5/9/2010 - Cool Kitchen Toy

I can't remember which blog I originally saw this gizmo on but it is really cool. It's a pull-string operated food chopper. Sort of a food processor except that you don't have to worry about turning everything to mush. When we first got it we used it almost exclusively for making fresh salsa. It's amazing for that because it chops the vegetables just right without mushing them up. Usually takes fewer than 10 pulls to chop up a batch of salsa, probably closer 6 or 7. Lulu recently pulled it out again to chop up the holy trinity of onions, carrots and celery which she adds to many things. Tonight it was going into the hamburger gravy.

We were concerned when we first got it that the blades would wear out and we wouldn't be able to get replacements. So I e-mailed the company that makes or at least distributes it (not the same place we bought it) and asked them if we could buy another set of blades. They just sent us a set, no charge. I don't remember where we ordered the chopper although it might have been William-Sonoma. At any rate, they do carry them: Chopper

Now that I stop and think about it, I think I first saw a reference to the chopper on the Seven Seas Cruising Association discussion board . You'll have to do a search because I can't remember where on the board I saw it. If you're not familiar with the SSCA board, there is a LOT of good info to be found there. And it seems like the folks onboard are not as antagonistic as on some other cruisers' discussion boards. However, beware that if you ask about SSB antennas and/or ground planes, you will soon learn more than you ever knew there was to know. You've been warned.