What does a food writer who develops recipes for major brands cooks with, you may ask (and often do)? My dented cookware, gold-plated tableware and incomplete silverware date back to the seventies, when my mom packed it all away following my parents’ divorce. Until manufacturers started sending me their new gizmos for review, I was probably the most ill-equipped writer in town. To create recipes, I have/had a KitchenAid food processor and coffee grinder (for spices), a Breville blender, a Cuisinart hand-held blender, an old Mokita espresso machine, a Panasonic microwave and a T-Fal toaster.
Before participating in TV show L’Épicerie’s bench test to find the best coffee grinder, shown here in French, I bought my coffee already ground. I purchased the bench test winner (spoiler alert: Bodum) after my TV appearance. In other words, I have no brand loyalty and care only about performance. And cost.
I was very happy with my Australian Breville blender, a workhorse that delivers great results. That is until last fall, when Breville invited me to the launch of their new The Boss, a semi-professional blender to compete with the famous Vitamix. I wanted to feature it on this blog before but, as you know, it had been under reconstruction forever. So here goes finally, presenting the Bruce Springsteen of blenders…
I’ve never owned a Vitamix, too pricey for me, but always dreamt of it. I therefore can’t compare the two (Serious Eats has done so here if you’re interested.) I can only speak to my experience with ze Boss. A very conclusive one. Imagine a blender with an ACL screen that displays settings and countdowns. With a traditional Smoothie touch and a second Green Smoothie one (the first in the world), because spinach and kale need that extra power to liquify fully.
A blender that crushes ice, turns nuts into butter and grains into flour. And whose Soup touch button creams AND heats your soup at the same time, thanks to the heat generated by the high-velocity ProKinetix blades. As a suburban mom always on the run, I was especially taken with the… Self-clean button. Yep, a dedicated self-cleaning button. You pour in some water, add a few drops of dish soap, press the button and, voilà, a clean blender under one minute. You just need to rinse it using hot tap water to remove any fatty residue and let dry.
For the launch of its new blender, Breville secured starred chef Heston Blumenthal as its official spokesperson. A chef known for his demanding, perfectionist and innovative ways, that says it all. Videos demonstrating Blumenthal and The Boss in action can also be found on YouTube.
Of course, all of this comes at a price. The Breville retails for $599 and sells for $499 on Amazon.ca (less on Amazon.com). The Boss won’t replace low-cost ordinary blenders, it’s meant for a clientele that demands the best, cooks regularly or likes gadgets. A warning though: After cooking with one of the super blenders of this world, you’re spoiled for life.
During the launch, I was served a delicious green smoothie showcasing The Boss. You’ll find the recipe, which I redid at home, by clicking on the link below.
• For the Tropical Green Smoothie above, click here.
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To learn more or buy The Boss online:
Disclaimer: I received this product from the manufacturer as part of the media launch. This post is not sponsored and all opinions expressed are my own.
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