I'm more kindly disposed to the Coravin. It's a bit of a game changer if you have a number of bottles you need to go back to, a situation, I admit, that only really applies to people in the wine trade!
I’m in the market for a counter top single induction hob and would love the Sage Control Freak that you seem to use, but I simply cannot justify the expense, especially when you can get a domestic one (or even a cheap/simple catering one) for less than a tenth of the cost.
I agree they are expensive. Just shy of £1000 if you can find one anywhere. But it’s very much justified by work. The contact thermometer in the surface is, afaik, unique. But it means that over the 10 years I’ve used it in recipe development it’s easily paid for itself in ‘second tries’ I *didn’t* have to do. Obviously as a work tool, it’s VAT free and having survived so long, now depreciated.
I’ve also really enjoyed reducing the whole way I cook to a ‘single ring’. I have a small ‘wedge’ hob set into the counter but I only bother to use it once a year - at Christmas.
But I shan’t even be doing that this year as I just bought a second Control Freak as back-up/insurance. 😈
Happy birthday! It's mine tomorrow. I lived in Japan in my youth and I was a hopeless cook, but I did find those toaster ovens made EXCELLENT cheese on toast. You may want to reconsider.
Once I saw a chef in the mountains of Zhejiang carve perfect tiny elephants, trunk, tusks and all, from ginger slices using only a big Chinese cleaver. Nuff said.
Happy birthday Tim. Years (years) ago I wrote a book for Pierre Hermé's ex-wife, and aside from the ordeal that the task was in itself, the book was about all the kitchen gadgets she had collected over the years, some simple, some not at all. Enough to write a pretty substantial book about. When it was all done and printed, I thought "few of these tasks would need more than two hands and a good knife", but I refrained from expressing that thought.
There's something devilish about Coravin and I think it's strictly for wine bar professionals or sommeliers. As for the Thermomix and how I can describe it, I will simply apply to myself Kipling's advice in "Just So Stories": "I wouldn't talk about the cooking stove if I were you."
Really fascinating article. I confess I'm a Thermomix devotee. I just love that it can do the things that do require sustained manual effort such as you describe with your pestle and mortar and leave me to focus on more enjoyable stuff. And they're virtually indestructible too. I've never had the sort of wine collection that would merit a Coravin, in fact, I'd never heard of such a thing... But it sounds amazing 😍 Happy Birthday to you.
You have acolytes!
Happy birthday Tim.
I'm more kindly disposed to the Coravin. It's a bit of a game changer if you have a number of bottles you need to go back to, a situation, I admit, that only really applies to people in the wine trade!
I’m in the market for a counter top single induction hob and would love the Sage Control Freak that you seem to use, but I simply cannot justify the expense, especially when you can get a domestic one (or even a cheap/simple catering one) for less than a tenth of the cost.
I agree they are expensive. Just shy of £1000 if you can find one anywhere. But it’s very much justified by work. The contact thermometer in the surface is, afaik, unique. But it means that over the 10 years I’ve used it in recipe development it’s easily paid for itself in ‘second tries’ I *didn’t* have to do. Obviously as a work tool, it’s VAT free and having survived so long, now depreciated.
I’ve also really enjoyed reducing the whole way I cook to a ‘single ring’. I have a small ‘wedge’ hob set into the counter but I only bother to use it once a year - at Christmas.
But I shan’t even be doing that this year as I just bought a second Control Freak as back-up/insurance. 😈
I should add that for regular domestic use and outwith all business considerations, I’d totally buy a Buffalo from Nisbets and a laser thermometer.
Thank you, I’ll have a look at those.
Happy birthday! It's mine tomorrow. I lived in Japan in my youth and I was a hopeless cook, but I did find those toaster ovens made EXCELLENT cheese on toast. You may want to reconsider.
Happy birthday! 🥳 I still kind of want a thermomix…
Once I saw a chef in the mountains of Zhejiang carve perfect tiny elephants, trunk, tusks and all, from ginger slices using only a big Chinese cleaver. Nuff said.
Happy birthday Tim. Years (years) ago I wrote a book for Pierre Hermé's ex-wife, and aside from the ordeal that the task was in itself, the book was about all the kitchen gadgets she had collected over the years, some simple, some not at all. Enough to write a pretty substantial book about. When it was all done and printed, I thought "few of these tasks would need more than two hands and a good knife", but I refrained from expressing that thought.
There's something devilish about Coravin and I think it's strictly for wine bar professionals or sommeliers. As for the Thermomix and how I can describe it, I will simply apply to myself Kipling's advice in "Just So Stories": "I wouldn't talk about the cooking stove if I were you."
Happy Birthday Tim! I want send a Direct Martini as gift🍸
Happy Birthday Tim!
...ok, I won't send you anything
😉
Really fascinating article. I confess I'm a Thermomix devotee. I just love that it can do the things that do require sustained manual effort such as you describe with your pestle and mortar and leave me to focus on more enjoyable stuff. And they're virtually indestructible too. I've never had the sort of wine collection that would merit a Coravin, in fact, I'd never heard of such a thing... But it sounds amazing 😍 Happy Birthday to you.
Happy birthday. We are celebrating Neil’s today, sans gadgets
Mine, too, and definitely nothing for the kitchen. I wouldn’t say no to a 125g tin of osciestra though.