A (slowly growing) catalog of the useful, beautiful, and strange…
Other Recommended Sources:
Filson – Better Outdoor Clothing
Gemplers – Workwear & Farm Supply
~ because it can be unreasonable ~
Other Recommended Sources:
Filson – Better Outdoor Clothing
Gemplers – Workwear & Farm Supply
Francis:
Good to see you back.
Thanks for the info and, with your permission, I’ll include your comments on the subject as a separate review of the (original) Atlas. We’ll do a little digging and see if anything better than cheap knock-offs are available.
BTW, had to pull out the old SAK for an emergency can opening….though I’ve been notified that my OXO is on the way.
Cheers,
HT
Re pasta equipment;
We have a long history, almost 30 years, with manual pasta machines. I consider “manual pasta machine” to be a somewhat redundant phrase since pasta machines powered by electricity do not produce pasta worthy of the name.
I purchased our first PM as a gift for my young, and relatively new, wife. This, of course, is one of those gifts that husbands give that is entirely absent of self interest. Another such selfless husband gift to wives is lovely lingerie. It is a marvel how selfless we husbands can be.
Prior to making the purchase I phoned a couple of cooking schools in Seattle to ask their advice about PMs [just so there is no confusion, that "s" makes the M plural]. Each school first ranted about what not to buy – an electric machine – then recommend the Atlas. Appropriately, it is made in Italy. Yes, I am aware of the legend about Marco Polo/China/pasta but some fairy tales are not credible and this is one of them. Even if it were credible I’d reject it anyway simply because I don’t like the idea.
So I bought an Atlas and have never regretted it. It performed admirably for almost 30 years as it produced miles of pasta. Unlike so many PM owners, we actually used ours.
Sadly, last year our Atlas collapsed under the weight of what might be called the weight of a world of pasta. Time for another PM. Since an Atlas, at full retail, is pricey [about $75, I think] we purchased a look alike that was recommended by a kitchen supply shop. We have since fire bombed that shop. The look alike died within the first hour of use.
Happily, I purchased a brand new Atlas for $15 at the Bainbridge Island giant garage sale thing last summer. It has been a long time since I have been so thrilled with a purchase.
If you want a PM I suggest the Atlas. A pleasure to use, produces superior pasta, and lasts for 30 years under considerable usage.
N.B. – re my previous post about can openers – I did know that GI meant gov’t issue. It’s just that anything gov’t issue tends to produce gastro intestinal effects – belly aches -for me.
Francis:
Thanks for dropping by and sharing your advice. Thank you also for alerting us to the disabled comment section. You also deserve thanks for being the first to leave a comment on this new blogsite.
Great advice on the Swiss Army Knife. My wife keeps hers in her pocket at all times. The GI is for “Government Issue”, in the case the venerated P-38 can opener. I included an Amazon link above, but here’s another, which includes the larger P-51:
http://www.georgia-outfitters.com/page52.shtml
Again, thanks for dropping by. Feel free to come again and add to the information here. We’re just getting started, but are looking forward to compiling more “practical” information from folks just like you.
HT
I prefer manual can openers. Of the manual variety I prefer the machine type. Meaning the type that has moving parts and is principally operated by means of a handle that is twisted clockwise and moves by means of meshing gears around the can. However, it is disappointing how quickly they wear out.
My experience with can opening tools that are of the simple kind – no moving parts – is limited to the can opener on my Swiss Army knife. The experience has been a good one. Many, many, cans have succumbed to it. It appears to me that it will last indefinitely. Or almost so.
It is more work to use than is the machine type but that can be considered a virtue. If you are a time miser and think that the machine variety is preferable because you suppose it to be faster I would say you are a time miser indeed. Very limited practice with the Swiss Army knife can opener will have you opening cans almost as fast as you can with the effete machine type.
I have never used the GI [gastro-intestinal?] type mentioned but I believe the Swiss Army knife opener is to be preferred for the greater leverage, and hence greater ease of use, it affords.