Apologies if this topic has been done to death already -- I've done
some searching on Google Groups and there are of course a lot of
opinions on food processors for various tasks. I have some specific
questions.

I chop/slice/dice/mince using either a knife or my V-Slicer, depending
on the task. I grate by hand. I knead dough in my KitchenAid stand
mixer. Mostly, I puree soups with an immersion blender right in the
pot I cook them in, so long as I can accept a few stray chunks. If I
need it really smooth, I have a Waring blender, but I usually have to
do it in batches. In general, I hate the Waring; it's probably great
for smoothies, but I never make smoothies, and it never really seems
to work right for the sorts of things I do want to use it for (mostly
purees). I have a CuisinArt mini-prep thing that handles small
pureeing tasks, such as a little bit of pesto, or even a small batch
of nut butter.

So I've got most of my bases covered. There are a couple of things,
though, that are very annoying with the tools I currently have: making
very smooth purees, in particular hummus and similar dips. I would
love to make hummus regularly, but I have no good tool for the job.
The mini-prep can make only very small quantities. The blender is
hopeless. I'm also (with any luck) going to be a daddy sometime in
the not-too-distant future, and I'll want to make baby food. However,
being a "whole foods" purist, I am going to want to include edible
skins and seeds in the baby food (and in most everything else I make),
and so it seems to me that a food mill is not right for this task.
(Please correct me if I'm mistaken -- I've never used a food mill.)
Ditto for when I make mashed potatoes -- the skins must remain in.

There might be other things I would use a food processor or food mill
for that I haven't considered. Yet another possibility are the
attachments for my KitchenAid stand mixer -- the food grinder and
vegetable strainer. I assume the strainer acts essentially like a
power-driven food mill, and so will also strain out the skins. Can
the food grinder make smooth hummus? How about a manual food mill?
Is there any other way to make smooth hummus without a food processor,
other than laboriously mashing it with, say, a mortar and pestle?

So, given my usage profile as described above, do I want a food
processor, a food mill, mixer attachments, something I haven't thought
of yet, or some combination of the above? Advice on the size of the
processor would be helpful too -- the big 11-/14-cup ones take up
barely more counter space than the 7-cup ones, but I worry that they
won't handle small tasks as well -- the ones just a little too big for
the mini-prep.

Thanks in advance for any advice,

--
Randall Nortman

"Randall Nortman" > wrote in message
news
> Apologies if this topic has been done to death already -- I've done
> some searching on Google Groups and there are of course a lot of
> opinions on food processors for various tasks. I have some specific
> questions.
>
> I chop/slice/dice/mince using either a knife or my V-Slicer, depending
> on the task. I grate by hand. I knead dough in my KitchenAid stand
> mixer. Mostly, I puree soups with an immersion blender right in the
> pot I cook them in, so long as I can accept a few stray chunks. If I
> need it really smooth, I have a Waring blender, but I usually have to
> do it in batches. In general, I hate the Waring; it's probably great
> for smoothies, but I never make smoothies, and it never really seems
> to work right for the sorts of things I do want to use it for (mostly
> purees). I have a CuisinArt mini-prep thing that handles small
> pureeing tasks, such as a little bit of pesto, or even a small batch
> of nut butter.
>
> So I've got most of my bases covered. There are a couple of things,
> though, that are very annoying with the tools I currently have: making
> very smooth purees, in particular hummus and similar dips. I would
> love to make hummus regularly, but I have no good tool for the job.
> The mini-prep can make only very small quantities. The blender is
> hopeless. I'm also (with any luck) going to be a daddy sometime in
> the not-too-distant future, and I'll want to make baby food. However,
> being a "whole foods" purist, I am going to want to include edible
> skins and seeds in the baby food (and in most everything else I make),
> and so it seems to me that a food mill is not right for this task.
> (Please correct me if I'm mistaken -- I've never used a food mill.)
> Ditto for when I make mashed potatoes -- the skins must remain in.
>
> There might be other things I would use a food processor or food mill
> for that I haven't considered. Yet another possibility are the
> attachments for my KitchenAid stand mixer -- the food grinder and
> vegetable strainer. I assume the strainer acts essentially like a
> power-driven food mill, and so will also strain out the skins. Can
> the food grinder make smooth hummus? How about a manual food mill?
> Is there any other way to make smooth hummus without a food processor,
> other than laboriously mashing it with, say, a mortar and pestle?
>
> So, given my usage profile as described above, do I want a food
> processor, a food mill, mixer attachments, something I haven't thought
> of yet, or some combination of the above? Advice on the size of the
> processor would be helpful too -- the big 11-/14-cup ones take up
> barely more counter space than the 7-cup ones, but I worry that they
> won't handle small tasks as well -- the ones just a little too big for
> the mini-prep.
>
> Thanks in advance for any advice,
>
> --
> Randall Nortman

Dear Randall,
I have a Vita-Mix which is excellent for pureeing and grinding, but it is an
expensive alternative. Also, I recommend (so far) the KitchenAid food
processor for pureeing varying amounts of food product, as it has an extra
set of 2 bowls in different sizes for small/large amounts of food.

Vita-Mix touts the idea that you can buy their product and it subs for all
the rest, but I don't find it 'that' versatile; I like to have a
stand-mixer, food processor and vita-mix. I do have the room to leave them
all out for use. If I had to choose one, I'd choose a FP.
Good luck,
Dee Randall

On Sun 24 Apr 2005 07:22:12a, Randall Nortman wrote in rec.food.equipment:

>
> Apologies if this topic has been done to death already -- I've done
> some searching on Google Groups and there are of course a lot of
> opinions on food processors for various tasks. I have some specific
> questions.
>

Given the extensive requirements you presented, I don't see any way out for
you except for a food processor. There are dozens of uses you'll discover
once you own one.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974

Randall Nortman > wrote:

> I would
> love to make hummus regularly, but I have no good tool for the job.

The immersion blender makes great hummus for me.

serene
--
http://serenejournal.livejournal.com
http://www.jhuger.com

"Randall Nortman" > wrote in message
news
> Apologies if this topic has been done to death already -- I've done
> some searching on Google Groups and there are of course a lot of
> opinions on food processors for various tasks. I have some specific
> questions.
>
> I chop/slice/dice/mince using either a knife or my V-Slicer, depending
> on the task. I grate by hand. I knead dough in my KitchenAid stand
> mixer. Mostly, I puree soups with an immersion blender right in the
> pot I cook them in, so long as I can accept a few stray chunks. If I
> need it really smooth, I have a Waring blender, but I usually have to
> do it in batches. In general, I hate the Waring; it's probably great
> for smoothies, but I never make smoothies, and it never really seems
> to work right for the sorts of things I do want to use it for (mostly
> purees). I have a CuisinArt mini-prep thing that handles small
> pureeing tasks, such as a little bit of pesto, or even a small batch
> of nut butter.
>
> So I've got most of my bases covered. There are a couple of things,
> though, that are very annoying with the tools I currently have: making
> very smooth purees, in particular hummus and similar dips. I would
> love to make hummus regularly, but I have no good tool for the job.
> The mini-prep can make only very small quantities. The blender is
> hopeless. I'm also (with any luck) going to be a daddy sometime in
> the not-too-distant future, and I'll want to make baby food. However,
> being a "whole foods" purist, I am going to want to include edible
> skins and seeds in the baby food (and in most everything else I make),
> and so it seems to me that a food mill is not right for this task.
> (Please correct me if I'm mistaken -- I've never used a food mill.)
> Ditto for when I make mashed potatoes -- the skins must remain in.
>
> There might be other things I would use a food processor or food mill
> for that I haven't considered. Yet another possibility are the
> attachments for my KitchenAid stand mixer -- the food grinder and
> vegetable strainer. I assume the strainer acts essentially like a
> power-driven food mill, and so will also strain out the skins. Can
> the food grinder make smooth hummus? How about a manual food mill?
> Is there any other way to make smooth hummus without a food processor,
> other than laboriously mashing it with, say, a mortar and pestle?
>
> So, given my usage profile as described above, do I want a food
> processor, a food mill, mixer attachments, something I haven't thought
> of yet, or some combination of the above? Advice on the size of the
> processor would be helpful too -- the big 11-/14-cup ones take up
> barely more counter space than the 7-cup ones, but I worry that they
> won't handle small tasks as well -- the ones just a little too big for
> the mini-prep.
>
> Thanks in advance for any advice,

I think a food mill would work for you. I have an inexpensive Martha
Stewart food mill from K mart ($20). I use it for "mashed" potatoes and
other vegetable purees. It is great for removing the skins and seeds from
tomatoes. You can't do that with any food processor or blender.

I also like my food processor and immersion blender, but they each do a
different job. I have a Braun food processor which I think is a great
value. I would recommend that you get the food mill first as it is the
least expensive device, unless you opt for on the expensive, stainless
steel, imported models. Then I would get a to-12 cup food processor. I
don't think I would bother with the mixer attachment.

As far as the food process capacity goes, you can find some modes that have
two bowl sizes. Mine takes a 7 and 11 cup bowl. I believe that Kitchen Aid
also has the ability to use two bowls. I think that I would consider the
Wolfgang Puck food processor from HSN if I were going to buy a new one. You
can take a look he
http://tinyurl.com/8o4ry They have a 30 day, unconditional return policy,
including the refund of your shipping cost. If you find you don't like it,
you can send it back.

On Sun 24 Apr 2005 07:22:12a, Randall Nortman wrote in rec.food.equipment:

>
> Apologies if this topic has been done to death already -- I've done
> some searching on Google Groups and there are of course a lot of
> opinions on food processors for various tasks. I have some specific
> questions.
>

Given the extensive requirements you presented, I don't see any way out for
you except for a food processor. There are dozens of uses you'll discover
once you own one.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974