appologies for the bold typing...i did not know it was a bad thing.
It’s that time of year when we are bombarded with new garden seed catalogs, and each year a few more show up from who knows where. I find myself browsing through them all with great anticipation for next spring’s garden.
But, all of a sudden I’m circling more gadgets than seeds, and I have to ask myself, “Where are you going with this morgan?” It all starts with: Gee this is neat; to, that would be nice to have; then, I have got to have one of those. Suddenly it’s like I’m at a KMart Christmas Blue Light Special!
Items on the 2008 MUST HAVE LIST are an apple corer, and a French green bean slicer. Bean frenchers are common in seed catalogs and appear to be similar. Apple corers, also common, have several variations. Since these are common items, the conclusion is they should work. Therefore, which one to purchase?
The ‘08’ NICE TO HAVE LIST is an industrial food sealer. Since I only allowed myself one item from this list each year, I am planning on purchasing the best sealer I can find for the money… NO MORE EL CHEEPOS.
Three items from the ‘08’ THAT’S NEAT LIST came from the R.H. Shumway’s catalog: The tomato holder and slicer (pg 52); the bean and pea sheller (pg 12); and the corn kernel kutter (pg22). Question here is, are these just ‘Infomercial Gadgets’ or do they really do what they claim? Tip, Shumway’s pages are numbered on the side of each page. It took me a minute to figure this out because of the way I read catalogs… my thumbs were covering the page numbers!
So my DG friends, what’s your favorite vegetable garden gadget(s), and/or what gadget(s) do you consider worthless?
This message was edited Jan 2, 2008 4:07 AM
VEGETABLE GARDEN GADGETS
Most of them have been around since Noah. While they do work, for most applications they are more trouble then are worth. The vacumn food sealers are pretty good, but I woudl not purchase one from a seed catalog.
I really wish the apple corer/peeler/slicer would work on pears.
Every year, I try it again; every year, it doesn't.
I think the food saver from qvc cant be beat. The new one stands up and can store on the counter. I LOVE mine. Wish the bags were as cheap as a baggie, just have to re-use them. Thats easy too.
Farmer...I agree that the gadgets for the most part are just that. Any time I see a 'twofer' price I get the feeling I'm looking at an infomercial. Still hoping we get some more feed back on the apple corer. Last year we made apple butter from two bushels of apples and a corer might have been a useful tool. We froze 80 quarts each of green beans and corn in the Glard quart freezer bags, which seem to be working well. But, with your recommedations on corn planting, I expect to double my production with the same amount of seed in '08'. The additional storage time may become a problem with plastic zip lock freezer bags. The food saver as you suggest will not come from a seed catalog, however I still haven't decided on which brand to purchase.
Gardenglory...I have been net searching food processors, and I checked the QVC. There are several models listed, but I wasn't sure which one you were referring too. One of our boys recently purchased from Cabela's the Food Saver - Game Savor Turbo @ around $300 with shipping. So far he's pleased with that one. I have been leaning towards a Food Savor Professional Series, but every where I have checked they are sold out. Previous experiences with food savers under $200, having a shelf life of less than two years, is just too Chinese for me.
morgan
I use the Victorio strainer for the apples and tomatoes. Love this thing and found a little motor that will fit it. I can hardly wait to try that out. It's so easy to use and I have all the screens that come with it. Doing seedless raspberries is a piece of cake.
OK doccat you've peaked my curiosity. How is the Victoria Strainer different from that high dollar Kitchen Aid Food Processor from this year's Nice To Have list. I made some really fantastic spagetti, taco and chili sauces using the food processor. Nice thing too about the canned sauces is that I used a fraction of the herbs which I normally use when making them fresh.
I did do a quick check on a 2005 DG thread where you and critterologist talked about the Victorio (Back to Basics 220 Strainer) and the Squeezo strainer. Critter mentioned that the Squeezo was all metal versus the plastic Victorio, and he was wondering how the plastic Victorio would hold up. Sounds like your Victorio is still doing well after two years service.
Criter also mentioned that the price of the Victorio was about half the price of the Squeezo. I did a quick Google and the Back to Basics 220 Strainer (Victorio) is $49, while the Squeezo is $239. My how prices have changed in two years!
Anyway, I will do some more searching on these two items to see if I should invest in one. I wouldn't mind a quick review of how you managed to hook a motor up to yours.
m
I got the strainer attachment to the Kitchen Aid, and it was useless compared to the Victorio, even cranked by hand. The Victorio sells the motor attachment.
This is my second Victorio..I wore the other one out after 20 years it didn't owe me a thing. I actually gave it to my SIL, it needed some minor repair to nuts etc and my BIL was able to fix it, she's still using it. I have one of the Basic 220 models with all the screens and the motor. And it works just as well as the other one. Cost me about $125-$150 in all and I got free shipping. Had I spotted the offer on that one of defoes earlier I would have grabbed it!
You do NOT have to cook the apples before running them thru, it's a bit easier to turn if you do, but if your processing bunches, I just skip that step. The strainer does work great! The kids use to fight over who got to turn the crank, it was fascinating to watch the pulp go one way and the seeds and skin go the other. Everything is dishwasher proof, so clean up is a breeze. I have a big Kitchen Maid processor and it just don't do this sort of thing well.
doccat5 I had never heard of this strainer so looked it up.I did not see a motor for one . On Amazon.com it is 46.20. There is a Roma which is made after the same patent and it comes with 5 screens for $79.95. and the vermont country store has one for $69.95.This looks like something I might be interested in. The price is great ,looks easy to use. Thanks deanna
deanna8, here's where I purchased the motor http://store.mendingshed.com/straineracc.html It's very easy to use and I got the model that has both a suction cup and the attachment to hook it to the edge of a counter top. I doubt the suction cup is strong enough to hold the weight if your working with large batches of tomatoes. Good luck, I think it's a wonderful investment! LOL
Cathy
first off i want to appologise to everyone for using bold typing in this thread...it won't happen again...i promise.
docatt...sure glad you mentioned the victoria...and twenty years service is incredible.
i find it amaizing that it separates apple seeds and skin...what about the worm...just kidding. what happens when you do tomatoes?
excuse my ignorance again...but what is a 'defoe'?
defoecat is another DGer. LOL I rarely have a problem with worms on the fruit or maters. I use BT at the right time, gets them caterpillers every time. Otherwise, it's just protein........LOL It really is fun to watch it work. Who ever invented this and I'm sure it was a woman had obviously got tired of dealing with the "details" in order to get stuff ready to can. Blessing on her!
ok cathy...i'm convinced...the victorio has just made it to my 'got to have' list...but i am still curious as to what gets separated out when you do tomatoes...
and you got me again...'BT'?
BT=bacillus thuringiensis it's a organic viral pesticide specific to caterpillers, none toxic to humans. The Victorio spits the seeds and skins out one side with the screen and the pulp out the other drip tray. Just make sure you have a couple of big bowls handy. And I always keep a 5 gal bucket handy to dump the seed and skins in. I use those in my compost.
docatt5...thanks much for all you help...being a real novice at this i have had to learn some things the hard way...first attempt at making sauces we parboiled and peeled the tomoato skins, then gave up on that and started cutting holes in the top of the tomatoes to remove the seed and juice...ran the rest of the tomato through a food processor, and boiled, boiled and boiled some more.
besides the Victorio idea, one neat little trick i read about is the method of placing a collendar inside the pot of processed tomatoes, and ladling out the excess juice...since i really like home made tomato juice the combination of the Victorio and this tip should make the whole process of making sauces much much simpler... thank you!
looks like my Kitchen Aide food processor just turned into a high price cheese grater!
live and learn.
I bought the Shumway's Pea and Bean sheller - I think it's kind of pricey - almost $50. if I remember. Anyway the doohicky you turn or attach a mixer to was bent and the whole thing vibrated loose from the clamp. I returned it and was sent another one. This one's bent too, but not as much and works a little better. Any peas or beans you shell in it have to be just right - the shells have to be just hard enough and the pea/bean just mature enough so that they squeeze out when you feed 'em through the little "wringer." Some of the peas/beans come out a little chewed up. This year, we just shelled our peas and beans by hand because we didn't have that much. Next year, maybe I'll give it another try. I wasn't all that impressed.
As for the apple corers, I have bought two of them and neither one worked that well. I gave them away.
For tomatoe puree or applesauce (or hot sauce from cayenne peppers), I use an old-fashioned "china cap" which is a cone shaped strainer with a wooden "pestle." It works great, but maybe a bit labor intensive for large quantities.
In general, I'm a little burnt out on gadgets. I was looking at a heat mat to start seedling with, but I just use a metal tray under which I have a couple light bulbs for heat. This works fine. It's always "buyer beware" !
I have yet to find an apple corer I like. I do have one of those wire thingies (is that professional, or what?) that slices it into 6 or 8 pieces. The DGD thinks it's the neatest thing since sliced bread......she's 4 and now she likes her apples with peanut butter, Nana's homemade peanut butter. I can't eat the commercial kind I'm allergic to a lot of the additives.
Compost R..."china cap" huh! Liked that one...this is what we used primarily last year in making our apple butter and canned tomato sauces. Apple butter was a huge hit, but a lot of work. Doesn't appear to be any 'gadgets' to improve this process. The best tip I have found is using the china cap to extract liquids from food processed tomatoes. Sticking the 'cap' or collendar into the pot and extracting the juice that filters through seems much easier than trying to pour the processed tomatoes through the collendar. I have just finished the last of my tomato juice, but this year I plan to make as many quarts as possible using this method. I have researched as many recipes as I can on making hot sauce which is on my to-do list for this year. Would appreciate any input here.
docatt5...wire thingie...more input please!
No one has made any comments on the green bean frencher. Would have thought with all the catalags that list these someone would have purchased one and had some input. Regardless, I plan to order one this year, but would really like to hear someone comment on this. Please!
m
It's an apple wedger, you put the apple in the middle and push down. Don't have a frencher, so can't help with that.
doccat5...appologies about the misspell...got in to big a hurry. Told the wife and she had seen one at a Bed and Bath of all places. She too had heard that they work well on apples and was going to see if our recently opened store had one. Thanks much doccat.
Something else that has crossed my mind is that the flat pod green beans are probalby the ones to 'french'!!!
Well, those do work better in a gadget. I find I can cut my own faster than dealing with the machine. Takes a little practice, but it can be done :)
I've never noticed much of a difference between the apple corers out there, except that some of the handles are more comfortable to my hands than others. What I wish I could find is one that cut the apples into thinner slices. Those 6-slice models just make too thick slices for my preference, so I still have to go in and slice them by hand. At least I don't have to fight with the cores any more!