TIP OF THE DAY: Use A Food Mill

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November 3, 2012 at 8:12 am · Filed under Cooking, Kitchenware-Tabletop

Some 40 years ago, the first electric food processors—Robot Coupe (pronounced robo coop) and Cuisinart—became available to American consumers.

Designed in Europe for professional kitchens, these handy helpers made food preparation faster and more pleasant for home cooks, spawning an era of more adventurous cooking.

Before the food processor, people used electric blenders, hand-cranked grinders and food mills.

Our mother relied on her Foley food mill to rice potatoes (for the silkiest mashed potatoes), make spaetzle and purées: her splendid applesauce, tomato sauce, soups and vegetable and fruit purées. A food mill can also be used to make baby food.

The old-fashioned food mill maintains a few advantages over a food processor or blender:

A food mill removes the skins and seeds; food processors and blenders do not. Food processor available at SurLaTable.com.

NO SEEDS, NO SKINS. The grinding disc removes the seeds and skins, so you don’t need a separate sieve. For people who want no seeds or skins in a raspberry purée or tomato sauce, this is your go-to gadget.

NO AIR. A food mill does not incorporate air into the food. Food processors and blenders create a sometimes-unwanted frothiness.

GREAT TEXTURE. Hand-puréed fruits and vegetables have a better texture.

The device rests upon a bowl or pot; the food is added and the handle cranks the ingredients into a smooth or textured purée, based on the grinding disc selected.

To make superior, seedless cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, pick up a food mill like the one in the photo from Sur La Table, or this one from OXO.

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