blender vs food processor

"Argo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

For years I've been getting by with a blender, but I almost killed it
with a new recipe I tried. The recipe called for whipping mashed
potatoes with a bunch of other ingredients. The blender seemed to think
this was too much of a strain for it. (the smell of smoke was a clue)
However, the recipe was great and I'd like to make it again.

My question is - would a food processor be a better tool for the job?
Recommendations?

Stick Blender?

Argo said:

For years I've been getting by with a blender, but I almost killed it
with a new recipe I tried. The recipe called for whipping mashed
potatoes with a bunch of other ingredients. The blender seemed to think
this was too much of a strain for it. (the smell of smoke was a clue)
However, the recipe was great and I'd like to make it again.

My question is - would a food processor be a better tool for the job?
Recommendations?

Hmmm..... I wonder where my blender is. The last time I used it was about 5
years ago when I had a hankering to make some Margaritas, and after going
through 5 batches and a whole bottle of the stuff in an hour, and suffering
the consequences, I put it away. I have been getting by just fine with the
FP for food preparation, and the odd time when I have a small blending
issue I use the stick blender. If my real blender disappeared I would
probably never notice it.

"Argo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

For years I've been getting by with a blender, but I almost killed it
with a new recipe I tried. The recipe called for whipping mashed
potatoes with a bunch of other ingredients. The blender seemed to think
this was too much of a strain for it. (the smell of smoke was a clue)
However, the recipe was great and I'd like to make it again.

My question is - would a food processor be a better tool for the job?
Recommendations?

Probably, they can handle larger volumes and do more operations.
The blender is the least used appliance in our kitchen.

Argo said:

For years I've been getting by with a blender, but I almost killed it
with a new recipe I tried. The recipe called for whipping mashed
potatoes with a bunch of other ingredients. The blender seemed to think
this was too much of a strain for it. (the smell of smoke was a clue)
However, the recipe was great and I'd like to make it again.

My question is - would a food processor be a better tool for the job?
Recommendations?

Use a hand mixer. Kitchen Aide makes a good one.
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/602-5475184-1487001?_encoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B00005OTXX
or
http://tinyurl.com/aoyd6

"Argo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

For years I've been getting by with a blender, but I almost killed it
with a new recipe I tried. The recipe called for whipping mashed
potatoes with a bunch of other ingredients. The blender seemed to think
this was too much of a strain for it. (the smell of smoke was a clue)
However, the recipe was great and I'd like to make it again.

My question is - would a food processor be a better tool for the job?
Recommendations?

Probably, but in my mind the two are separate tools that do not overlap
functions. The blender is for fine purees of solids with a good amount of
liquid, something the FP does not do well (mine at least). The FP is for
coarser purees, chopping, grating, slicing, kneading dough, and other things
a blender does not do.

--
Peter Aitken

Peter Aitken said:

"Argo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

For years I've been getting by with a blender, but I almost killed it
with a new recipe I tried. The recipe called for whipping mashed
potatoes with a bunch of other ingredients. The blender seemed to think
this was too much of a strain for it. (the smell of smoke was a clue)
However, the recipe was great and I'd like to make it again.

My question is - would a food processor be a better tool for the job?
Recommendations?

Probably, but in my mind the two are separate tools that do not overlap
functions. The blender is for fine purees of solids with a good amount of
liquid, something the FP does not do well (mine at least). The FP is for
coarser purees, chopping, grating, slicing, kneading dough, and other things
a blender does not do.

Either would turn boiled potatoes into wallpaper paste.

I prefer mashed, don't really like whipped spuds... for small quantitis
I use a wooden spoon, with larger quantities I dirty my KA hand mixer.

Sheldon

In article <[email hidden]>,

Sheldon said:

Peter Aitken said:

"Argo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

For years I've been getting by with a blender, but I almost killed it
with a new recipe I tried. The recipe called for whipping mashed
potatoes with a bunch of other ingredients. The blender seemed to think
this was too much of a strain for it. (the smell of smoke was a clue)
However, the recipe was great and I'd like to make it again.

My question is - would a food processor be a better tool for the job?
Recommendations?

Probably, but in my mind the two are separate tools that do not overlap
functions. The blender is for fine purees of solids with a good amount of
liquid, something the FP does not do well (mine at least). The FP is for
coarser purees, chopping, grating, slicing, kneading dough, and other things
a blender does not do.

Either would turn boiled potatoes into wallpaper paste.

I prefer mashed, don't really like whipped spuds... for small quantitis
I use a wooden spoon, with larger quantities I dirty my KA hand mixer.

Sheldon

I mash them first with a ricer, then whip them using a stick blender.

Cheers!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-[censored]." -Jack Nicholson

OmManiPadmeOmelet said:

I mash them first with a ricer, then whip them using a stick blender.

Egads... it's as easy to turn mashed potatoes into glue with a stick
blender as it is to turn whipped cream into butter.

For easy, FLUFFY mashed potatoes - stay with a hand mixer. Of course,
if you're deft enough - you can turn out perfect potatoes with just a
ricer or masher.

Argo said:

For years I've been getting by with a blender, but I almost killed it
with a new recipe I tried. The recipe called for whipping mashed
potatoes with a bunch of other ingredients. The blender seemed to think
this was too much of a strain for it. (the smell of smoke was a clue)
However, the recipe was great and I'd like to make it again.

My question is - would a food processor be a better tool for the job?
Recommendations?

Argo
http://greenrealm.blogspot.com

I have a blender but would prefer to have a food processor.

However, for potatoes I just a masher (not a machine, a tool). A ricer
would be even better, probably.

I think machines do too much mashing for potatoes, I like them coarse,
not gooey.

"jake" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Argo said:

For years I've been getting by with a blender, but I almost killed it
with a new recipe I tried. The recipe called for whipping mashed
potatoes with a bunch of other ingredients. The blender seemed to think
this was too much of a strain for it. (the smell of smoke was a clue)
However, the recipe was great and I'd like to make it again.

My question is - would a food processor be a better tool for the job?
Recommendations?

Argo
http://greenrealm.blogspot.com

I have a blender but would prefer to have a food processor.

However, for potatoes I just a masher (not a machine, a tool). A ricer
would be even better, probably.

I think machines do too much mashing for potatoes, I like them coarse,
not gooey.

You are 100% correct. Over-working as with an electric mixer breaks the
starch cells and releases the starch resulting in glue-like mashed potatoes.
I cannot help but think that people who claim to like them this way have
never had them made properly.

--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths page at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

Peter Aitken said:

"jake" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Argo said:

For years I've been getting by with a blender, but I almost killed it
with a new recipe I tried. The recipe called for whipping mashed
potatoes with a bunch of other ingredients. The blender seemed to think
this was too much of a strain for it. (the smell of smoke was a clue)
However, the recipe was great and I'd like to make it again.

My question is - would a food processor be a better tool for the job?
Recommendations?

Argo
http://greenrealm.blogspot.com

I have a blender but would prefer to have a food processor.

However, for potatoes I just a masher (not a machine, a tool). A ricer
would be even better, probably.

I think machines do too much mashing for potatoes, I like them coarse,
not gooey.

You are 100% correct. Over-working as with an electric mixer breaks the
starch cells and releases the starch resulting in glue-like mashed potatoes.
I cannot help but think that people who claim to like them this way have
never had them made properly.

It's a matter of tate and my taste is coarse. I don't like it smooth, i
might as well eat instant mash. Yuck.

It's a matter of pride, too. I am Dutch and traditionally, the quality
of potato dishes is very important in my family. And even though I am
not a family person, I do like that tradition.

Argo said:

For years I've been getting by with a blender, but I almost killed it
with a new recipe I tried. The recipe called for whipping mashed
potatoes with a bunch of other ingredients. The blender seemed to think
this was too much of a strain for it. (the smell of smoke was a clue)
However, the recipe was great and I'd like to make it again.

My question is - would a food processor be a better tool for the job?
Recommendations?

I wouldn't use either for mashed potatoes. I use a hand mixer.

Interesting question though. I have a Cuisinart food processor with a
blender attachment and a Waring blender and I use all three. The
FP/blender has a wide jar which is good for large quantities such as
shakes and batters. The one-speed Waring blender has a narrow jar
which is good for creating a ripping vortex, especially for small
volumes.

Just yesterday I made pesto. I chopped the basil and garlic together
with the food processor because neither blender would do a good job on
3 cups starting from leaves. Then I transferred the minced stuff to
the Waring blender, added oil, and blended until smooth (adding more
oil to get the mixing action). The FP wouldn't work as well for
finishing the pesto and the larger blender wouldn't either because the
base is too wide.

I find it handy to have both blenders. After all, some people have
more than one knife 🙂

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

sf said:

OmManiPadmeOmelet said:

I mash them first with a ricer, then whip them using a stick blender.

Egads... it's as easy to turn mashed potatoes into glue with a stick
blender as it is to turn whipped cream into butter.

For easy, FLUFFY mashed potatoes - stay with a hand mixer. Of course,
if you're deft enough - you can turn out perfect potatoes with just a
ricer or masher.

Good cooks whip their potatoes. Better cooks rice them. But the
smart cook uses (brand) Instant Mashed Potatoes!

Remember that commercial???

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

jake said:

Quoted message said:

My question is - would a food processor be a better tool for the job?
Recommendations?

Argo
http://greenrealm.blogspot.com

I have a blender but would prefer to have a food processor.

However, for potatoes I just a masher (not a machine, a tool). A ricer
would be even better, probably.

I think machines do too much mashing for potatoes, I like them coarse,
not gooey.

Gooey means you added too much liquid...
potato paste/glue = yuck!

jake said:

It's a matter of tate and my taste is coarse. I don't like it smooth, i
might as well eat instant mash. Yuck.

Maybe your coarse is my lumpy... don't like it, never will. I like my
mashed potatoes (without any trace of skin) smooth and light.

Curly Sue said:

Just yesterday I made pesto. I chopped the basil and garlic together
with the food processor because neither blender would do a good job on
3 cups starting from leaves. Then I transferred the minced stuff to
the Waring blender, added oil, and blended until smooth (adding more
oil to get the mixing action). The FP wouldn't work as well for
finishing the pesto and the larger blender wouldn't either because the
base is too wide.

I find it handy to have both blenders. After all, some people have
more than one knife 🙂

Good observation, Sue! I tried the stick blender with Caesar dressing
and it worked like a dream... I'm going to use it for roasted garlic
aioli ASAP.

sf said:

Gooey means you added too much liquid...
potato paste/glue = yuck!

Generally, gooey means that the potatoes were beaten too long. If you add
too much liquid, the potato mixture becomes more liquid, but not necessarily
more gooey. I learned somewhere that the classic French version of mashed
potatoes is silky-smooth and almost liquid enough to be a sauce. (I don't
remember my source for that, but it's probably not all that authoritative. I
think it was in one of Barbara Kafka's books.)

I recently watched an old episode of "Iron Chef" where the mystery
ingredient was potato. Iron Chef Michiba came up with a dish I hadn't even
conceived of before: First, he put boiled potatoes into a food processor and
processed them until they were visibly gummy. Then he put them into a bowl
and beat them around some more with his bare hand. He made the goo into
balls by grabbing a handful and squeezing, extruding the beaten potato into
a smooth ball-shape. These balls went into a miso broth, where they simmered
until it was time to serve them. The tasters were ecstatic about these
"dumplings," especially praising their soft texture.

Bob

"jake" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Peter Aitken said:

"jake" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Argo wrote:

>For years I've been getting by with a blender, but I almost killed it
>with a new recipe I tried. The recipe called for whipping mashed
>potatoes with a bunch of other ingredients. The blender seemed to think
>this was too much of a strain for it. (the smell of smoke was a clue)
>However, the recipe was great and I'd like to make it again.
>
>My question is - would a food processor be a better tool for the job?
>Recommendations?
>
>Argo
>http://greenrealm.blogspot.com
>

I have a blender but would prefer to have a food processor.

However, for potatoes I just a masher (not a machine, a tool). A ricer
would be even better, probably.

I think machines do too much mashing for potatoes, I like them coarse,
not gooey.

You are 100% correct. Over-working as with an electric mixer breaks the
starch cells and releases the starch resulting in glue-like mashed

potatoes.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I cannot help but think that people who claim to like them this way have
never had them made properly.

It's a matter of tate and my taste is coarse. I don't like it smooth, i
might as well eat instant mash. Yuck.

It's a matter of pride, too. I am Dutch and traditionally, the quality
of potato dishes is very important in my family. And even though I am
not a family person, I do like that tradition.

Are you Dutch, as in *from* Holland? I'm Dutch, but 3rd generation American
and I don't have a single Dutch recipe from family. I don't even know what
Dutch food is like. I'd love to get some recipes from you!

kili

sf said:

On Sun, 18 Sep 2005 22:18:25 GMT, Curly Sue wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I find it handy to have both blenders. After all, some people have
more than one knife 🙂

Good observation, Sue! I tried the stick blender with Caesar dressing
and it worked like a dream... I'm going to use it for roasted garlic
aioli ASAP.

That reminds me- I have a stick blender too! Wow- I just realized...
3 blenders! ROFL!

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!