New addition: Thermomix

[foraloysius]

BTW, this is a website with free recipes. It looks like it hasn't been updated for a while. There is an app too. The app has a button to switch between Imperial and Metric measures, so perhaps that's handy for you.

http://www.recipesforthermomix.com

 

[chachp]

Thank you Louis. I bookmarked that site

 

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">This morning I made waffles with a blueberry compote.  It was so easy.  </span>

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">To make the compote I put in the apples and butter and cooked it for a few minutes then added the orange juice, blueberries, etc. in the bowl and cooked for another ten minutes or so.  When it was done I put it in a thermo bowl and let it sit.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">Then I made the waffle batter.  I was able to put the butter in first to melt then add the rest of the ingredients.  A couple of blitzes and it was done.  I didn't even have to dirty a pan to melt the butter.  That was very cool.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">It let the batter and compote sit for about an hour and then made the waffles.  When we ate the compote was still hot in the thermo bowl.  The compote was good on its own without any butter or syrup so I saved a few calories.  Not that I'm counting, but it never hurts.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">What I liked about this was when you set the blade to turn clockwise it chops and stirs.  When you set it to reverse or counterclockwise it only stirs.  So to chop and cook the apples I put in the butter and apples and set it to heat and stir clockwise.  When that was done it was still set to cook but in reverse so it just stirred and didn't chop or mush the blueberries.</span>

 

[chachp]

Best Christmas Gift ever

 

<span style="font-family: 'AMERICAN TYPEWRITER SEMIBOLD', serif;"> </span>

<span style="font-family: 'AMERICAN TYPEWRITER SEMIBOLD', serif;">How lucky am I to have a friend who knows me well enough to gift me with something I would really love….they are hard to find and bonus he is a member of this site.  I don’t know if he wants me to call him out or not, so I’ll leave that to him do that if he wants right Kevin?  Whoops did I spill the beans?.  Anyway, he gifted me with something for Christmas that is so fun I had to share.</span>

<span style="font-family: 'AMERICAN TYPEWRITER SEMIBOLD', serif;"> </span>

<span style="font-family: 'AMERICAN TYPEWRITER SEMIBOLD', serif;">It’s a toy Thermomix.  This thing is so cute and it actually works.  The blade spins and according to the directions it will make milkshakes, muffins and a number of other things.  The interface is so close to the real deal and even the Cook-key is functional.  You press the cook-key to discover it has a few programmed recipes just like the real one.</span>

<span style="font-family: 'AMERICAN TYPEWRITER SEMIBOLD', serif;"> </span>

<span style="font-family: 'AMERICAN TYPEWRITER SEMIBOLD', serif;">It has the varoma for the top, the measuring cap top and the spatula.  If you set the temperature for heating the lights go from green to red just like the real thing.</span>

<span style="font-family: 'AMERICAN TYPEWRITER SEMIBOLD', serif;"> </span>

<span style="font-family: 'AMERICAN TYPEWRITER SEMIBOLD', serif;">Just so realistic.  I hope you all got something you like as much as I like this for Christmas.</span>

 

[foraloysius]

Cute indeed! What a great Christmas gift.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Cute name made me immediately think of Vorhaut

 

[thomasortega]

Luis, congrats for your new toy that is definitely much more than a toy.

I had the exact same model about 15 years ago.

My only regret was not using it much more. The uses I had ended up in perfection.

Nope, that's not an "Electrolux Assistent with heat" actually, decades ago there was a version of the Electrolux assistent that had heat but it didn't come close to what a Thermomix can do. The same way a Thermomix doesn't come close to what an Electrolux Assistent can do. They're completely different machines, with one focusing on cooking (and can do other stuff) and the other focusing mainly on monster batches of heavy dough (and also can do other stuff)

More recently I had the chance to play a bit with the controls on a much more advanced brand new TOL Thermomix my best friend got. I was thrilled and I definitely want one, the only problem is the absurd price here in the US. If my Thermomix had all those recipes and the smart connectivity, I'd definitely have used it much more.

 

[thomasortega]

Luis, congrats for your new toy that is definitely much more than a toy.

I had the exact same model about 15 years ago.

My only regret was not using it much more. The uses I had ended up in perfection.

Nope, that's not an "Electrolux Assistent with heat" actually, decades ago there was a version of the Electrolux assistent that had heat but it didn't come close to what a Thermomix can do. The same way a Thermomix doesn't come close to what an Electrolux Assistent can do. They're completely different machines, with one focusing on cooking (and can do other stuff) and the other focusing mainly on monster batches of heavy dough (and also can do other stuff)

More recently I had the chance to play a bit with the controls on a much more advanced brand new TOL Thermomix my best friend got. I was thrilled and I definitely want one, the only problem is the absurd price here in the US. If my Thermomix had all those recipes and the smart connectivity, I'd definitely have used it much more.

 

[foraloysius]

The model I have is the most popular one for in restaurant kitchens. You don't need a database with recipes when you use it in a professional kitchen. It's perhaps also the most reliable one, because there is no software that can get stuck. You certainly don't want that to happen when you have guests waiting.

Overhere in the NL there are companies that specialise in refurbishing TM31 models. They go for around 500 - 800 euros.

The Thermomix is indeed expensive, but in the US it's not more expensive than in Europe. In Germany the TM6 costs €1359.-, which converts in today's exchange rate to $1543.-. So with $1499.- it's even marginally cheaper than in Germany.

The original Electrolux Assistent doesn't carry that name any longer. It's called an Ankarsrum these days. Electrolux sold the plant to AB Traction.

https://www.ankarsrum.com

 

[chachp]

TM Software

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">I know this will sound crazy but this software has actually made me a little more organized in the kitchen.  I do all the work on line.  When I pick a recipe I can save it in a collection of my own or one that says make today.  These choices sync back to the TM over your wifi connection.  Then you  add it to your shopping list.  You can remove from the list the things you have in the house so you only deal with the stuff you need to buy.  When you are in the store the phone app displays the shopping list organized the way the grocery store is set up which is a really nice touch.  It's really worth the extra money.  They are about to announce an upgrade where you can add your own recipes to the database which really takes it to the next level.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">If anyone is on the fence about buying one, I would whole heatedly recommend the purchase.  I know it's a lot of money but it can replace a number of things in the kitchen which is also really nice. </span>

 

[petek]

Ankarsrum mixers etc.

While I have my trusty old Bosch Universal mixer, I've been pondering an Ankarsrum for awhile and have been watching endless youtube videos. However, the more of them I've watched the less I'm inclined to buy one. They are after all quite pricey,and I don't need one. Just my inner gadget geek needs it. The reason being is that in every video where someone is making bread or cookie type doughs, they are having to hover over the mixer constantly adjusting the roller and scraper. Even using the dough hook it doesn't seem much easier. In the videos put out by Ankarsrum themselves they either do not show the machine making dough or they edit that fussing part out and just show the near finished product.

Naturally I'd love a new Thermomix as well to play with but at about $2000.00 Cdn if not more I don't think it's going to happen. Bosch has one as well called the Bosch Cookit but it isn't sold in N.America and the price for it in Germany is close to the price of a Thermomix.

 

[foraloysius]

Oh yes, the software can be very handy to organise things. A lot of people use the Thermomix for that. The Thermomix has some advantages over some other cooking kitchen appliances. One of them is the huge database with recipes. Other products like the Magimix Cook Expert or the Krups Prep&Cook have only a fraction of that amount of recipes. Besides that the Thermomix is very intuitive, much more than some of the others.

I guess the Bosch Cookit is the biggest competitor on the German market. I have watched quite a few videos of it. The biggest advantage (like with my Kenwood kCook) is that the bowl has two handles. One handle is way more convenient to empty a bowl than two handles.

The Bosch Universal is still one of the best for kneading big amounts of dough I think. The "Ank" does not knead the same amount I believe. It's a nice looking machine and it's a bit less noisy as it looks in the videos, but it's more expensive too (at least overhere) as a Bosch Universal.