amazing kitchen wonders

This summer I was so excited by my pineapple cutter I got a bit nutty. My very good friend, Erin, told me her favorite life changing gadget around that same time-the apple peeling gizo, which is officially on my Christmas list (gross, I know, to actually post about items on my list, like a hint on the phone isn't good enough, but hey.)

So, Erin swears this changed her life, and I believe her. She and I take our apple desserts very seriously. The thing I didn't realize,she explained, is it actually peels, cores, and slices. The slicing is what got me. So, then, right into the crisp/pancake/pie it goes. Oh, modern technology can't improve upon this. And it's so old timey and off the grid, I love it. This one here is from L.L. Bean. I'm sure it's available in a shop here in town. I love hearing about life changing kitchen gadgets. My kitchen-aid is pretty high on the list, as is the french press.

Comments

[joy]

Yesterday my neighbor had a HUGE apple pie sale and used one of those to cut, slice, peel pounds and pounds of apples. it was so much fun watching her use it.

[Rebecca]

Be prepared -- this will change your life!! I have one and it's great. It's super sharp and scary though! I had images of the kids helping me bake apple pie, turning the crank, etc, etc. No way!! Oh my god, it's so sharp I don't let the kids near it. Other than that -- it's awesome :)

[Stephanie]

Well, they have one of these at Miles' school and the kids love to use it (with supervision)!

My french press is the only gadget I can't live without (I even pack it and bring it with me when I travel). Oh, and my Henckel knives and my Clover applique scissors (but I can't take those things on a plane).

[Rose]

Actually, that looks a bit scary to me! My favorite kitchen gadget is my pull-out pantry, but - being furniture - it probably doesn't count.

[wendy]

you can get the exact same peeler on amazon.com for $5 less. it's also now on my wishlist :)

[Brooklyn Mama]

I have one too! I love it. I also use it with my daughter, and from time to time in my preschool classroom. An excellent gadget!

[sarah n.]

my sister has one and it really is pretty great. i personally couldn't live without my mandolin.

[Laura]

We had one of those when I was a kid growing up(about 25 yrs ago). Living in Michigan nearby to several apple orchards, we used it a LOT! And it was one of those "how did we ever live without this thing?" kind of gadgets when we got it!

[hannah]

i wish i had access to enough yummy apples to warrent the need for such a cool looking gaget. i keep looking at the picture and cant for the life of me figure out how it slices too. amazing! i think my most treasured kitchen item right now are my silcone spatulas, i cant cook anything without them, or cant imagine how i ever did before.

[Lizette]

Gadgets...you make me smile.

[Siri]

A friend gave me a second hand one a couple of years ago for Christmas that clamps on the edge of a table. We used it a few days ago to process about 30 pounds of apples for sauce. Yes, it was faster than doing it by hand, but it was a bit slower than it could have been because the boys would hardly let me get my hands on it! While one was using it the other was picking out his next apple from the box.
I think I'm in the market for a new one because the blade is getting a bit dull, and that suction feature looks like it would work better.
Oh, and not only does it peel, core and slice the apples, but the apples come out in "slinkies"!
I'll second the silicone spatula. You CAN'T wreck one, that is, unless you dump it out into the compost pile and the dog chews it up. Oops.

[Barb]

I post "gimmes" all the time, just because it's fun to share, and it may spark someone else's enthusiasm. This item reminds me of a little country town near where I live, that has an annual Fall Apple Festival. They have demonstrations with old fashioned tools like this one, and the heavenly scent of pies baking is everywhere.

[Wendy]

I'm not big into gadgets, but I simply must have that pineapple corer! It's now on my Christmas list. I might have to take up drinking pina coladas just to use the nifty shell that's left.

Something I can't live without? It would have to be my Japanese vegetable knife from Watanabe Blade.

[tyn]

My sister-in -law loves the apple thing.. and I just got silicone spatulas as stocking stuffers for the family! AND I take my french press camping. I have a special padded box for it so it will be safe. :) Once I forgot to take it and we thought we might die. hehe

[Mariko]

Ohh, my Solis burr coffee grinder plus my Silpat sheets are on the list of life-changing kitchen gadgets. The Kitchen Aid is of course on there, too. Those apple things look great. I saw someone using one once, and I was speechless.

[erinay]

yes, I used it the other night and I always marvel at it's super efficiency... crisp in a minute!

I got mine locally at williams sonoma or kitchen kaboodle, they both carried them a few years ago for a few dollars difference... I do think sadie could work it and if not, she'll love eating the spiral of peeled apple that comes off at the other end... miracle, i tell you, miracle.

It even does pears, but they have to be pretty firm.

[Kay]

I have a hilarious (to me anyway) photo of my mom working this gadget in the garage. She screws it onto my dad's workbench and that's where she does her simu-peeling and -slicing for apple pie. Bonus: It's very entertaining for small children!

xxo Kay

[scribblesnbits]

My Kitchen Aid blender is the reason I get anything at all baked. Seriously, when I stirred it myself, it took so much time and made me so tired. Now I can start it up and walk away! 2 other life-changing gadgets: the three tier cooling rack and the cookie press! The cookie press is still a little hard to get a handle on to have perfect Martha-esque cookies every time, but I'm working on it!

[joy]

I don't EVER make apple desert without mine!!!!