Matfer Mandoline Vegetable Slicer

Stainless Steel w/ Plain and Serrated Blade Set

Matfer Mandoline Vegetable Slicer As a labor saving device I usually consider a mandoline somewhat suspect, because a cook skilled with a knife and cutting board can out-produce a mandoline operator if all that's required is sliced vegetables. In restaurants the mandoline or a similar device can assureproductuniformity, which often is not critical in a home kitchen. The Matfer 215000 is not the usual countertop machine, however, and creative home chefs as well as professionals may find something special here.

Construction is simple and solid, with a stainless steel build and tempered replaceable cutting blades. A handle at the top provides a convenient stabilizing grip, and the vegetable holder provides safety for your fingers while reducing the amount of vegetable or fruit that winds up as stubs, not food. Of course the remnants can still be used, but appearance of the product is the reason to have this machine, and perfect results are spoiled by haphazard chops added to the mix.

A plain blade allows uniform straight cuts, and a serrated edge produces uniform waffle cuts, in the rippled potato chip pattern--perfect also for home made sandwich pickles. Additional blades give the chef the option of many widths of julienned vegetables, the largest big enough for french fries. Three different blades and cutter sets give a total of 38 different product types.

The fanciest is the waffle cut, with a technique I won't explain here that produces a thin vegetable mesh for a unique addition to salads or the ultra crispy but delicate potato chip you'll never see in stores.

Although Matfer says the blades can be sharpened at home, unless you have special tools and considerable experience don't expect to renew anything but the straight blade. Buy replacements for the rest.