"Nina" > wrote >>The best bet is a good set of
knives, learn how to use them and keep them
>>sharp. I had one of those cheap Japanese mandolins and it was handy for
>>some things. For Christmas last year my wife bought be a better <?>
>>mandolin. I accepted it graciously, wondering what the heck I needed it
>>for. I tried it a few times. By the time I get it out of the cupboard and
>>assembled I could usually be finished the job with a knife. Then it has
>>to be disassembled, cleaned and put away.
>
> The only exception for me is really big jobs. For a large volume, a
> mandoline is terrific. I have to say, though, that I cut my finger
> very badly a long time ago with one of these, and so they still
> terrify me.
>

See, I just don't WANT to prep food for that many people.
If it's too big a job for my knives and cutting board to handle
gracefully, it's too big a job for me to want to do.

I do want a deli-style meat slicer, but that is because I want
uniformly thinly sliced meats for sandwiches, not so much a
volume thing.

Nina wrote:

> >The best bet is a good set of knives, learn how to use them and keep them
> >sharp. I had one of those cheap Japanese mandolins and it was handy for
> >some things. For Christmas last year my wife bought be a better <?>
> >mandolin. I accepted it graciously, wondering what the heck I needed it
> >for. I tried it a few times. By the time I get it out of the cupboard and
> >assembled I could usually be finished the job with a knife. Then it has
> >to be disassembled, cleaned and put away.
>
> The only exception for me is really big jobs. For a large volume, a
> mandoline is terrific. I have to say, though, that I cut my finger
> very badly a long time ago with one of these, and so they still
> terrify me.

If I have l lot to do, sometimes it is easier to use the food processor with
the appropriate attachment. That's what I use for marmalade. If I have a
small amount of cheese to grate I use the hand grater ....in more ways that
one :-) .... but if there is a lot to do the FP sure comes in handy. It is
worth the extra work to get it out, clean it and put it away again.

In article >,
Dave Smith > wrote:

> Nina wrote:
>
> > >The best bet is a good set of knives, learn how to use them and keep them
> > >sharp. I had one of those cheap Japanese mandolins and it was handy for
> > >some things. For Christmas last year my wife bought be a better <?>
> > >mandolin. I accepted it graciously, wondering what the heck I needed it
> > >for. I tried it a few times. By the time I get it out of the cupboard and
> > >assembled I could usually be finished the job with a knife. Then it has
> > >to be disassembled, cleaned and put away.
> >
> > The only exception for me is really big jobs. For a large volume, a
> > mandoline is terrific. I have to say, though, that I cut my finger
> > very badly a long time ago with one of these, and so they still
> > terrify me.
>
> If I have l lot to do, sometimes it is easier to use the food processor with
> the appropriate attachment. That's what I use for marmalade. If I have a
> small amount of cheese to grate I use the hand grater ....in more ways that
> one :-) .... but if there is a lot to do the FP sure comes in handy. It is
> worth the extra work to get it out, clean it and put it away again.

When I worked in a seafood restaurant, we used to make cole slaw,
macaroni salad, and potato salad from scratch. I used to take a food
processor with a shredder blade and shred green peppers and carrots that
way, but I did the cabbage by hand with a large knife.

At home, I just use a knife still for shredding cabbage, but for other
vegies such as carrots, potatoes, etc. I use a cheap mandolin I bought
for $20 somewhere several years ago.