Machine does it all - at a price

A machine that does everything - chopping, mixing, mincing, grinding, kneading, whipping and juicing, as well as cooking, stirring and weighing ingredients - seemed too good to be true.

So I went along to a Thermomix demonstration, held for a group of Dunedin food writers by Melissa Davidson, the local rep, who came from Queenstown.

The German-designed, French-made Thermomix has been in Europe and other countries since the 1970s, but has only recently become available in New Zealand.

About the size of a large food processor, it has a 2-litre stainless steel goblet with a sharp blade rather like a liquidiser, and a heating element in the base.

The strong motor will crush a couple of trays of ice along with fruit and sugar for an instant sorbet, or, running backwards, will gently stir a risotto while it cooks, without damaging the grains of rice.

Having ground some kibbled grains, Melissa took only a couple of minutes to make a bread dough, which she shaped, left to rise for half an hour or so, then baked.

I was sceptical, knowing that yeast dough needs time to develop, but the finished product was very acceptable, especially given the convenience in making it.

Melissa didn't demonstrate whipping egg whites, something food processors don't generally do well, but she did use a "butterfly" attachment to whip cream then make butter.

Convenience and versatility appear to be the advantages of this machine, from chopping vegetables for a salad, or making, cooking and processing a soup in the one container, to grinding a teaspoon of flax seeds.

There's even a two-layer steamer that goes on top so you can cook a whole meal on it.

Melissa says the Thermomix is great for people wanting to cook healthy food without additives, colours or preservatives, and do it quickly and easily.

Chefs have also taken to it for its ability to cook and stir delicate things like hollandaise or anglaise sauces and risottos, and make emulsion sauces and foams.

I imagine if you really enjoy being hands-on in the kitchen - kneading your own bread, grinding spices in a mortar and pestle, or stirring while things cook, this may be too high tech, but it is quick, convenient and versatile.

And the downside?

The price, about $2410, or I'd probably have bought one on the spot.