MacGuffin's Profile
Strength of motor in blender or processor for making ice cream from frozen banana
Your needs could be easily met with a Vitamix but have you thought of using a Champion juicer? Unless you have an aversion to one-ingredient "ice cream," it does an even more impressive job than a blender: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7quoGMsP7Y&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLF498C8F3C88BE97F ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn-aY3fUEDM&feature=relmfu; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1onpc-ILudY; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9XMz1QQzcw . We're talking a MUCH better and more versatile machine than the Yonana; I've had my Champion (I bought the commercial model) since 1988 and yes, you can use one banana. And you don't need "ice" cubes to make ice cream in the Vitamix--you can use frozen fruit or make cubes from other things such as cream, soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk or water, custard base ...the sky's the limit (I've only once--since 1988--used water in a smoothie just to see how it would be and later tweaked the recipe to include commercial unsweetened almond milk). But regardless of what your "frozens" are, you'll still need some liquid.
Wattage isn't the most important consideration for your needs because much depends on how efficiently the blender handles its task. Then there's the matter of how well the machine is made. Appliances made in China, regardless of how high their wattage is rated, tend to crap out pretty quickly for heavy applications (and very often under rather moderate usage as well).
Alternative to Vitamix blender
The 4000 sounded like something that was manufactured in a Soviet aeronautics factory. Compared to it, the 5200 whispered.
FWIW, I have incredibly sensitive hearing but given that I'm not running the machine that long, it's not a problem. Soups and such, of course, take longer but I set a timer and leave the room.
Alternative to Vitamix blender
I had the 4000 and liked it a lot but the 5200 is a much better performer.
Alternative to Vitamix blender
Of course they are. I refer to it as their "trying to out-Blendtec Blendtec." I don't think it's a good idea but a lot of people seem to like presets. And I agree with you (to quote Dobie Gray, "...but the original is still the greatest").
Alternative to Vitamix blender
BTW, I've always loved that "Papa" video. The very first infomercial!
Alternative to Vitamix blender
My only concern with the new models is whether or not the lowest variable settings are as low as they are on the 5200--those are some very versatile speeds. I like the most of the features on the 300 (including that the fan is always on, even at low speeds) but I think the pulse is kinda overkill and once I upgrade (which I'll find a way to do eventually), I'm going to miss the "overdrive" sensation of hitting the HIGH switch.
I wonder if Vitamix's CIA affiliation will carry over to an upgrade?
Alternative to Vitamix blender
Ditto! Although I hate presets. I want the upgrade that Sur la Table is selling. Very cool although there's absolutely nothing wrong with my ol' 5000. It's a real champ.
NYT: "A Mathematical Challenge to Obesity"
"But did you use calorie in any calculation or measurement?"
That's not the point! He claimed he didn't know what it was--that's ridiculous. And it turns up in general physics in college as well. And yes, we learned the difference between a calorie and a Calorie in the sixth grade--apparently, the author would have us believe that he managed to earn a Ph.D. in physics without having heard of either one.
NYT: "A Mathematical Challenge to Obesity"
I (unlike, until recently, Dr. Chow) know what a calorie is. I also know that I learned what it is in physics--first in the sixth grade, then again in high school, and yet again as an undergraduate. We may not have used it but it was always in physics classes that it was introduced and explained.
Trader Joe's Yea/Nay Thread - 4th quarter 2011 [OLD]
I like Biscoff spread a bit more--it seems lighter somehow. Fairway was selling it a few weeks ago for $2.50; I grabbed a few but they're now back to full price (which is much higher than Speculoos Cookie Butter).
Trader Joe's Yea/Nay Thread - 4th quarter 2011 [OLD]
They're addictive and the whole bag, as I recall, is only about 600 calories. They're really filling, too.
Trader Joe's Yea/Nay Thread - 4th quarter 2011 [OLD]
Those advent calendars are wonderful, especially since they're only a buck. I buy two and send one home with my friends for their daughter (we've been buddies since she was a toddler); starting 12/1, she calls me every morning and we open the appropriate windows together. We've done this for two years and I plan to keep up the tradition. And FWIW, the chocolate's good quality, too. :)
NYT: "A Mathematical Challenge to Obesity"
He's a physicist ("M.I.T.-trained," no less) and he "didn’t even know what a calorie was"?
Juicers : Champion versus Omega ?
I sing the Vitamix's praises all over Chowhound but it's not a juicer and the fact that what it produces "uses everything" is why you won't get the same benefits, which are different from those associated with the consumption of whole food. I've influenced several Vitamix owners about the benefits of juicing and at least one of them invested in a Champion and had her boyfriend build her a hydraulic press; another is working on designing a juice press with a friend so that "Vitapulp" (which will probably have to be processed with at least some water) can be economically pressed for juice. Juicing and blending are a whole different ball of wax and complement each other; Vitamix's "total juice" shpiel is the only exception I take to their campaign, otherwise I think they walk on water.
Juicers : Champion versus Omega ?
You're clearly possessed of common sense and there's no way a juicer could heat juice to anything approaching a temperature that would be problematic to a raw foodist. And as I've probably posted before on related boards, ANY juicer that sees regular use is better than an expensive juicer that sits unused.
Omelette Pan?
"I believe Mac was comparing the current unpolished/cast to the 'early' pan in the video, and the 'early' pan appears much smoother, yet not polished, finish."
Spot on again and "talofa" to taleo. :) The early pans seem neither rough nor highly polished.
My guess is that there were probably more than one of the original style made after the very first one Vince mentions. I wonder if anyone could get a straight answer out of him?
Omelette Pan?
My impression was that she had no problem with the thickness of the pan (love that) but rather its high price and shallow sides (she had a point there although it's not as much of an issue as she'd have you believe). It seems likely she also preferred the pan she'd actually helped develop (i.e. the two prototypes) and didn't care for the subsequent modifications and price hike. Vince, a real character, told me that he and J.C.'s producer, one Ruth Lockwood, locked horns over her habit of buying stuff and subsequently insisting on returning it (I hadn't seen "The Omelette Show" at that point). So I suspect this also helped fuel the dissing although no one will ever know for sure (she makes another rather snarky remark at about 13:30). You will observe, though, that Child made use of the prototypes at the end and they sure looked ideal for the task at hand. That's exactly the kind of pan I'd like to have--I think it's beautiful. Regardless, my 8" sand-finish pan makes great omelettes. I agree with taleo that the current 10" high-polish pans are closer to the original pans than are any of the others currently being offered for sale by Vince--had I seen "The Omelette Show," I'd probably have shelled out for it, dis or no dis.
Omelette Pan?
Spot on! You can start to see them at about 23:00, though; pause the video to have a good look. I wish they'd stayed like that--I REALLY like them. And see what I mean about their looking as though they really had been military surplus? Really beautiful slope on those pans--I've yet to see anything like them anywhere. They're PERFECT (and observe they're larger than the current crop of 8" Boston pans). And they're also much smoother in appearance than the sand-finish pans.
Omelette Pan?
You didn't miss it because I didn't post it--I went with the sand finish but there's a side of me that always wanted to go for the high-polish (which is considerably more expensive). What I'd like to have to complement my pan is the larger pan with the high-polish finish. I seasoned my smaller pan according to the (included) manufacturer's instructions; I chose rice bran oil for its very high smoke point and because it's cheap (it's what I used on my de Buyer pans as well). It turned out to have been a perfect choice because my pans have never stuck, even before developing the seasoning that comes with continued use.
I wish I could get my hands on the prototype of the pan--Julia uses it for making omelettes during the last part of her omelette show when she's demonstrating how easy it is to do omelettes to-order for lots of guests. It's rather a different animal than the one being sold now--it really looks like it was military surplus.
My right to throw the t's around is solely based on my having read "Hawaii" in my youth. :)
Omelette Pan?
Should circumstances ever allow you ever go for the Boston pan (which she subsequently trashed in her "omelette" installment, possibly because her producer got into a snit with its manufacturer), go for the larger one. The smaller one has a much smaller surface area on the bottom than one would imagine and because the sides are so shallow (fabulous slope, though), one has to be a bit careful doing a Julia- or Jacques-style classic omelette, especially if using three eggs. Regardless, it's a great pan; I just wish I'd bought the bigger one. And yeah, I use it ONLY for omelettes so I know just where you're coming from although good luck getting the feline to cooperate (I have three).
That 9.4" Mauviel looks like a nice pan for omelettes (I'm always tempted to think of you as "taleotahu," though).
Help Me Find the Perfect Blender
The Vitamix upgrades both have a pulse feature. I think it's probably overkill.
Help Me Find the Perfect Blender
"I don't think most blenders do salsas and hummus that well, because of the problem your gf is unhappy about."
I have to agree with you. I HATE blender hummus and I hate it most of all made in my beloved Vita-Mix. Much too fluffy and foofy, too much air.
Help Me Find the Perfect Blender
I STRONGLY recommend not buying a Vita-Prep 3 for home use only because the warranty is for a much shorter time (I believe it's limited three years). It has the extra horsepower for cooling purposes: because it's a commercial machine, it's assumed that it will be running longer and more frequently than a household machine and it would be a nuisance if the protective feature that shuts off the machine rather than let it overheat were to be tripped. The 5200 functions exactly the same, i.e., same RPM, same variable speeds, same controls, but comes with a seven--year warranty and toll-free phone support. I had someone in the commercial division explain to me that even though Vitamix employees are entitled to the same discount on commercial and household machines, no one ever opts for a Vita-Prep for home use.
Help Me Find the Perfect Blender
Vitamixes haven't had the "reverse" mode in YEARS! It really was fun, though--I miss it, even though the newer models are MUCH more powerful and versatile.
Help Me Find the Perfect Blender
I have news for you--the Vitamix upgrade has a shorter jar with a wider base.
Best Blender for Smoothies?
Amen. I've had two since 1988 and I have no problem whatsoever being a cheerleader for them--if you want something that's going to hold up to the demands of LOTS of frozen ingredients in your smoothies (and that will cook for you as well!), a Vitamix is what you want. They treat their customers like gold and bend over backwards to do right by them, including offering a full refund for any reason whatsoever within 30 days of purchase. You can get a refurbished 5200 on sale right now for I believe
VitaMix Blender, is it worth it?
You'll bless me forever. :))
Seriously, there's a wonderful recipe here http://www.chow.com/recipes/10832-sweet-potatostar-anise-soup-with-ginger-cream and if you notice, I commented on it. BAKE the sweets and peel them (it's kind of a no-brainer that baked sweets are a better fit for this--you can even bake 'em in advance and the peels are a nice snack, too), follow 1 - 3 without adding the sweets, then just dump everything (excluding the star anise and the heavy cream) into your Vitamix, walk it up and then run it on HIGH for 4 minutes or so, then take it down to VARIABLE 1 or 2, remove the vented cap (be careful of the steam!), and kinda slowly add your cream. This is an example of what I meant--start tweaking stuff so that your Vitamix does most of the work. You'll find it's faster and with better results on a more consistent basis.
Coconut Oil - A Great Alternative to Butter and Shortening for Pie Crusts
Well, I finally opened my first jar of TT; I have jars from three different production lots. It's clearly a handmade product (sometimes a speck of husk can be found) and the taste of this batch has a sort of smoky undertone (at this point, I prefer the flavor of Dr. Bronner "brown"). The texture, though, is EXTREMELY interesting; some of it is almost gelatinous and what's solid is rather flaky--I really enjoy the mouthfeel (except for those occasional specks of husk). FWIW, an Amazon reviewer posted that (I think) she preferred the flavor of their green label oil to that of the gold label--she said it's very much like Nutiva: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/virgin_coconut_oil2.htm .
