Mandoline for scalloped potatoes?

While frolicking around in rec.food.cooking, Karen Gonzalez of

url='http://groups.google.com/'http://groups.google.com/url said:

Bed Bath and Beyond has 2 types of mandolines in their website: "Zyliss® Safety Rail-Guided
Mandoline Vegetable and Fruit Slicer" for $49.99 and "V-Plus Mandoline Slicer" for $29.99. Has
anyone use any of these for scalloped potatoes? Are they safe to use? Would potatoes come out to
thin? Is the Zyliss worth the extra $20?

I have a Zyliss mandoline and am very pleased with it. It's not the same kind, it's a gourmet
something, but it's safe enough for me despite the mild chronic tremors I'm born with; so if it's
safe for me to use, I imagine their mandolines to be safe enough for you to use too, unless you have
a bigger disability than me.
--
Nikitta a.a. #1759 Apatriot(No, not apricot)#18 ICQ# 251532856 Unreferenced footnotes: nut.house.cxcgiOpen ↗
bin/nemwiki.pl?ISFN "However, as far as anything has a heart (i.e. bit in the middle), then I'd
grant a potato a heart." Lloyd Gilbert (afdaniain)

On 12 Feb 2004 05:14:52 -0800, [email hidden] (Karen

Gonzalez) said:

I'd like to find an easy way to slice potatoes for scalloped potatoes (about 1/8" thin). I have a
mini food processor, and I need to cut the potatoes before they can fit in the chute and the
potatoes don't look as pretty anymore (I don't mind doing this for apple pie, but scalloped
potatoes look so nice when cut nicely!). They also come out a bit thinner than they need to. I
don't want to spend a fortune and I have very little room left in my kitchen (I live in an
apartment). Any suggestions on mandolines or other gadgets? I'll appreciate names of brands and
stores 🙂

I have what appears to be identical to:

kitchen.mainseek.com4R1P576K6 Mandoline Slicer.htmlOpen ↗

Having seen 'manuals for use' of $160 mandolines, I think a certain amount of dexterity/practice
is necessary for all sorts. Mine has 3 little (1 reversable) triangular inserts for various
slicing thicknesses, and does very nice about 1/8" and 3/8" julienne. Use the pusher! All these
suckers are *very* sharp and go through fingers just as easily as carrots! I'm also very cautious
when (hand) washing.

As for storage, mine lives on a windowsill along with my box grater.

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

Quoted message said:

Hi everybody,

I'd like to find an easy way to slice potatoes for scalloped potatoes (about 1/8" thin).

Quoted message said:

Bed Bath and Beyond has 2 types of mandolines in their website: "Zyliss® Safety Rail-Guided
Mandoline Vegetable and Fruit Slicer" for $49.99 and "V-Plus Mandoline Slicer" for $29.99. Has
anyone use any of these for scalloped potatoes? Are they safe to use? Would potatoes come out to
thin? Is the Zyliss worth the extra $20?

The Zyliss is just super. It's so easy to change cutters. Yes it is worth the extra $20.00

On 12 Feb 2004 05:14:52 -0800, [email hidden] (Karen

Gonzalez) said:

Hi everybody,

I'd like to find an easy way to slice potatoes for scalloped potatoes (about 1/8" thin). I have a
mini food processor, and I need to cut the potatoes before they can fit in the chute and the
potatoes don't look as pretty anymore (I don't mind doing this for apple pie, but scalloped
potatoes look so nice when cut nicely!). They also come out a bit thinner than they need to. I
don't want to spend a fortune and I have very little room left in my kitchen (I live in an
apartment). Any suggestions on mandolines or other gadgets? I'll appreciate names of brands and
stores 🙂

Bed Bath and Beyond has 2 types of mandolines in their website: "Zyliss® Safety Rail-Guided
Mandoline Vegetable and Fruit Slicer" for $49.99 and "V-Plus Mandoline Slicer" for $29.99. Has
anyone use any of these for scalloped potatoes? Are they safe to use? Would potatoes come out to
thin? Is the Zyliss worth the extra $20?

Thanks a lot! Karen

Though I cannot tell you anything about the specific mandolines you mention, I have a plastic one
from Italy that cost me under $10. It is all plastic except for the blade & prongs on the food
holder. I used it 3 days ago for scalloped potatoes. It took no more than 5 minutes for 5 lbs & that
including layering them as I went.

Mine slices thin, but that is the exactly the way I like it. I am not sure how thick or thin you
prefer your to be cut.

And it all goes into the dishwasher.

Boron

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

Quoted message said:

Hi everybody,

I'd like to find an easy way to slice potatoes for scalloped potatoes (about 1/8" thin). I have a
mini food processor, and I need to cut the potatoes before they can fit in the chute and the
potatoes don't look as pretty anymore (I don't mind doing this for apple pie, but scalloped
potatoes look so nice when cut nicely!). They also come out a bit thinner than they need to. I
don't want to spend a fortune and I have very little room left in my kitchen (I live in an
apartment). Any suggestions on mandolines or other gadgets? I'll appreciate names of brands and
stores 🙂

Bed Bath and Beyond has 2 types of mandolines in their website: "Zyliss® Safety Rail-Guided
Mandoline Vegetable and Fruit Slicer" for $49.99 and "V-Plus Mandoline Slicer" for $29.99. Has
anyone use any of these for scalloped potatoes? Are they safe to use? Would potatoes come out to
thin? Is the Zyliss worth the extra $20?

Thanks a lot! Karen

The V-Slicer that I purchased over 10 years ago has a reversible panel that adjusts all
cutting/slicing to either thick or thin.

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Karen Gonzalez) said:

Hi everybody,

I'd like to find an easy way to slice potatoes for scalloped potatoes

Quoted message said:

Thanks a lot! Karen

I'd carefully use a sharp knife and go out to lunch a couple times on the $50 (or $30). JMO.
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> updated 2-10-04.

Quoted message said:

Any
suggestions on mandolines or other gadgets? I'll appreciate names of
brands and stores 🙂

I went to a gourmet food store a while back and bought a cheap twelve dollar mandolin-type slicer
that works well for slicing and shredding potatoes and onions and shaving ham; I don't remember the
brand name but it was german and it comes apart easy and is dishwasher safe. A real mandolin can
cost over a hundred bucks.

Michael O'Connor - Modern Renaissance Man

"The likelihood of one individual being correct increases in a direct proportion to the intensity
with which others try to prove him wrong" James Mason from the movie "Heaven Can Wait".

Check out Fri 13 Wall Street Journal, personal section. They had a review. A cheap Berniner or some
such japanese made was considered the best.

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

Quoted message said:

Hi everybody,

I'd like to find an easy way to slice potatoes for scalloped potatoes (about 1/8" thin). I have a
mini food processor, and I need to cut the potatoes before they can fit in the chute and the
potatoes don't look as pretty anymore (I don't mind doing this for apple pie, but scalloped
potatoes look so nice when cut nicely!). They also come out a bit thinner than they need to. I
don't want to spend a fortune and I have very little room left in my kitchen (I live in an
apartment). Any suggestions on mandolines or other gadgets? I'll appreciate names of brands and
stores 🙂

Bed Bath and Beyond has 2 types of mandolines in their website: "Zyliss® Safety Rail-Guided
Mandoline Vegetable and Fruit Slicer" for $49.99 and "V-Plus Mandoline Slicer" for $29.99. Has
anyone use any of these for scalloped potatoes? Are they safe to use? Would potatoes come out to
thin? Is the Zyliss worth the extra $20?

Thanks a lot! Karen

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Karen Gonzalez) said:

Bed Bath and Beyond has 2 types of mandolines in their website: "Zyliss® Safety Rail-Guided
Mandoline Vegetable and Fruit Slicer" for $49.99 and "V-Plus Mandoline Slicer" for $29.99. Has
anyone use any of these for scalloped potatoes? Are they safe to use? Would potatoes come out to
thin? Is the Zyliss worth the extra $20?

I have a cheap V-slicer, quite possibly the same one you mention above. It works just fine for
scalloped potatoes.

--
Mark Shaw contact info at homepage --> panix.com~mshawOpen ↗
========================================================================
"[The Blues] is the kind of music that doesn't mince words -- it gets right to it." -Bonnie Raitt

In article <[email hidden]>, Janet Bostwick

Quoted message said:

The V-Slicer that I purchased over 10 years ago has a reversible panel that adjusts all
cutting/slicing to either thick or thin.

Mine too, but thick is too thick and thin, too thin. I mean unbelievably thin. So for tweeners I
usually resort to knife and the V-Slicer remains in its box.

Melba's Jammin said:

Karen Gonzalez) said:

I'd like to find an easy way to slice potatoes for scalloped potatoes

I'd carefully use a sharp knife and go out to lunch a couple times on the $50 (or $30). JMO.

You're really out of the loop, Barb. A gen-u-wine upscale mandoline is around $160.

However, for uniform slices (and jullienne) a $10 gadget isn't a bad investment.

Frogleg said:

As for storage, mine lives on a windowsill along with my box grater.

a good place for it. i ignored my grater in favor of the food processor, but i'm coming back to it.

your pal, blake

rmp said:

Check out Fri 13 Wall Street Journal, personal section. They had a review. A cheap Berniner or some
such japanese made was considered the best.

From the cited article: "So we were grateful for our smallest mandoline of all, a Japanese model
from Bridge Kitchenware. As we held this little washboard-shaped gadget on our cutting board (no
stand here) we felt more in control. We could adjust the width of our slices by simply turning a
knob. It comes with a safety guard, but our hands felt safe without it. But best of all, it was the
sharpest. We made consistent, super-thin cuts -- we could practically see through our cucumber salad
-- much faster than we would with a knife.
---

STORE/PRICE/PHONE: Bridge Kitchenware; Benriner mandoline, small; $35;800-274-3435;
Bridgekitchenware.comQUALITY: Best Overall, Best Value. Compact (3 1/2 x 12 inches) and easy to use,
with sharpest blade (it's not removable, though, as some others'blades). With one straight edge,
three julienne blades." Sue(tm) Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

In article <[email hidden]>, Frogleg

Quoted message said:

Melba's Jammin said:

Karen Gonzalez) said:

I'd like to find an easy way to slice potatoes for scalloped potatoes

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'd carefully use a sharp knife and go out to lunch a couple times on the $50 (or $30). JMO.

Quoted message said:

You're really out of the loop, Barb. A gen-u-wine upscale mandoline is around $160.

Do tell. :-)

Quoted message said:

However, for uniform slices (and jullienne) a $10 gadget isn't a bad investment.

No doubt. One more gizmo I don't have room for that would wind up on my already cluttered
countertop. My daughter rolls hre eyes all the time at the [censored] that's there. I like ready access.
When I can find what I'm looking for.
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> updated 2-10-04.

In article <[email hidden]>, "Brian

Macke said:

Melba's Jammin said:

I'd carefully use a sharp knife and go out to lunch a couple times on the $50 (or $30).

And good money says that those restaurants use mandolines rather than knife skills. As someone
that makes scalloped potatoes regularly, I'd rather spend $25 on a decent mandoline that is in the
dishwasher every night than to waste an hour slicing seven pounds of potatoes. Sure I might get it
done in less time if I didn't care if the slices weren't all exactly the same thickness. But maybe
it's my dislike of undercooked potatoes in my food.

Sure. If I were making restaurant portions of scalloped potatoes on a regular and frequent basis,
I'd have one, too.

An hour to slice 7# of spuds? You need to improve your technique. "-) I use about 1-1/2 pounds (3
large spuds) for a batch for us (two people). I can slice them with a knife in less than 5 minutes.
Add another 3 minutes for peeling them.

Quoted message said:

Your choice, of course.

Ain't it always.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

JMO.

--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> updated 2-10-04.

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 02:56:15 GMT, blake murphy <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Frogleg said:

As for storage, mine lives on a windowsill along with my box grater.

a good place for it. i ignored my grater in favor of the food processor, but i'm coming back to it.

I use the box grater all the time, being fond of cheese in everything except fudge. Years ago I had
a dime-store one I must have spent (total) *hours* scrubbing and cleaning. In a Flash of
Brilliance, I suddenly realized there were stainless models available. Nice to have an 'appliance'
that requires no electricity, is easy to clean, has never been sharpened or repaired, and cost
(amortized so far) about 10 cents per year of use. However, for large quantities or multiple
similar chores, I use the FP. My record utilization was a quiche: I mixed the pastry dough and
prepared the shell. Then sliced onions and mushrooms. Grated cheese. Then mixed the egg-milk stuff.
All operations without any need for cleaning in between. Well worth getting the critter out of the
cupboard, and doing the final washing-up.

(snip)

Quoted message said:

An hour to slice 7# of spuds? You need to improve your technique. "-) I use about 1-1/2 pounds (3
large spuds) for a batch for us (two people). I can slice them with a knife in less than 5
minutes. Add another 3 minutes for peeling them.

Quoted message said:

Your choice, of course.

Ain't it always.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

JMO.

--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> updated 2-10-04.

Wow, what's your technique? When I make scallop potatoes, it's always a HUGE undertaking. It takes
about 1 1/2 hours to prepare, another 1 1/2 hours to cook and about 15 minutes to consume. How do
you slice your potatoes thinly and evenly in such a short time? I only use my Henckle (sp?) knife
and my lack-of-skill. LOL.

kilikini

Melba's Jammin said:

Frogleg <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

However, for uniform slices (and jullienne) a $10 gadget isn't a bad investment.

No doubt. One more gizmo I don't have room for that would wind up on my already cluttered
countertop. My daughter rolls hre eyes all the time at the [censored] that's there. I like ready access.
When I can find what I'm looking for.

I've made a rule that no more gadgets will come into my kitchen until an un- or underused item of
similar size moves out. The 'automatic tortilla masher/cooker' displaced a complicated rice cooker.
I'm not sure what fringe benefits I've acquired by trading down (in size and cost) vis-a-vis food
processor. The real problems are those things enjoyed from time to time, but which can't be
considered as "essential." I *do* enjoy making pasta, but it's not a staple. Still, I'm keepin' my
pasta machine. But there's a lot in cupboards and drawers I haven't investigated more than the top
layer of in years. Funny what we keep. I have some very nice copper & brass measuring cups hanging
in the kitchen, full of spiderwebs and dead moths now, I suppose. I measure with a couple of cheap
plastic cups in the cupboard. The mandoline is unobtrusive, and I *do* use it from time to time.

In article <[email hidden]>, "kilikini"

Quoted message said:

(snip)

Quoted message said:

An hour to slice 7# of spuds? You need to improve your technique. "-) I use about 1-1/2 pounds
(3 large spuds) for a batch for us (two people). I can slice them with a knife in less than 5
minutes. Add another 3 minutes for peeling them.

Quoted message said:

Your choice, of course.

Ain't it always.

Quoted message said:

> JMO.

--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> updated 2-10-04.

Wow, what's your technique? When I make scallop potatoes, it's always a HUGE undertaking. It takes
about 1 1/2 hours to prepare,

HUH?

Quoted message said:

another 1 1/2 hours to cook and about 15 minutes to consume. How do you slice your potatoes thinly
and evenly in such a short time? I only use my Henckle (sp?) knife and my lack-of-skill. LOL.

Quoted message said:

kilikini

Certainly, a lot depends on the quantity of spuds one's making. We're two at table. Three large
spuds (they weighed out to 1# 6 oz)does it with some leftover. My scalloped potatoes consist of
sliced (my SIL likes cubed) spuds layered with a bit of sliced onion and white sauce. I make the
white sauce while prepping the spuds. While the oven is heating. Spuds, onions, white sauce, spuds,
white sauce. Bake for an hour at about 350, covered for 45 minutes, uncovered for the last 15.

I've still got ham leftover -- maybe I'll make some scalloped potatoes to prove I'm kidding myself
that I can do it in less than 3 hours start to table.

This is getting curiouser and curiouser. :-)
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> updated 2-10-04.