[Raeven]

Ok, I'm starting to panic.

Some of you are aware I like to cook, but the fact is I'm helpless without my Cuisinart. I use it for everything from kneading bread dough to making pasta, chopping vegetables, pureeing sauces and, well, everything!! So... I took the advice of a wise friend (thanks, Tanya!) and plugged Cuisinart food processors into the trusty ol' google.co.nz.

After a couple of minutes, I rose from the floor, flopping and gasping at $829 for a new one in NZ -- which doesn't look as heavy duty as the model I've got!! And scarce, too -- I could only find one source!!

Rrrrrrriiiiiiiiiicccccccccccchhhhhhhhh, where are you?? Can I get the one I already have to work over there???

Suffering from heart palpitations, Rae

[Diny]

I have every sympathy with you on this one. I would be lost without my 'whiz bang' (as it is affectionately known in this house).

But ......... (I'm no expert in these matters) ...... I think the voltage is different in USA and NZ.

Good luck, and I hope you can take your Cuisinart (and your sanity) with you to NZ.

Diny

[karltsmith]

Don't know exactly what a cuisinart is...sounds scary...I'm not a fan of food processors...however if voltage is your problem you can but a step down transformer from Dick Smith (no relation) Electronics!!!


Personally I wouldn't be without my French Sabatier knives and my Great Grandmothers Victorian Rolling Pin!


Bon Appetite ;)

[Raeven]

Hi, karl,

Oh, yes, I'm definitely bringing it and was planning to use the step-down transformer.. just had some concerns it wouldn't work right because of having a motor in it. My guess is it will work but somewhat differently than I am used to. My husband is fully prepared to spend whatever is necessary to ensure I have one there if this one doesn't work properly. He is of course the primary beneficiary of my culinary efforts!

Like you, I have many treasured kitchen artifacts and use them liberally (hand-crank sausagemaker from my grandmother, a sourdough starter created by my father 16 years ago), but my food processor has its place, and although there's nothing I do with it I can't do without it, boy, it saves a lot of time and hassle! When I got my first one over 20 years ago, I felt the same as you. But after learning to use it properly, I admit I am a convert. They have their place, they really do -- huge timesavers.

Better keep those Sabatier knives out of my clutches.. I have good knives and couldn't do without them -- but not as nice as those!!

Many happy meringues, Rae

[Diny]

I'm with you on the sabatier knives. I have a set too and they're lethal !!

This is alittle spooky but I have my grans rolling pin too. Also - the one 'must take' item in my kitchen........... a wooden spoon that had half of the bowl bit snap off about 5 years ago. It's now a half moon shape, worn smooth and battered, but I would be totally lost without it. It has a value of about 2p but all the money in the world couldn't buy a replacement. How stupid is that?

Diny

[Raeven]

LOL, Diny, oooohhh, eerie on the wooden spoon front!!

Just yesterday I was crushing tomatoes in a bolognese sauce for lasagna with the back of my favorite wooden spoon, complete with burn marks on the handle and used so often that at least a quarter of it was worn away from the bowl.. just as I was idly thinking I should use a potato masher instead of the back of the spoon, it snapped in half and that was the end of my favorite wooden spoon!!

I totally understand about yours.. you have to have those comfortable things around you to make it 'home.'

Best of luck to you in your culinary and migratory adventures! - Rae

[Diny]

Rae ......... a wooden spoon would hold no street cred at all without the obligatory burn marks.

[SoCal Gal]

Hi Rae!
Tell you what, when my husband goes down later this month, I will have him take my small processor and see if it will work with the step down, etc., and then I can report back and hopefully give others a big sigh of relief too....wooden spoons be danged!
For me, I want to take my hot air popcorn maker! Where else am I going to find a Scooby Doo head that vomits popcorn out its mouth???
:cool

[Raeven]

SoCalGal, you are a treasure!! It would soooooooo put my mind at ease to find out how that particular appliance will work!! I realize it's not world peace or anything, but ok, I'm shallow and self-absorbed and dangerous with a shredding disc...

And no, there is no way you can leave behind Scooby Doo!!

Thanks so much for the kind offer. It's just one of those many things that will be different about living there. Not bad -- just different!!

Luvvies and with much gratitude, Rae

[SoCal Gal]

It is my pleasure, Rae! And much more sensible to worry about an appliance like that, than wonder how my new kitchen will look without Scooby's head! This will start the list of things, if there is anything esle anyone wants checked on, let me know! :cool

[Moorf]

Well SoCal, if you can arrange for a gas line to the South Island I'd be really grateful... I hate cooking on anything else!! :laugh

[captainxmas]

You could always try pig farming Moorf and keep your own methane. :cool

[Raeven]

Hi, Moorf,

I'm with you on that one. We hope to install LPG gas on whatever property we eventually end up at, and I have already verified my choice of stove is available in NZ. It can be done!!

All the best, Rae

[Moorf]

I wonder if they do Raeburns over there? Anyone?

[Moorf]

You could always try pig farming Moorf and keep your own methane

I have a hubby and make great curry... no further gases required :laugh :laugh

[coastcat]

For me, I want to take my hot air popcorn maker! Where else am I going to find a Scooby Doo head that vomits popcorn out its mouth???

Movie night at SoCal Gal's place!

(I'm trying to wean myself off popcorn, and the Scooby Doo vomit should do the trick nicely...)

Regarding food processors... Cuisinart might be horribly priced, but you can get Kenwood (http://www.kenwood.co.uk) food processors and mixers (good heavy-duty stuff!) at Noel Leeming (http://www.noelleeming.co.nz). They also carry Moulinex (http://www.moulinex.com) products.

Life in the kitchen would not be complete without my beloved KitchenAid mixer. Peter McInnes (http://www.petermcinnes.com.au) is the distributor in Australasia, but the prices in New Zealand are outrageous!

There's a US company called Piraeus International (http://www.piraeusintl.com/index2.html) that sells 220V appliances, including KitchenAid, Hoover, and Sony. The heavy-duty 325-watt KitchenAid mixer sells for US$499 from Piraeus, NZ$1100 (US$715) from Milly's Kitchen in Auckland. And you can get upright vacuums!

[Tara Sage]

Beer or beans generally do the trick :laugh

[karltsmith]

Hey Rae et al,

I used to be completely anti dishwashers until recently and now I'm a convert...so there's hope for me yet on the food processor front! Don't think it could make a good hot Roux for my Bechemal sauce though?

My main contention with them is that they are so fiddly to clean and once I add that to the time saved I'm generally back where I started time wise!

I am willing to be convinced otherwise and be taught the fine "art" of food processing!

:nice1

[Raeven]

Hi, karl,

You're on, baybee!! I'll have you guys over for that lasagne I made last night from scratch, including the pasta noodles, which whip up in the food processor in about 2 minutes. Then a quick clean -- and it is quick, surprisingly so! -- before chopping the onions, celery, carrots and parsley for the bolognese sauce, about 3 minutes' work, including clean-up, because it's just a rinse. And while it's true I made the bechamel sauce without benefit of Cuisinart, creating the rest of the components is so much easier!! Even with rolling out the pasta by hand, the whole operation only took an hour, which so far as I'm concerned is time nicely invested.

If you like chopped salads such as coleslaw, food processors are unbeatable. I can put a chopped salad together in about 10 minutes. Food processors are grand for emulsifying sauces or salad dressings, also. Saved a hollandaise I thought was a goner with one once. They knead bread dough with barely a yawn (double batches, no less!) and if I have lots of chopped or sliced vegetables involved in a recipe, such as for vegetable risotto, French onion soup or au gratin potatoes, it's the first thing I reach for. Also fantastic for creating fine strained sauces, such as raspberry coulis. Oh! And grating massive quantities of cheese!! And did I mention the cleaning thing is very overemphasized? :mrgreen:

Anyway, would love to give you a demo or two sometime!!

All the best, Rae

[Diny]

Rae

Here's an idea ..... go into business in NZ with a small USA Cafe - from reading your posts you sound as though you have the knack - makes me hungry. Where will you be n NZ ........ close enough for us to come round for tea I hope.

Diny

[karltsmith]

Hi Rae,

You're on! You see I'm a kitchen Ludite at heart I just love doing it all from scratch and by hand! (oo..errr Mrs!)

I can produce the finest garlic puree with a fork and a filleting knife in a few seconds! My julien vegies are painstakingly hand crafted and my soufle omelette is a legend in it's own lunchtime!

I do concede that pastries and doughs are probably best done in "one a those new fangled gizzmos missy" <Beverley Hill Billies voice> !

I don't want to worry you but your pastry will taste different over here! I use a Lard (refined fat) and butter mix as the base but over here its called dripping....smells quite strong and very different to what I am used to! I can't bring myself to use it for a sweet biscuit pastry!

Anyway can't wait....shall we go into business? Will Cornish Pasties and Filet Gumbo sit together OK on the Menu :laugh ?

:nice1

[Moorf]

And what of my sea cucumber with cheddar mash and caramelised onions huh? :laugh :laugh :laugh

[Diny]

Jeeze Moorf - that sounds bloody awful :no

[Moorf]

Don't knock it 'til you've tried it....

Errr, who wants to try it? :no

[captainxmas]

Noooooooooo!!! :eek

Not the Sea Cucumber thread again, Diny if you are wondering where Moorf got over 700 posts, I suggest you check the old forum under 'Sea Cucumbers'

But wait a minute, would it go well with Bovril? :laugh

[Diny]

Ahhh I see - I'll leave the sea cucumber subject alone then.

[SoCal Gal]

I don't want CoastCats info lost - it is good stuff - and great links to all the places, thank you!!!! Now, if I can just do a supermarket sweep of Cost Plus and Big Lots, my needs are met! And the movie night is on with Scooby and the gang, bring your 80's movies on DVD and we'll make it a forum-worthy event to be sure!! Rae, bring the lasagna! :cool

[Moorf]

Noooooo you heathen - not Bovril.....

MARMITE!

:roll:

[coastcat]

Bovril, marmite, it's all the same scary stuff. :mrgreen:

As if you needed another excuse to get a good food processor... it makes excellent whipped cream! Add a little cold butter and/or melted & cooled white chocolate to the cream, and you get a very rich, very dense whipped cream that's perfect for piping decorations (it's firm enough to hold shapes) or sandwiching between cake layers.

Guess I'll be the restaurant's pastry chef. My specialties are a very light cocoa sponge cake (served with chocolate flake whipped cream) and a very rich chocolate fudge cake (served with white chocolate mousse filling and dark chocolate ganache on top). Oh yes, mustn't forget the pastry puffs filled with caramel vanilla custard...

[Moorf]

Why oh why do I lurk in these foodie threads when I am TRYING to diet!!

:wah

Where is the salivating emoticon?!!