Comments on: Standmixers Are for Sissies

By: Chris Peterson

Chris Peterson — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:05:50 +0000

I guess my sissy quotient is up. After moving into a new place with abundant counter space I gave my standing mixer standing space. I used to bring it out from a storage shelf in the next room to rotate the available space with the food processor, the blender, the rice maker, and the cutting board. This made each use an experiment, and I never got good at using the thing.

Last weekend changed that. Stiff peaked egg whites for a morning's abelskivers? Done while I used my two hands on something else (A hand mixer takes a hand on the bowl and a hand on the buzzing thing). Whole wheat pizza dough for dinner? Mixed and kneaded while I forgot it was running.

For sissy quotient, what's up with this cookie-fuss making chatter? Who bothers with cookies anymore? With refined sugar, refined flour, and other yuk, why not just mainline some straight glucose?

Where the standing mixer should shine--kneading all whole wheat bread--it does make itself a bother. It can barely handle two loaves at once (kneading by hand you can do four), cranking and groaning while you worry that you might have exceeded the machine's whole-grain flour limit warning. (Mine is a KitchenAid and was purchased about ten years ago.)

Tonight we'll see how mixing and kneading a batch of fresh whole wheat pasta dough goes. If it goes as well as I expect, I'm going to un-sissify my kitchen thanks to this thing.

By: eaton

eaton — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:33:44 +0000

And pox on the bread hook. If you can't knead it yourself, get a loaf of Wonder, or better yet some of that shit they sell at Firehook.

By: Jule Banville

Jule Banville — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:19:41 +0000

I make a triple batch of several types of cookies during the holiday season and never once did I curse my handmixer. Of course I have forearms the size of Popeye's. Grrrrr.

By: Adams Morgan

Adams Morgan — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:16:59 +0000

Actually, I'm going to bet that your grandmother (although I don't know how old you are) didn't even use a handmixer I bet she used a wooden spoon and some good old elbow grease.

As for the stand mixers, sure handhelds are fine for doing small jobs, but you try making a triple batch of chocolate chip cookies for your favorite youth basketball team with a handmixer...not gonna happen.

By: Downtown Rez

Downtown Rez — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:42:44 +0000

I always mix by hand, too. I also grind my spices using a $6 straight rolling pin as a pestle in a regular ceramic mortar. It's quick and easy.

By: sara.h

sara.h — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:36:45 +0000

i bought a fancy blue kitchenaid stand mixer several years ago, figuring it was something that i'd have and use forever and always.

i used it for a while. it was ok.

i also have a $10 betty crocker hand mixer.

my kitchenaid mixer, after spending the last 8 months in the trunk of my car, is now in my mother's basement (because she didn't want "big heavy thing" on her counter.

i'm with you. i'll keep my hand mixer and spoon.

By: Mike DeBonis

Mike DeBonis — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:34:26 +0000

OK, maybe not $400, but I'm not seeing one for much less than $200.

By: Mike DeBonis

Mike DeBonis — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:32:42 +0000

Plus those fucking things cost like $400