I suppose I do many things in the “hard way”, but I do not think of it like. I wash my knives and dishes with hands, but that is because I actually think it is the best way. Sticking my knives into an automatic dishwasher would have ruined them, so it is not “easier” for me. I also sharpen my knives by hand instead of sending them out because I think that is the best way sharpen my knives.
Really, I am doing many task the easy ways – the way I see them. Other may think they are harder, but I do no think so.
My one exception is very, very wet doughs, such as my pizza dough, come out best done in the food processor. The KitchenAid, however, is great for shredding a braised or smoked pork shoulder!
Funny story… Recently, I was working on a wet dough for a focaccia (style) bread (I was making for dinner). My girlfriend was on a “Zoom” call with one of her doctors, when my desktop computer’s audio starting acting up and she called out for help. I had to get this wet dough off my hands, wash off the rest and go help her.
Of course, I’m covered in flour and looked the mess. I apologized to the doctor, stating I was making bread, the doctor smiled as I fixed Sunshine’s computer issue.
I actually have a spare rotary phone that’s been rewired for a modular jack. I’ve seen YT videos with Zoomers who actually have no idea how to use one. They’re getting rid of copper wire in my area, though. So much for the reliability of POTS in an emergency.
When I was little, my mom taught me how to call my grandmother long distance. She had a 4 digit phone number, and was also on a party line with her brother’s family next door - so dialing O, telling the operator the town and state, and her number (3031) was one of my first adulting skills. Can’t recall if I also added person-to-person.
I’ve never had to shell favas, but there is something very satisfying for me with shelling peas. I love pulling the little tip, watching the little fiber unravel, opening the shell and then plop, plop, plop.
My grandmother had a four digit number, too, but as her town grew and other people got phones, the phone company added an three digit exchange number. Her number (0148) matched her street address, in San Francisco.
LOL I’m the first one to haul out the processor, mainly for shredding or slicing, but DH I guess doesn’t want to fill up the dishwasher with food processor so he often volunteers to shred.
Yes, twice; shelling the beans out of the pods, then peeling the “skin” off the beans. I tell myself I am growing them as a soil ammendment , but I can’t resist harvesting them. While growing veg sometimes seems like the ultimate “hard way”, especially in July, its not really. More like “the long game” , if I understand that term correctly.
I’ve never put the food processor or its parts in the DW. I have a corner adjacent to the sink that acts as my drying area for hand washed items. Not Architectural Digest, but it works well for me. As a new bride, I read that the navy did not allow dish towels, demanding that everything be air dried. So I said, good enough for the navy, good enough for me.
Mixture here. I do make significant use of mortar and pestle–enough that when a relative asked (they all know me as an ardent home cook) what my favorite cooking appliance is, the mortar and pestle was my answer, in part because I knew that would bring some novelty to the question. But I love it for pesto, Thai and Viet cooking, grinding whole spices, smashing garlic, and more. Clean up a breeze. No rusting on granite.
That said, I did recently make a large meal for family that I was visiting long term, and I was glad they had a full-size KitchenAid food processor (which I do not own) when I needed to shred 6 cups of cheddar for a Mac & Cheese with 2lbs pasta. Their household didn’t even have a box grater before I came, so I had earlier then bought one for them (they buy shredded cheese). But six cups is a lot even with a box grater. So: one score for the machinery folks.
Of course, they pretty much never use their expensive food processor themselves! But I love the people.
i’ve never had a dishwasher. love my immersion blender and microplane. and while. i general chop by hand, when i slice 9 pounds of onions to caramelize a couple of times a year, along with a few larger jobs, i use the food processor — also for doughs
Winning!
