it on and just let it blaze.
When I said "makes it taste no bueno" that was an exaggeration. More like "makes it taste less bueno" is more accurate. I think, honestly, it's like the difference between drinking Cabernet out of a burgundy class versus drinking burgundy out of a burgundy glass. The difference isn't great, and if the pesto tastes good then it's still going to taste good. But the difference is there and it is noticeable.

 

[Dakota rube]

Egg rings

 

[Piobaire]

Oh, something I have come to appreciate is my dedicated meat grinder. The sausage part goes without saying, but grinding my own beef, pork, turkey and chicken for other uses = awesome.

 

[foodguy]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Have I ever gotten one in a restaurant? Doubtful. Actually, no, I'm going to go on a limb and say I've never been served one. ... But the difference is there and it is noticeable.
actually, the thing that converted me to pesto by pestle was being served one at a great restaurant in the cinque terre. i'd been making pesto in a processor for years and years, but this was just something different. the basil was sweeter, the sauce was ... "mousse-ier"? ... just altogether better. then when i got home and did it, i found that it's also as easy or easier ... smash the garlic with teh salt. add the basil leaves and smash, beat in the olive oil at a trickle. crush in the walnuts and parm/pecorino and there you go. washes up real easy, too.

 

[ChicagoRon]

Originally Posted by foodguy

actually, the thing that converted me to pesto by pestle was being served one at a great restaurant in the cinque terre. i'd been making pesto in a processor for years and years, but this was just something different. the basil was sweeter, the sauce was ... "mousse-ier"? ... just altogether better. then when i got home and did it, i found that it's also as easy or easier ... smash the garlic with teh salt. add the basil leaves and smash, beat in the olive oil at a trickle. crush in the walnuts and parm/pecorino and there you go. washes up real easy, too.
Really??? you use Walnuts over pignoli? Pray tell why? Is it better? Different? Are you allergic? Am I on crack? I have never heard of this in my life.

 

[kwilkinson]

Pesto with walnuts is awesome. I like adding a little of them both (walnut and pine). They offer a different flavor and crunch and make a good combo.