Food for Thought with Alex Bielak- Object of Desire #1

Object of Desire #1 – The Thermomix

Dear Santa,

Just saying, Christmas is coming and I feel I’ve been really nice. I’ll keep my list short: I want a Thermomix.

A couple of years back, one of my cooking buddies, Tom, gave me a great present. It was a book by René Redzepi, the chef behind the Noma cookbook. That might not mean much to you Santa, but Noma in Copenhagen had just been rated the top restaurant in the world in the prestigious San Pellegrino awards, knocking the iconic El Bulli off its perennial perch. It was clearly a well-merited award as they made it a hat-trick this year.

The book, “Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine” is a feast for the eyes. It’s filled with stunning photos and recipes calling for eclectic ingredients such as truffles from Gotland, hay (yes, you read that right – the reindeer would feel at home), complete chicken skins, Swedish goats butter and goosefoot leaves (whatever they are). The instructions are precise and many recipes call for processing in a Thermomix.
I had no clue what a Thermomix was. But before I got around to looking it up on the internet, I came across an article in the Globe and Mail titled “The Thermomix: 23 appliances in 1.” It was a review of what might be the ultimate kitchen gadget. Ultimately-priced too at something south of $2K!

All my cooking friends (of the male variety) were talking about the article and the exotic device: Toys for boys for sure, we all wanted one. Several of us were at an event where we saw one demonstrated, but the price was just too rich to dive in and buy one on the spot, tempted as we might have been. We wondered whether it really could replace our array of mixers, blenders, slow cookers, scales and steamers etc. We talked about getting together and having the representative in to show us how versatile it was.

That didn’t happen, but something extra-ordinary did. Tom was in the midst of renovating his kitchen when his wonderful and lovely, and truly understanding and bordering on saintly, wife, Liz said, “Tom, I think we should get a Thermomix.” Truly, those words came out of her mouth.

I can tell you Tom was on that like a shot. Not many days later, he had tracked down the next demo, attended, and signed on the dotted line. Periodic updates followed. They churned butter, and then produced the perfect risotto. Superfine sugar, check. Hollandaise, Steel cut Oatmeal, Confectioners salt. Check, check and double check.

Tom says the appliance really is fabulous. Even putting aside all the cooking, it is quite the best blender he’s ever had, replacing a 25-year old Siemens (a wedding present) that had blown a gasket. I’m looking forward to a loan of it one of these days, though my darling spouse is fairly resistant to the idea, and not necessarily just because of the cost.

She suspects if ever we acquired such a beast, the appliances the new gadget was supposed to replace would cling to their allotted spaces like proverbial barnacles. However, I think if it came in my stocking, and we/she didn’t have to shell out for it, surely that would be different.

How about it Santa?

For more great pictures, click on the following links:

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Alex (Alex can be reached at fft@thehamiltonian.info ) or on twitter @AlexBielak

Food for Thought logo, designed and kindly donated by Ninka Bielak. Ninka can be reached at ninka.bielak@gmail.com.