Food Processor
Food processors are a modern kitchen convenience that can make preparing food a snap. This site will explain how food processors work, the different types, where to buy and help you make a better purchase decision.
Food Processors - Basics
Food processor is a kitchen appliance used to facilitate various repetitive tasks in the process of preparation of food. They are very similar to blenders, but one of the main differences consist in the different blades and disk options instead of a fixed blade. The food processors bowls are shorter and widers than blenders which are more appropiate in shape for the solid foods usually chopped.
Food Processors basic functions consist of:
Pureeing Mixing and kneading doughs Slicing/chopping vegetables Grinding items such as nuts, meat, or dried fruit. Shredding or Grating cheese or vegetables
How do Food Processors Work
Food Processors consist on a bowl which is usually clear plastic which fits around the base of the unit. The base of the unit houses a motor which turns the cutting blades in usually one standard speed. The cutting blades can be attached to the shaft, usually food processors come with different cutting blades choices.
On top of the clear plastic bowl there is a “feed tube”. The feed tube allows ingridients to be added while the Food Processor is working. An extra piece of plastic is used as a “pusher” to protect fingers while chopping or pureing ingredients. Almost all food processors have safety devices which prevent the motor from operating if the bowl is not properly attached to the base. Some models have wider and narrower feed tubes for use with larger and smaller food items.
Modern food processors come in three basic sizes: full, compact, and mini. No matter what size they are, however, the basic components are the same: a motor, a bowl with a lid and feed tube, and a set of attachments.
The motor is housed in the base of the appliance, and it is the heaviest part of the device. Full-size machines generally have larger, more powerful motors, and can weigh more than 20 lbs. The heaviness of the base gives the appliance stability and ensures that it doesn't move around while the motor is running.
The size of the bowl varies according to the size of the machine:
Full-size bowls generally have a capacity of: 9 to 13 cups. Compact-size bowls : 5 to 7 cups. Mini-size bowls can: 2 to 5 cups.
One speed is the norm in Food Processors, plus a pulse setting to control processing precisely. Touchpad controls are becoming more commonplace, too.
Window to the Past
Carl Sontheimer created the Food Processor in the early 1970’s, he got inspired in the French designs of the Industrial Blenders. The Food Processor was introduced to North America in 1973, although took few years for consumers to realize how useful the new appliance could be. Once they did the Food Processor became a Bestseller.
Recent developments
Food processor don’t have the need to change too much during the years due to the operations are quite the same. The newest technologies of Food Processors just give you the option to choose between buying aditional attachments to make the appliance more versatile. Some of the attachments include.
A dough blade – This blade is useful to make dough for bread and pizza.
An egg whip - To beat egg whites and whipping cream, incorporating sufficient air to ensure a fluffy end product.
A julienne disc – To cut food into long, thin matchsticks.
A French fry - This is similar to the julienne disc but yields larger, fatter pieces.
A citrus juicer - To squeeze the juice from oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, etc.
A non-citrus juice - This purees fruits and vegetables introduced into the feed tube, collecting the pulp in the middle and straining the juice into the bottom of the bowl.
Liquidisers - Will allow you to prepare liquids better. Capacities vary from 0.75L to 1.75L.
Whisking - a whisk will allow you to prepare cream and beat eggs, and emulsifying discs have a similar function.
Types of Food Processors
The Types of Food Processor vary on number of attachments that the buyer wants. To acquire. But also the types differ in the Capacity, Power and Speeds that they need.
There are mini versions of food processors, as well as the larger versions, and capacities range from 0.8L to 3L. Obviously the capacity needed will reflect how much food is usually prepare.
The power in Watts of the food processor reflects how well it can break down food, so the higher the power, the more efficient the machine will be. A good number of Power watts will be 400.
Food processors come with varying speeds: One Speed to automatic selection without a pulse and Variable speeds give you even more control, and an automatic option will select the best speed for you.
How to Wisely use a Food Processor
Select the blade you wish to use and put it into the food processor.
Latch the lid and the bowl onto the processor, enabling the machine to operate
Trim leaves or other unwanted parts from the food you wish to chop and drop it into the machine's feed tube. Fill the bowl only up to the recommended level (usually marked on the bowl), or it will leak
Use the plastic pusher to help move the food if needed.
Use your food processor for chopping vegetables, making graham cracker crusts, smoothing sauces or pureeing baby food.
Make soup fixings by adding 2 c. broth to about 2 1/2 c. vegetable chunks ' potatoes, onions, carrots, etc. Put these in for 30 seconds using the S-shaped blade.
Chop food, without pureeing it, using the S-shaped blade. Use the Pulse button instead of turning the processor on and keep an eye on the consistency.
Put nuts (shelled) into the processor with the grinding blade. Turn it on and watch the nuts go from chopped to a ball shape, and then to thick, then thin butter. Almonds and peanuts work well; walnuts and pecans are a bit tougher but still workable.
Shred cheese by putting a block of the appropriate size in the processor and using the Pulse setting and the shredding blade. Mozzarella will shred easily if you freeze it for about 20 minutes first.
Make coleslaw with the shredding disk rather than the slicing one, which will make the pieces too short.
Whip cream with a hand mixer. Most food processors don't have the speed to make good peaks.This was written with the assumption that the food processor has On, Off and Pulse settings. Some machines have more speeds, so consult your owner's manual for the best use.
How to choose the right Food Processor
Analyze your need for a food processor. If you prepare food for large amounts of people and would regularly use the slicing, shredding, chopping and other functions of a food processor, you may be a candidate for buying one.
Consider the capacity you need. A 2- or 7-c. bowl is likely to be big enough unless you usually make large quantities of food. Decide whether you need any extra slicing or shredding discs. Most food processors are sufficient without extras, but you may want to add discs now or later.
Check special features such as mini bowls, feed chutes, number of speeds, pulsing function and whether blades are reversible. Check that the parts are dishwasher-safe. This saves cleanup time. It’s a good idea to look for at least 400W in power.
Tips:
The larger the bowl of the food processor, the more it's likely to cost. The heavier the base of your food processor, the less likely it is to move around when it's being used. The base of a food processor should never be put in a dishwasher or underwater
Best Food Processor Guide
Best food processor Experts say this is the best full-sized food processor, just slightly edging out competing models from Cuisinart . The KitchenAid KFP750 is praised in reviews for its power and quiet operation. In recent tests, chopping and slicing is even and consistent, with no leaks or motor trouble on tough jobs. The KitchenAid food processor has a 12-cup capacity and comes with a 4-cup mini-bowl that fits inside the main container for smaller jobs. It also has a dough blade and three additional slicing discs. If you want even larger capacity, look to the 14-cup Cuisinart below.
Largest-capacity. This Cuisinart food processor is the largest capacity machine on the market, and if you need to make three pounds of cookie dough or grate more than ten cups of cheese at once, the DLC-2014 is your best bet. In tests, The Cuisinart is slightly bested by the KitchenAid above, but it's a close race. Cuisinart backs this model with a full three-year warranty -- longer than the KitchenAid's one-year warranty. If you need extra-large capacity, this model is your best bet. It does, however, cost more than most models on the market. Best small food processor.Reviews say the 7-cup Cuisinart is the best small-sized food processor for homes that don't need large capacity or want the large footprint of the more expensive Cuisinart and KitchenAid food processors above. The Cuisinart DLC-5 has enough oomph for smaller batches of cookie and bread dough -- heavy-duty tasks beyond the capabilities of the smaller and cheaper KitchenAid mini chopper discussed below.
Mini chopper .The 3-cup KitchenAid mini chopper doesn't come with extra blades, and isn't suitable for heavy-duty jobs like making cookie dough, but for basic slicing and pureeing, experts say the KFC3100 is handy for chopping almonds and processing whole spices. In testing, the 3-cup KitchenAid mini chopper outperforms other models.
Myths and Facts about Food Processing
Food processing means the transformation of raw materials into food for consumption. Benefits of food processing includes toxin removal, preservation, improving flavor, marketing, distribution, and increasing food consistency.
There are some Myths about Food Processing:
Myth: There are no benefits of processed foods.
Fact: Food processing makes many foods available that we couldn't otherwise eat (for example, most people eat bread or breakfast cereals but not unprocessed grains). Without food processing we certainly wouldn't have the large variety of food products we see on supermarket and store shelves. Food processing enables the year-round availability of foods that have limited growing seasons. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are just some examples.
Myth: Processed foods are not as nutritious as fresh foods.
Fact: Many processed foods are just as nutritious or in some cases even more nutritious than fresh foods depending on the manner in which they are processed.
Frozen vegetables are usually processed within hours of harvest. There is little nutrient loss in the freezing process so frozen vegetables retain their high vitamin and mineral content. In contrast, fresh vegetables are picked and transported to market. It can take days or even weeks before they reach the dinner table and vitamins are gradually lost over time no matter how carefully the vegetables are transported and stored. Some processed foods, such as breads and breakfast cereals, have vitamins and minerals added for extra nutrition. In fact, the growing interest in health and nutrition has spurred the production of a whole new range of foods with added health and nutritional benefits (called "functional foods") such as fat spreads with added fibre to lower cholesterol.
Myth: The additives and preservatives in processed foods are not necessary. Fact: Food additives play an important role in preserving the freshness, safety taste, appearance and texture of foods. Food additives are added for a particular purpose whether it is to ensure food safety, to add nutritional value or to improve food quality. For example, antioxidants prevent fats and oils from becoming rancid while emulsifiers stop peanut butter from separating into solid and liquid fractions. Food additives keep bread free of mould and allow fruit jams to "gel" so they can be spread onto bread.
All food additives in processed foods must be approved by the national regulatory body charged with food safety in each country. Strict limits are placed on the amount and types of additives in foods and any additive must be included in the ingredients listing on a food package.
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