Thermomix on

So the other night I had a "Thermomix Party" at my house with 4 other friends and family.  And yes, that does sound a little like a "Tupperware Party",  but I assure you, the two are chalk and cheese. Or should I say, the two are as different as a blender and a Thermomix.  What is it, well here is a photo with ALL of its features:

An over-glorified blender you say.  Well yes, but it has got some really cool things, but first, the "Party".

This all came about through the radio show.  A few weeks ago I had Stephen Estcourt on to chat about food blogging, but in the end we blabbed on about how much he loved his Thermomix, old post is here.  I put the call out over the air, "... if anyone can give me a demo ...".  That is when Erica from @Mixotrophy got in touch with me and said "would you like to host a party?"  Yes, of course, who doesn't love a party?  2 weeks later, I am sitting around the Norden with 5 other friends, surrounded by lots of cookbooks, pamphlets, demonstrator Erica, super assistant Fiona and sitting pride of place at the end of the table, The Thermomix.

And what a party.  Lots of fun, plenty of food.  We had a 6 course meal showing a range of features of said Thermomix.  Dinner consisted of:

• Fresh fruit sorbet
• Hommus
• Raw beetroot salad
• Wholegrain bread rolls
• Pasta
• Lemon custard

Raw beetroot salad

I wont spoil your joy in telling you the secrets of the party, I really think you should have a party for yourself.  Highly recommended.  But I do want to talk about some of the features of the Thermomix that really piqued my interest:

Milling

• It can make flour from grains, how cool is that. Fresh flour, no additives, all the germ left in
• It can make icing sugar from raw sugar.  That is, it is raw icing sugar, which I think you can't buy, and would be a whole lot tastier.  And you keep just raw sugar in the cupboard.

Temperature 

• You can dial up any temp you want (10 degree increments)
• Potential for Sous-vide
• Custards, mayonnaise (etc) are all very simple

Baby food

• It does it all

Scales

• Inbuilt load sensors in the legs, very handy

Garlic

• Apparently (I have yet to see it) it can peel garlic

I went into the party thinking I wouldn't buy one, and came out impressed.