alternatives to blenders and other electrical appliances

[Andy Hamilton]

Chadspad has bought up an interesting issue in the chilli sauce thread. What do you do if you don't have a blender?

I have used a potato masher before for making soups and sauces instead of a blender also I have just bought a new pestle and motar to replace my tiny one. Oxfam £4.99, not bad considering I have seen them for sale for £30 in places.

The pestle and motar is very useful for grinding seeds and nuts.

I have also used the tea towel and rolling pin technque in the past to make biscuit crumbs!

All a lot kinder to the electricity bill and environment a little harder work is needed though.

[funkypixie]

I've got a manual chopper thing - a bit like a mini hand-powered food processor. It's great for chopping up small quantities of anything and I use it all the time.

Since we moved to a house with a *tiny* kitchen pretty much all of my appliances are in the loft. I have my cooker, one drawer for implements (including cutlery) and one cupboard for pots, pans and everything else. If I don't absolutely need it, it's not there. And if I'm honest I don't miss any of them really.

I think a car boot sale is beckoning...

[Bigsis]

Pushing stuff through a sieve is supposed to be good alternative to a blender for making pureed fruit and veg.
Can't say it's ever worked for me but I think my sieve is a bit rubbish. Perhaps I should go to the pixie's car boot sale.

[bazil]

pushing stuff through a seive is called screening and requires a flat seive

i only know this cos i was made to do it by a chef....apparently screened potatoes are nicer mash









on edit.....i like it lumpy myself

[bazil]

hand cranked blender

http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/product ... rd=blender

there is also a blender mod out there for bike enthusiasts
whereby you strap a blender on your bike

[wulf]

... or just learn to love it a bit lumpy!

Wulf

[den_the_cat]

most small jobs are easier done by hand rather than have to faff around with the washing up of using the machine(s) really. I do use the juicer a lot though, the thought of grating apples and then squeezing them by hand is pretty scary, so I take the easy option of eco-electricity any day!

[Shirley]

most small jobs are easier done by hand rather than have to faff around with the washing up of using the machine(s) really. I do use the juicer a lot though, the thought of grating apples and then squeezing them by hand is pretty scary, so I take the easy option of eco-electricity any day!

I just eat the apple!

We had a juicer - used it a couple of times... WHAT a palaver taking it apart etc... I sold it again fairly quickly.

I've got a blender which we use for making purees and smoothies etc but actually not that often either... the fruit does just tend to get eaten before it hits the blender. Soups - I prefer lumpy soups anyway but once in a while we'll blend a soup - pumpkin springs to mind. It is very easy to clean though.

Biscuit crumbs - yep bash them with the rolling pin... crush seeds etc with the end of a rolling pin in a small cup - won't get them as finely ground as a pestle and mortar but will be ok for somethings.

I've pushed fruit through a nylon sieve before now for sorbets etc... works ok but is a bit tedious.

[Diana]

You can get had blenders and juicers:

http://www.permaculture.co.uk/erc/erc24.html (scroll down to Easy Health juicer or EH mincer)

[The Chili Monster]

Or try:
http://www.seedsofitaly.co.uk/catalogue/18

[Millymollymandy]

It's funny really - when my old food processor had had it and I was without for a while I felt bereft. Since buying a new one I've hardly ever used it because I just sometimes prefer to do things by hand! I never ever use the grater/chopper discs either! Mostly its used to make breadcrumbs or pastry.

Just wish I had a dough hook for all the bread that I make!

[Andy Hamilton]

The dough hooks do make a real difference I only learnt what they were a few months ago, could have saved a lot of kneeding.

Just to go off topic slightly - nice avatar Sharon (big sis) that my Nephew!

Brought a smile to my face and made me realise how little I have been back home.

[funkypixie]

Bigsis - if you want it and you can convince James to go into the loft, you're welcome!