Photo credit: www.eater.com
If you’re searching for an ideal White Elephant gift, consider an immersion blender. My enthusiasm for this kitchen gadget stems from my own experience at a gift exchange, where I found it to be the most practical option among a sea of typical presents like candles or portable speakers. After a series of unwrapping and swapping, I ensured that the Kitchenaid hand blender came home with me. Years have passed since that holiday gathering, yet my fondness for my immersion blender has only deepened.
As someone who enjoys making soup, the arrival of fall triggers an urge to create bowls of creamy concoctions, made even richer and smoother with my immersion blender. While some soups thrive on their chunky textures, others, such as tomato and butternut squash, greatly benefit from a smoother consistency. However, using a conventional blender for soup poses several challenges. Transferring a large pot of soup can be cumbersome and cumbersome, and personally, my wrists tire quickly from lifting my Dutch oven repeatedly (not to mention my frustration with ladling the soup into the blender gradually).
There’s also the concern of potentially creating a mess when blending hot soup. Steam can build up pressure in a standard blender, which could lead to a messy eruption of soup, splattering the kitchen walls. The resultant cleanup is only marginally easier than the arduous task of cleaning out a blender, which involves disassembling parts and scrubbing each one thoroughly to avoid bits of food hiding in the blades or crevices.
Using a stick blender, in contrast, is much simpler when it comes to cleanup. With the Kitchenaid stick blender, a quick washing of its single detachable component is all that’s required. Additionally, the user-friendly nature of a stick blender is remarkable. Just plug it in, insert the immersion part into your soup, and blend away.
Beyond soups, an immersion blender is versatile enough to prepare apple sauce, whip cream, and emulsify dressings. It’s also handy for making hummus, pesto, and mayonnaise, and yes, it can whip up smoothies just like a traditional blender.
To this day, I’ve opted out of purchasing a conventional blender because my immersion blender has proven to be a multifunctional kitchen ally—while occupying far less counter space. As soup season approaches, it’s the perfect time for my immersion blender to take center stage once more.
Source
www.eater.com