--
Blinky
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://improve-usenet.org
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Blinky, alas I do not have experience with a mandolin, but if there's a
"Tuesday Morning" store near you - go there! I saw a Cuisinart mandolin
for about $50 there (or was it $40?), IIRC. And Cuisinart's supposed to
be a good product name. HTH.
Sky, who thinks a mandolin is a nice addition for the kitchen
--
Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice
>
> Does anyone have a mandolin that they can recommend in the, say, $80US
> range? I'm thinking about giving one as a gift and have never had or used
> one, so I could use your experience.
>
>
Just make sure you get in the key of B Flat.
--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
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Date: Thursday, 10(X)/02(II)/08(MMVIII)
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Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 4dys 2hrs 41mins
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'These are the times that try men's
souls.' - T. Paine
> On Thu 02 Oct 2008 08:29:26p, Blinky the Shark told us...
>
>>
>> Does anyone have a mandolin that they can recommend in the, say, $80US
>> range? I'm thinking about giving one as a gift and have never had or used
>> one, so I could use your experience.
>>
>>
>
> Just make sure you get in the key of B Flat.
I knew someone was going there. Because I tend to, as well, when the
subject comes up. :)
I used to be able to play a little bit on the musical instrument. I had a
brother in law that played one. His father played the banjo, so I had to
learn a little of that too, being a (nonprofessional) guitar player myself.
> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>
>> On Thu 02 Oct 2008 08:29:26p, Blinky the Shark told us...
>>
>>>
>>> Does anyone have a mandolin that they can recommend in the, say, $80US
>>> range? I'm thinking about giving one as a gift and have never had or
>>> used one, so I could use your experience.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Just make sure you get in the key of B Flat.
>
> I knew someone was going there. Because I tend to, as well, when the
> subject comes up. :)
It was too good to resist. :-)
> I used to be able to play a little bit on the musical instrument. I had
> a brother in law that played one. His father played the banjo, so I had
> to learn a little of that too, being a (nonprofessional) guitar player
> myself.
I've mainly played keyboard instruments, except for cello.
--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
*******************************************
Date: Thursday, 10(X)/02(II)/08(MMVIII)
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5wks 4dys 1hrs 48mins
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MOPAR = Move Over Plymouth Approaching
Rapidly!
I do not know brands or prices there, but I have 3 mandolins and some
experience. Make sure there is a way to sharpen the fixed blade. If there
is not then when it dulls the whole damned thing has to be thrown out.
That said, the one I use the most is the Benriiner "as seen on TV" if I
recall correctly. It isn't easy to sharpen the fixed blade, but I manage.
> "Blinky the Shark"
>> Does anyone have a mandolin that they can recommend in the, say, $80US>
>> range? I'm thinking about giving one as a gift and have never had or used
>> one, so I could use your experience.
>>
>>
>> --
>> Blinky
>
> I do not know brands or prices there, but I have 3 mandolins and some
> experience. Make sure there is a way to sharpen the fixed blade. If there
> is not then when it dulls the whole damned thing has to be thrown out.
Thanks for that tip, Giusi.
> That said, the one I use the most is the Benriiner "as seen on TV" if I
> recall correctly. It isn't easy to sharpen the fixed blade, but I manage.
And that one.
>
> Does anyone have a mandolin that they can recommend in the, say, $80US
> range? I'm thinking about giving one as a gift and have never had or
used
> one, so I could use your experience.
Blinky,
I have the old "as seen on TV" mandolin. A cheap-o plastic one that I still
use. I'll suggest you buy one that has an under cylinder that has four or
so blade arrangements that you can dial that will protrude up through slits
so you can dice not just slice. The different blade arrangements are to
select a desired dice.
Also look for one that comes with a vegetable holder/guard that you sweep
along the mandolin's side rails to keep your hand protected from the blades
at all times. I'd be willing to bet I'd've diced a few fingers without one.
And lastly, stability and position. Some come with legs and others can lay
flat in certain size bowls, then can both be difficult to handle if they're
not firmly held in place.
Giusi mentioned blade sharpening, so if they have a removable blade (or
blades) that would be desirable.
My cheap-o unit came with a separate spiral slicer and a cute fruit design
thingy that went straight out of the box into the trash.
Best,
Andy
>
>Does anyone have a mandolin that they can recommend in the, say, $80US
>range? I'm thinking about giving one as a gift and have never had or used
>one, so I could use your experience.
I believe Cook's Illustrated tested mandolins recently and recommended
Oxo.
- Mark
Andy, real mandolins have screw on blades because those barrel and dial
things don't hold up to pro use and mandolins are much more used by pros
than home cooks.
Giusi,
Sure! The amount of food prep that goes on day after day at restaurants,
caterers, etc., compared to my sleepy plastic mandolin? There's no contest
which needs more sharpening. Mine is unsharpenable anyway but after 10
years still works remarkably well.
Andy
It's important to note here that OXO makes two kinds of mandolines:
straight blade and V-blade. Cook's Illustrated reviewed both (May-June
2008, p. 28). CI gave their highest rating to the V-blade, which earned
their best 3-star ratings in all four performance categories: straight,
julienne, and waffle cuts, and user-friendliness. The straight blade scored
only fair (2 stars) in straight cuts, but earned 3 stars in all the other
categories. Interestingly, the better-rated v-blade is cheaper (USD$49.95)
than the straight-blade (USD$69.99).
Check out the OXO straight-blade mandoline on Amazon.com; there are more
negative reviews than positive ones:
http://www.amazon.com/Oxo-Good-Grips-Mandoline-Slicer/dp/B0000DAQ8B or
http://tinyurl.com/4mph3z
I've had a Borner V-Slicer since 1988; I bought it after watching an
infomercial. It's a real workhorse, actually does *everything* the
informercial promised, and it's still razor-sharp after 20 years of hard
use. As much as I really like OXO products, my Borner's track record would
steer me toward buying another one.
Karen
Some magazine somewhere ;-) also rated OXO ($60) best. They also
rated it highest for safety features. I threw my pampered chef vario
slicer last year (too much plastic, not sturdy) and I want an OXO for
my birthday,
Lynn in Fargo
Good point, Graham. Of course if you want to sing along to the slicing and
you only sing in the key of B Flat, that might pose a problem. :-)
--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
*******************************************
Date: Friday, 10(X)/03(III)/08(MMVIII)
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5wks 3dys 15hrs 27mins
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'That's funny ho ho, I want funny ha ha.'
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I've heard that Bron is good - I have a $15 plastic-case special from
the cookware shop that works great. There's also a recommended brand
at Asian markets, but I can't recall the name.
N.
> Does anyone have a mandolin that they can recommend in the, say, $80US
> range? I'm thinking about giving one as a gift and have never had or used
> one, so I could use your experience.
Well, I paid $70.00 for the one from "Pampered Chef" and ended up giving
it away. It was a pain in the ass to use due to overdone "safety
features" plus it sliced WAY too thin.
I ended up going back to my basic cheap one with no safety features. I'm
just careful with it.
--
Peace! Om
"He who has the gold makes the rules"
--Om
"He who has the guns can get the gold."
-- Steve Rothstein
I've often looked at one of those French mandolins but I like my fingers!!
Not that I play my cello these days{:-(
Graham
I find three models of Borner V-Slicers. Which one do you have?
(Prima, Plus, Plus V-1001)
Or don't they make your model any more?
All three are linked under "Shopping results...", here, near the top of
the page:
http://www.google.com/search?q=borner+v-slicer&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
> Does anyone have a mandolin that they can recommend in the, say, $80US
> range? I'm thinking about giving one as a gift and have never had or used
> one, so I could use your experience.
Thanks to everyone who gave their thoughts on this, and to those whose
replies are still coming in. I'm following your leads now.
Mine is plastic with metal blades; here's the one I have:
http://www.cutleryandmore.com/details.asp?SKU=5986 They didn't call it
"Plus" when I bought it, but I think all that means is that it comes with
all the toys. :-)
I see there's now a deluxe Borner "Prima" V-Slicer with a stainless steel
body; this must be a newer model, as it wasn't available back in '88:
http://www.amazon.com/Borner-V-3000-B%25f6rner-Prima-V%252dSlicer/dp/B000TDBT8A
or http://tinyurl.com/4pe3nk I like the idea of sturdy stainless, and a
work bowl to catch the food as it's being sliced is pretty convenient. My
older plastic model does have a notched edge that catches nicely onto a bowl
or pan lip, allowing food to fall neatly into whichever one I'm using.
Karen
http://www.kitchenu.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=5104
This is a little more than you are thinking of however maybe you can find a
deal. With all the blades it's pretty good deal. I got one as a gift
several years ago and I can tell you its good piece of equipment.
Dimitri
Among a wide range of quality culinary tools and professional cookware
equipment, de Buyer mandolines are probably their signature line. de Buyer
mandolines offers unparalleded safety not only by securing food but also
protecting fingers from the sharp blades. Each mandoline comes with a set of
horizontal blades and julienne blades to offer a versatile variety of cut
styles.
Product features:
Body and blades of this mandoline are all stainless steel
Comes with four interchangeable blades: two (2) horizontal blades & two (2)
Julienne blades (4 and 10 mm)
Wide variety of cut styles: julienne cuts, cubes, waffle cuts, slice or
crinckle cuts
Ergonomic stainless pusher ensures safe, fast and efficient operation
Unique thickness adjustment mechanism for a perfect cut quality
Receptacle included
Possible to use over a bowl thanks to the two folding feet
Instructions manual included
Dishwasher safe
Can be hung for storage
Gift boxed
Made in France
No. A good mandolin, say a Gibson F-5, costs in the thousands. OTOH, a
good food mandoline is within that range:
http://www.cutleryandmore.com/mandoline.htm
nb
>
>Does anyone have a mandolin that they can recommend in the, say, $80US
>range? I'm thinking about giving one as a gift and have never had or used
>one, so I could use your experience.
Howdy,
The slicer is a mandoline.
^
The musical instrument is a mandolin.
^
All the best,
--
Kenneth
If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."
>
>No. A good mandolin, say a Gibson F-5, costs in the thousands.
Howdy,
That depends on the F-5. The right one could go for hundreds
of thousands.
You've ruined it for me.
<and probably everyone else, too>
> That depends on the F-5. The right one could go for hundreds
> of thousands.
Yeah, I know. Some people also pay $10+ for a hamburger. I was jes making
a point, but not that one.
nb (still kicking myself for not buying that '27 sqr-neck Dobro for $700
back in '82!) :(
> On 2008-10-03, Blinky the Shark <no....@box.invalid> wrote:
>>
>> Does anyone have a mandolin that they can recommend in the, say, $80US
>> range?
>
> No. A good mandolin, say a Gibson F-5, costs in the thousands. OTOH, a
> good food mandoline is within that range:
I have a Gibson; I need something for my kitchen. :)
> the decision to go with the flow this time, even though I'm generally
> linguistically conservative and curmudgeonly.
If that were true, you'd have called it "that slicer thingie", as no true
curmudgeon would have given anything up to the French. ;)
nb
Looks like there's a little leglet at the "rear end", that might catch the
rim. Meanwhile, I'm not big on plastic, either. And this would only be
$80 - exactly my starting target at BB&B, with a ubiquitous (I have over
20 in my car) 20-percent-off coupons. It also seems to me like a V or at
least slanted blade would be more efficient; I note that the Cuisinart and
Le Buyer units I looked at had straight-and-straight-across blades. At
this point, I think I'm heading in the Borner Prima direction.
> On Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:29:26 -0700, Blinky the Shark
> <no....@box.invalid> wrote:
>
>>
>>Does anyone have a mandolin that they can recommend in the, say, $80US
>>range? I'm thinking about giving one as a gift and have never had or used
>>one, so I could use your experience.
>
> Howdy,
>
> The slicer is a mandoline.
> ^
>
> The musical instrument is a mandolin.
> ^
>
> All the best,
Right. But but I found the slicer called both in common usage, and made
the decision to go with the flow this time, even though I'm generally
linguistically conservative and curmudgeonly.
I have a Benriner from the local HMart Asian grocery. Works well.
Not expensive or fancy.
gloria p
I can't go THAT far. :)
Hi again,
Somewhere around 1988, I stopped into The Music Emporium,
then, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
One of the owners, a good man named Jim Bollman, welcomed
me, and said, "Hey Kenneth, we have a guitar that might
interest you", and handed me what turned out to be the best
guitar I have ever played.
Only after a few minutes did I notice the tiny tag hanging
from the peghead. The price was so high that I actually
laughed out loud.
I played some more, and then handed it back.
About a month later I was back in the area, back in the
store, and playing the guitar again.
That happened for perhaps six or eight months, when Jim
said, "O.K. stop the B.S., and buy it."
I pulled out my checkbook, and did just that.
In the intervening years, it has appreciated by a factor of
about twenty.
(But please don't ask me about the others that I let "get
away.")
Isn't a mandolin a guitar for people with Parkinsons?
Dimitri
This is a far as I dare read. With quivering lip, I am wondering if I
can really live without a mandoline. I do own Feemster's Famous
Finger Slicer which I haul out when I want uniform 'tater slices.
Or worse...
--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
*******************************************
Date: Friday, 10(X)/03(III)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 3dys 6hrs 50mins
*******************************************
This is a test. Had it been an actual
attack, the warning system wouldn't
val189,
If you've seen the model you want to purchase properly demonstrated, 80%
of the intimidation fades away.
Its another thing as a first time mandolin owner to safely figure it out
on your own, imho.
It's fast paced elbow work, due to the nature of the beast. Experts can
probably get along better with a great knife in similar time.
Martin Yan comes to mind. :)
Best,
Andy
>>
>> I have a Benriner from the local HMart Asian grocery. Works well.
>> Not expensive or fancy.
>
> The first one, here?
>
> http://www.cutleryandmore.com/benriner.htm
>
Yes, that one exactly, but it only cost $17-$19 there two years ago.
gloria p
> (But please don't ask me about the others that I let "get
> away.")
We all been there. Fortunately, I later got a Gretsch Sho-Bro w/ Spanish
neck fer blues.
nb
> This is a far as I dare read. With quivering lip, I am wondering if I
> can really live without a mandoline. I do own Feemster's Famous
> Finger Slicer which I haul out when I want uniform 'tater slices.
Strangely, such a simple device was absent in the kitchen were I "worked"
(didn't survive end of season layoffs) where it would have saved tons of
time. Ten-twenty lbs of sliced tomatoes were hand sliced every 2-3 days,
the lack of uniformity much complained about but never resolved. Bizarre.
nb
>Strangely, such a simple device was absent in the kitchen were I "worked"
>(didn't survive end of season layoffs) where it would have saved tons of
>time. Ten-twenty lbs of sliced tomatoes were hand sliced every 2-3 days,
>the lack of uniformity much complained about but never resolved. Bizarre.
>
>nb
You lost your job?
Christine
> notbob wrote:
>
> > On 2008-10-03, Blinky the Shark <no....@box.invalid> wrote:
> >
> >> the decision to go with the flow this time, even though I'm generally
> >> linguistically conservative and curmudgeonly.
> >
> > If that were true, you'd have called it "that slicer thingie", as no true
> > curmudgeon would have given anything up to the French. ;)
>
> I can't go THAT far. :)
Besides, I would guess that the percentage of French curmudgeons would
be roughly equivalent to the percentage of US curmudgeons.
--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA
da...@sonic.net
But French curmudgeons talk funny anyway.
>
>"Blinky the Shark" <no....@box.invalid> wrote in message
>news:pan.2008.10.03....@thurston.blinkynet.net...
>>
>> I find three models of Borner V-Slicers. Which one do you have?
>>
>> (Prima, Plus, Plus V-1001)
>>
>> Or don't they make your model any more?
>>
>> All three are linked under "Shopping results...", here, near the top of
>> the page:
>>
>> http://www.google.com/search?q=borner+v-slicer&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
>>
>> --
>> Blinky
>> Killing all posts from Google Groups
>> The Usenet Improvement Project: http://improve-usenet.org
>> Need a new news feed? http://blinkynet.net/comp/newfeed.html
>
>Mine is plastic with metal blades; here's the one I have:
>http://www.cutleryandmore.com/details.asp?SKU=5986 They didn't call it
>"Plus" when I bought it, but I think all that means is that it comes with
>all the toys. :-)
That's the one we have also. It's done yeoman service for us.
Actually, we have two of them. After using the original for many years
and knowing how well they work, I just couldn't turn down the second
one, still in the box, like new, with all accessories and instructions
at a thrift shop for $5.00.
We just used one a week ago to shred over 50 pounds of cabbage for
making sauerkraut. A real time saver.
Ross.
Ah yes... 'sounds great.
The lip quivered from self-doubt and a feeling of inadequacy. The
thought ran thru my mind that maybe I would be a better cook with one
of these. Just kidding, of course. I can usually pass up 90 percent
of the gadgets to hit the market. Hey, I'm the only American who
never owned a vcr.
Maybe you'd rather have a guitar than a mandolin. I hear they're not as
dangerous. If you want something smaller, you could get a ukulele.
--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
*******************************************
Date: Friday, 10(X)/10(X)/08(MMVIII)
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Countdown till Veteran's Day
4wks 3dys 6hrs 6mins
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Why are the musk-oxen of our
yesterdays grazing on the lawn of the
> Isn't a mandolin a guitar for people with Parkinsons?
>
> Dimitri
'Tain't funny McGee. :-(
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller, Thelma and Louise
On the Road Again - It is Finished
> In article <VqyFk.3130$be....@nlpi061.nbdc.sbc.com>,
> "Dimitri" <Dimi...@prodigy.net> wrote:
>
>> Isn't a mandolin a guitar for people with Parkinsons?
>>
>> Dimitri
>
> 'Tain't funny McGee. :-(
Also not funny, but many years before being "politically correct" was de
rigeur, there were bumper stickers that read, "Hire The Handicapped...
They're Fun To Watch." This used to really piss me off, because my first
long term partner was a polio victim who wore leg braces. People can be
very cruel. I have hit more than one of them.
--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
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Date: Monday, 10(X)/13(XIII)/08(MMVIII)
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Today is: Columbus Day, Thanksgiving Day (Canada)
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Life's Law: NOTHING ever happens
There was/is a theater group run by an Oregon mental Hospital - the group is
therapy for Manic Patients. The director of the group sports a T shirt
which says - Ready?
'Hire A Manic
They work like Crazy"
True story heard on NPR many a year ago.
Dimitri
I believe it!
--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
*******************************************
Date: Tuesday, 10(X)/14(XIV)/08(MMVIII)
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If Goddess had intended humans to
smoke, She would have set them on fire.