OK, you're going to laugh that I'm answering this, because you know how I cook. But Mom taught me a thing or two, even if I never apply that knowledge...
Rich and Reina cook fancy meals all the time. They use the mini chopper (I assume you're talking about the kind that's like a tiny food processor) for things like small amounts of herbs. They make their own salad dressings fresh, for example, so for fresh herbs, a couple of cloves of garlic, and some oil and vinegar, it seems to work great.
A blender is more for the liquid-y stuff, like margaritas and smoothies, etc, although I've heard some people use it for more than that. A hand mixer does the same thing as a stand mixer, but a stand mixer is more powerful (for example, some really thick batters will apparently burn out a hand mixer's motor). Also, the stand mixer does all the work for you - no holding/turning the bowl, no weary arm while you hold up the hand mixer.
A food processor can chop hard things, like nuts, or slice/chop/grate/whatever carrots, even meat, supposedly. But then you can switch the blade out, and mix what you've just chopped with other ingredients.
Of course you can do that stuff with a knife and a whisk; it's just faster for preparation. Then you spend all your time cleaning kitchen gadgets afterwards... Anyway, I think of it like the hardcore Home Depot types. The right tool for the right job. :) Or like the type who has to have the new iPod - "I want the new toy!" ;P
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2004-04-08 10:18 am (UTC)Rich and Reina cook fancy meals all the time. They use the mini chopper (I assume you're talking about the kind that's like a tiny food processor) for things like small amounts of herbs. They make their own salad dressings fresh, for example, so for fresh herbs, a couple of cloves of garlic, and some oil and vinegar, it seems to work great.
A blender is more for the liquid-y stuff, like margaritas and smoothies, etc, although I've heard some people use it for more than that. A hand mixer does the same thing as a stand mixer, but a stand mixer is more powerful (for example, some really thick batters will apparently burn out a hand mixer's motor). Also, the stand mixer does all the work for you - no holding/turning the bowl, no weary arm while you hold up the hand mixer.
A food processor can chop hard things, like nuts, or slice/chop/grate/whatever carrots, even meat, supposedly. But then you can switch the blade out, and mix what you've just chopped with other ingredients.
Of course you can do that stuff with a knife and a whisk; it's just faster for preparation. Then you spend all your time cleaning kitchen gadgets afterwards... Anyway, I think of it like the hardcore Home Depot types. The right tool for the right job. :) Or like the type who has to have the new iPod - "I want the new toy!" ;P