For other brethren like me who have mediocre knife skills...

[Hankdad1]

My MIL gave us one of those a couple of years ago, I love it for any time I need to do a large amount of chopping (the measured container is a big plus in my book).

[jacksedona]

i dont buy things from fancy rich people websites i am a redneck . i use a meat cleaver and a chopping board which works fine . but i appreciaate seeing william -sonoma for one time where rich people shop. ill stick to amazon.
http://thebarbecuemaster.net

[Hankdad1]

Originally Posted by jacksedona

i dont buy things from fancy rich people websites i am a redneck . i use a meat cleaver and a chopping board which works fine . but i appreciaate seeing william -sonoma for one time where rich people shop. ill stick to amazon.
http://thebarbecuemaster.net

Actually, the one my MIL gave us was a "as seen on TV" from her local Pamida store.

[martyleach]

Frankly, I have started using a chef's "kevlar" glove for trimming, slicing and mandolining. My food service glove fits right over it and I know unless I go straight at my hand I am safe. I get enough ripped up fingers from woodworking.....gimme a break!

[DubfromGA]

Originally Posted by caseydog

I can cook, I own good knives, but my knife skills are average, at best. I can do rough cutting, like you do on big hunks of meat. I can butcher.

When it comes to dicing onions and celery and such, I can do it, but slowly and not very well. I watch chefs on FoodTV dice up an onion in a matter of seconds, and know there is no farking way I'm going to get there, with all my fingers.

I'm not a big Williams-Sanoma shopper, but I had a gift certificate, and used it for one of these...

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/produ...oMerchRules-_-

I love it. I can slice and dice like a farking pro, and not cut off a digit.

It was thirty bucks. It works. I'm not ashamed to say I use it, almost daily.

CD

Sounds like a useful tool.


I need diced onions and peppers for all sorts of stuff....saving time is a good thing.

[PaPaQ]

We use our's alot, works great.

[MikeR]

Originally Posted by caseydog

The store clerk at WS showed me how to use it. You don't want to pound it like a caveman, but give it three to five hits with your fist. Play with it. You will figure it out in minutes.

CD

Sounds like WP material to me.

[va92bronco]

My mom gave me a WS chopper for Christmas a couple of years ago. She loved hers so much she got two. I didn't use it for awhile, but when I started I didn't stop. I love it now. It is great for making soup, chili, salsa, or anything that you are trying to get equal size cuts from different veggies. Easy to clean and use.

I highly recommend.

[landarc]

Marty, I am shocked, you are the last person I would ever have imagined would use a Kevlar glove in the kitchen.

[HankB]

That's ... that's .....

Cheating! No fair!

J/K

It takes a brave man to admit their skills lack in any area so props to you for that.

I'm reminded of the scene from "Julie and Julia" where Julia Child had a pile of onions about 2 feet high from practicing chopping them. My sister's a pro (CIA grad) and I know that's one of the skills she had to learn. And yet I'd be very surprised if anyone doing it for a living used anything but an industrial strength version of what you find so useful.

[jonboy]

I have seen them at the kitchen store outlet malls. These are available at bed bath and beyond also. They are available in several sizes.
jon

[N8man]

That looks like a very useful tool, but for me
the chopping of the veggies by hand with a
knife is fun and very therapeutic....
as with any learned skill set, practice and patience is key....

[landarc]

Hank, your conjecture about the use of choppers would be spot on for many mud-level restaurants. The large chains use pre-chopped and bagged aromatics. Most fine dining kitchens and Chinese/Asian kitchens break down whole vegetables. Knife skills is how every new chef is evaluated. I can break down and chop and onion to a fine dice in less than 2 minutes, and I am slow now. A trained chef will be faster with a knife than one of these units.

[cameraman]

My wife got me a Bron Mandoline few years ago. Works great, looks cool. Still prefer using a knife though. Sharp knives and fire baby, that's how I roll.

[yakdung]

Those are great. When I dehydrate a bushel or two of vegetables like bell peppers, it is important for drying times that the pieces are the same size. So I found one of these and it works pretty good so far.
http://www.westonsupply.com/Multi-Ch.../83-2014-w.htm