CULINARY
Hand Beaters
I've taken a recent interest in kitchen hand tools. I cook to relax, save money, and find a meditative comfort in chopping and blending ingredients by hand. Somehow, throwing a bunch of vegetables into a food processor just isn't the same.
I once dated a Japanese chef, who demonstrated the finer art of hand chopping food. You won't find a Veg-o-matic, or other K-Tel and Ronco type devices, in top kitchens. Instead, they use very high quality knives. The chefs carry their own with them to the job, the way an artist has her own brushes for painting.
I did make a concession to kitchen gadgets, though. I was ready for hand beaters to mix liquid ingredients. Ever try to make whip cream from fresh cream with a whisk? I scouted the local Albuquerque thrift and antique stores, but couldn't locate any inexpensive models. People must be collecting them. I had better luck in an antique mall in Roswell, New Mexico on Main Street. Their selection hadn't been picked over and I found a newer model that works quite well.
Actual antique hand beaters tend to have issues, like the paint peeling off the wooden handles, rust, and wheels that don't quite crank right anymore. They seem better for display than cooking most of the time. However, the newer models work quite well and can be found inexpensively online.
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