Forum Thermomix
Welcoming Center, Management and General Chat => Introduce Yourself => Topic started by: AGGY on September 27, 2009, 10:59:17 am
-
Hi There, I am from Geelong Victoria (Go Cats!) and I have had a Thermomix for about 3 weeks.
I am struggling a bit with everything turning to mush! I think I must be a bit heavy handed on the cutting and stirring :) I have great hopes of improving, and hope I can pick up some tips from this forum.
-
Hi Aggy. Welcome to the forum.
You are certainly not alone in turning things to mush in the first few weeks. The TMX is so powerful that it takes a while to get used to. I rarely chop things above speed 4/5 now (and check every couple of seconds) and I don't take much notice of the speeds and times of recipes from my Everyday cookbook (which isn't a new revised one). Keep going with it and things will get a lot easier soon.
:)
-
Hi and welcome Aggy. Just reduce your times by quite a lot. You can always chop a bit more but it's hard if it's already a puree. (makes good soup) The times in the EDC book can be a bit way out too. Perhaps try a recipe or two from this site. Let us know how it's going and good luck. We all do things like this at the beginning.
The Cats win was wonderful.
-
Welcome to the Forum - sorry to hear it's not going so well with your machine at the moment.
One of the tips I picked up from here early on was not to leave things to chop for the length of time specified, but to check a few times on the way through to see how small things had got. If you find things are chopped too fine, then perhaps a lower speed might help.
Also, don't forget to use :-: when cooking if things are at the right texture when you are ready to start the cooking process.
What recipes are you having particular problems with?
Please don't despair as it does take a while to get used to the machine and its ways - it is well worth perservering as you and your machine will become the best of friends very soon. ;)
-
Thanks for all the quick replies. Just noticed I spelled Thermomix incorrectly - oh dear!
I tried to make a mix for meat pies today. Minced the meat coarsely, chopped the onion, garlic and carrot, and then put it all together with some wine and Worcester and let stir and cook down for about 40 mins.
I had the mixture stirring on reverse on about 1.5. By the time the mixture was reduced it was very finely chopped, so I was wondering if reverse can also chop? It was OK in the end as we called them sausage rolls, but I still need to be able to control the mushiness.
-
Sorry to hear about your problems Aggy - it has happened to all of us in the early days and with incorrect chopping times in recipes, that doesn't help newcomers. Take the advice others have given you and chop on lower speeds and for less time. Check and do some more until you are happy with it. I don't want my onions etc mashed before sauteing them, I want them chunky. When you get it right, change the speed and time on your recipes so that you don't repeat the mistake next time. It took me ages to get it right but I got there and you will too. Don't give up. Mince meals do tend to become very fine by the end of cooking though so perhaps only chop it until it is large dice and see how it turns out by the end of cooking.
-
Aggy, have you spoken to your consultant? She/he should be able to help you.
You don't say if you are having failures with the recipes from the Thermomix cookbooks or simply with things you are trying to do yourself.
Take the advice from here, but in addition, I would keep a notepad by your machine so that if you follow a recipe & something goes wrong note it down. If you are converting your own recipes (which it sounds like you are & congratulations on being brave with that because it took me about 6 months!!) then adopt a "less is more" approach & again keep your notepad handy. Ring your consultant if they aren't ringing you until you get the hang of things.
Partly it is getting used to different textures & consistencies as well as different flavours.
Personally I haven't had many problems with the recipes so, if you're not using them, try a few until you get some successes.
All the best with it.
-
Aggy, I have to agree with Judy, mince dishes on the TMX do become very fine, more like sausage mince. So congratulations on your lovely sausage rolls. How are you going with custards and sorbets, have you tried those? Or even the strawberry foam on this site.
http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=1086.0
-
Where is Geelong ?? just joking - Yeah Go Cats - As JZ says - contact your consultant - When you bought your machine, part of the cost was for a "little part of her/him" - may as well get your money's worth.
Usually just time, speed and temp issues. Which recipes have you ruined? SOme speeds and times appear too long
-
When I use reverse I never go faster than spoon speed as I had the same thing happen with the first pasta dish made at my delivery demo. The pasta was cut into very small pieces. I also once made mush instead of coleslaw and then converted it into soup - fortunately had run out of mayonnaise and had used yogurt instead - it made a very good soup.
I find I can hear when something is chopped how I want it. Onions I never do higher than 4 as I like them in pieces and not grated. You will soon learn to know the times and the sounds of your machine.
-
Hi Aggy, We have all been there and done that. Creating and naming new dishes out of mush is quite a challenge. It is all part of the learning process so just take the advice on this forum and you will get there.
Gretchen
-
We actually created a new term Mush soup. I was asked what is in THIS mush soup, or can you remember this one as it's nice.
-
LOL
I made the Thai red curry chicken tonight - success! Tasted delicious. I substituted evaporated coconut milk and NutraSweet so it was also low(er) calories.
-
Well done Aggy (my Dad used to call my Mum that name). Success at last. Already you are substituting ingredients so things can only look up from here. I had lots of failures when I first started and it was disheartening to say the least (especially with the cost of the machine) but once I learnt to question some aspects of the recipe instructions & then do my own thing, it all started to come together nicely.
-
Great news Aggy. It can be disheartening when things aren't going well. I thought that I'd wasted $2000 at first. As the successes become more frequent and you become comfortable with a new way of cooking you will laugh at the first 'experiments'.
-
Hi Aggy and welcome.
Cookie....good thing I have a sense of humour....I have only had my Thermomix a week today and I have already made some 'interesting' meals..... Let's just say that I need to spend more time looking at the list of ingredients and less time concentrating on getting the TTS settings but I am getting there...
Sharon
-
Most of my failures happen because I am either in too much of a hurry to read the recipe properly. It pays to slow down a bit.
-
Exactly CP63, this is the most important lesson to learn. Read the recipe carefully ;) ;) ;)
-
.....................and then read it again. Even then I often miss a vital point.
-
When I use reverse I never go faster than spoon speed
Same here. If I want a gentle stir, then I use :-: and ^^. And mince, etc, always need a gentle stir when they're cooking if they're not to break down.
-
When I use reverse I never go faster than spoon speed
Same here. If I want a gentle stir, then I use :-: and ^^. And mince, etc, always need a gentle stir when they're cooking if they're not to break down.
Thanks for the great tips, but pity they didn't spend more time thinking through their cookbook, if it wasn't for this forum heaven knows where my TMX would be stored!!!
-
From one grandma to another - I have to agree with you wholeheartedly on that point :-)) :-)) :-))
-
Thanks for the great tips, but pity they didn't spend more time thinking through their cookbook, if it wasn't for this forum heaven knows where my TMX would be stored!!!
My sentiments exactly - wonder how many are stored because the owners have had problems and thoguht -can't be bothered?
-
Thermomixer, I firmly believe that this forum is what is helping sales of the TMX. We are all happy and are able to convey that message to other prospective buyers because of what we have learnt from this forum. The consultants who are on this forum have to be far wiser than those who are not (some don't come here so they won't read that ;) ;))
-
Well I believe that people who give up too easily and store their Thermomixers are not very adventurous and are missing out on a lot. This is how we learn isn't it, from our mistakes and from the mistakes of others? It would be a sad old world it everything went according to plan. After all "MUSH" meals are still nutritious often delicious and something we can talk and laugh about. I say if the cookbook is " not as advertised" toss it into the too hard basket and get creative. Don't get mad get even and write your own rules then post it for all of us. Life is too short to stress about a few wonky recipes. By the time our kids inherit our Thermomix there will be many more cookbooks. :D :D :D
Gretchen
-
Inherit the TMX Gretchen. OMG.
To be honest we're seriously thinking of buying DD one when she builds her house and shifts. She has now realised that she doesn't want to take the rice cooker or stick blender and other assorted gadgets.
I agree with everyone about how this forum helps. I would have persevered because of the cost but it would have taken me longer.
I shared the 5 seed bread the other day and this lady was going to make it in her breadmaker as she 'is too old to adjust to learning TMX cooking". I'm dying to know if it rose out of the container into the breadmaker but I'm too scared to ask. :-\
-
That made me giggle out loud.
Gretchen
-
Me too Gretchen, I had visions of the mixture creeping out of the breadmaker and all over the cupboard. Will be interested to hear Cookie1 how she went ;D ;D ;D ;D
-
Still too chicken to ring and ask. I actually made some Cape Seed Loaf yesterday and put it in a lidded bread tin. It was a tiny bit too much and literally 'crept' out of the gap between the lid and base. It was all wavy and very thin. Quite interesting to see.
-
Well we have had another success - my husband made Josie's meatloaf and it was great. However, he also commented on the poor quality of the cookbook - steps out of order etc.
I find it strange, given the Thermomix has been around for years, that the recipes aren't all topnotch. Budding publishers please note - I would happily buy multiple books by third-party authors. :)
-
........ However, he also commented on the poor quality of the cookbook - steps out of order etc.
I find it strange, given the Thermomix has been around for years, that the recipes aren't all topnotch. Budding publishers please note - I would happily buy multiple books by third-party authors. :)
That is part of why I have spent so much time here ! -trying to decipher recipes to make others use the TMX
-
Dear Aggy, use the Cooking book "Everyday......." and write all over it. This way when you go to make something you will remember what you did the last time. Some of the recipes are very good, others dont reach our expectations. I am very fussy about our bread and I made many loaves until I got it exactly right. Every one that I gave the 'rejects' to thought they were great.
Keep trying and learn to trust your judgement.
-
Well we have had another success - my husband made Josie's meatloaf and it was great. However, he also commented on the poor quality of the cookbook - steps out of order etc.
I find it strange, given the Thermomix has been around for years, that the recipes aren't all topnotch. Budding publishers please note - I would happily buy multiple books by third-party authors. :)
On one level, I completely agree. On the other hand, although the thermomix has been around for years, it hasn't been particularly present in English speaking countries. It's relatively new in those terms. The continental cookbooks tend to be bang on accurate, and lots of them.
The English speaking country distributors, though, tend to have small teams who are running to catch up with themselves, as they're still in early days. The people running them still need to be something of a 'Jack of All Trades' and work silly hours. So while on the one hand I feel very frustrated when I come across recipes with errors, etc, on the other I can well understand how it happens, so I remind myself to be tolerant. I appreciate all the hard work they're doing because they believe in the product and how it can benefit people's lives, and look forward to the day (for their sakes and for ours) when they are more established and are able to slow down and pay more attention to detail.
Meanwhile, I like the idea of 3rd party author books ;D ;D
-
I agree to a large extent too CarolineW. We are in our infancy. There is the Full Steam Ahead book as an example - the recipes have been tested, but because of our different style of eating most shy away from it.
Must say that it would be good if TMX Aust and UK (& Canada now) had recipes tested outside their kitchens and "paid" for the work.
Despite how many believe it is good to be independent of TMX Aust or UK, I still firmly believe that it would be better to have them very much involved. They would disseminate info faster and develop more rapidly.
Still, it is poor old young Tenina who has to put everything together with help from ? Anisha and maybe some others. The meat book is coming - but Christmas will beat it.
Many of the recipes that I have posted 12 months ago have changed and so anybody who wishes to criticise my recipes is welcome - I accept that I know a lot more now and do things differently. The more people who make the recipes and review them the better - but I am one who is VERY GUILTY of not following recipes to the letter :-X :-X :-[ So, I can't blame recipes for my failures.
Oh, and the other BIG thing - send any suggestions to recipes@thermomix.com.au or UK Thermomix - they may be watching - but it is best to get the info directly to them if you have concerns about times, temps etc.
-
Must say that it would be good if TMX Aust and UK (& Canada now) had recipes tested outside their kitchens and "paid" for the work.
Yes I agree, if there's the budget for it (I know budgets are often very tight with small companies, so no idea what theirs is like). Or use people like us - I'm sure many of the committed thermomix fans here would be willing to volunteer, and they could be divvied out among us to test, with a 'sworn to secrecy' proviso that we don't share them with others.
-
Then if they are ever published we could get a free book if we have tested a certain number of recipes. I'm very willing.
-
Then if they are ever published we could get a free book if we have tested a certain number of recipes. I'm very willing.
Oooh, yes. I like that addition, Cookie ;D I didn't think about that.
-
Inherit the TMX Gretchen. OMG.
To be honest we're seriously thinking of buying DD one when she builds her house and shifts. She has now realised that she doesn't want to take the rice cooker or stick blender and other assorted gadgets.
I agree with everyone about how this forum helps. I would have persevered because of the cost but it would have taken me longer.
I shared the 5 seed bread the other day and this lady was going to make it in her breadmaker as she 'is too old to adjust to learning TMX cooking". I'm dying to know if it rose out of the container into the breadmaker but I'm too scared to ask. :-\
~~~
Hi! I am new to the forum and just doing some reading to familiarize myself with the group's posters. Obviously, it will take some time to do a good job of that so I decided to post a reply to this funny post (and funny replies too).
My Italian friends introduced me to Bimby while I was visiting them in 1998. The next year, they came to visit us in America (a decade ago) and we did a lot of cooking together. One day, they left me in the kitchen with Bimby to prepare the polenta (while they went to the grocery store for a missing item). Well... the grocery store was not around the corner and by the time they returned ... the polenta had grown and grown and was coming out of the top of Bimby ... I kept taking off the extra and it kept growing!! I remember their faces like it happened yesterday ... in amazement they proclaimed, "Oh! Look at the polenta!!! What happened????" ... great Italian laughter would not stop in my kitchen and fortunately, they rescued me from my first polenta disaster.
This was one of those learning opportunities that was not going to turn into a wonderful soup (by accident) but it did turn into one of our best loved tales to tell ... about kitchen adventures with Bimby!!
-
Great story onceuponabimby - hope you haven't had too many more of those disasters.
-
Good one onceuponabimby - we all have "experiences" - it is fun to see that it happens to others. :-* :-* :-* :-*
-
Ya know, I don't have much of a problem with the EDC book!
I like the way it's designed, so it opens out flat; I like the weight of the pages, nice and thick and glossy; I like the size of the book and the hard cover.
I haven't had too many failures at all, but then, I'm the sort of person who drags out four recipe books, looks at the recipe in each one and then goes ahead and makes my own. ;D
The book is excellent if you just follow the directions and order of preparation and cooking more than the ingredient list and I can't find fault in the way this is set out.
-
I love your story onceuponabimby. I had a good chuckle.
-
Haha! I hadn't read that story cookie1, must have missed it in my browsing. I can just imagine removing polenta that kept on growing! :D