Forum:

cooking

Manual food processor?

Robert Ray

gardener

Posts: 1535

Location: Cascades of Oregon

posted 10 years ago

Has anyone had any experience with a "Salad Master" hand operated slicer/processor?

"There is enough in the world for everyones needs, but not enough for everyones greed"
(Buckman)

charles c. johnson

Posts: 369

posted 10 years ago

it's gotta be better than the Slap Chop

I would rather have a ceramic knife for the same money

Joel Hollingsworth

pollinator

Posts: 2103

Location: Oakland, CA

posted 10 years ago

Using your fingernails to guide your knife blade (safer than it sounds, if you know what you're doing) is super easy and quick. Except for large batches, it's faster and easier for me to use a knife than the mandolenne attachment of a food processor.

I've also heard good things about mezzalunas and molcajetes.

"the qualities of these bacteria, like the heat of the sun, electricity, or the qualities of metals, are part of the storehouse of knowledge of all men. They are manifestations of the laws of nature, free to all men and reserved exclusively to none." SCOTUS, Funk Bros. Seed Co. v. Kale Inoculant Co.

Posts: 211

Location: Northern California

posted 10 years ago

If it's the thing I'm thinking of, it looks flimsy and liable to break. I'd be more inclined to get one of these stainless steel food mills from Lehman's. It just seems like it would be sturdier and probably operate more smoothly. I'm working on developing those knife skills, though, Joel!

Robert Ray

gardener

Posts: 1535

Location: Cascades of Oregon

posted 10 years ago

Kerric, I call the tool at Lehmans a foley food mill not the same at all, I use one all the time when making apple sauce or when canning.
I have a mandolin and a mezzaluna but when slicing large quantities of vegetables of a consistent size for dehydrating. I was wondering if any one had tried a Salad Master.

"There is enough in the world for everyones needs, but not enough for everyones greed"
(Buckman)

jeremiah bailey

Posts: 343

posted 10 years ago

I never used a saladmaster, but I've used a crank slicer in several restaurants that I've worked in. I can't seem to fine one online, but they were similar in concept to the saladmaster. There were one or two blades radially mounted on a round plate, kind of like the mandolin blade of a food processor. The depth of cut was adjustable with a screw. You placed the food to be sliced in a V-shaped table and pushed it into the blades with sliding block. You could probably find one on Ebay for a reasonable price. Or check restaurant auctions.

I'm with Joel on knife work, but I tend to use my knuckles or side of my hand. This is also safer than it sounds. I think it provides much better tactile feedback. The side of the knife rides against your skin thus your nerves can better sense the position of the knife. Just be sure to tuck your fingers back away from the blade.

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it." - Helen Keller
--
Jeremiah Bailey
Central Indiana

Joel Hollingsworth

pollinator

Posts: 2103

Location: Oakland, CA

posted 10 years ago

jeremiah bailey wrote:The side of the knife rides against your skin thus your nerves can better sense the position of the knife. Just be sure to tuck your fingers back away from the blade.

Ah, okay. I would think if you got going fast, all that sliding would give you blisters.

The adjustment for me is how far the food-hand has moved since the last slice. My nails are definitely sensitive enough to tell whether the blade is toughing them or not, and of course I use my eyes a lot for the job, too.

Willie Smits: Village Based Permaculture Approaches in Indonesia (video)

will be released to subscribers in: soon!

click here for details