Hi, I'm Joan in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

[Amanda]

Hello Joan, and welcome. I know you will love the new toy!

[quirkycooking]

Hi Joan, how are you going with your Thermomix? Your post caught my eye as my parents are from the US and used to live in Missouri, and I've been to St Louis and the Arch and all (We're in Australia now though) Hope you've found some others in the US using the Thermomix - wish they'd sell it there! I'd love my family to be able to get them easily. It's such an amazing appliance - I use mine constantly, every day - wouldn't be without it!! Have fun

[Cyberider]

Welcome to the forum, Joan.  I will be interested to hear of your experiences dealing with the folks in Canada and how you like your machine when you get it and what you use it for.  I'm also in the US but have just been watching from the sidelines due to the expense and lack of support (other than this forum) in the US. 

Keep us posted!
Dave in AZ

[leesmac78]

I'm in Frankfurt, Germany so it is nice to see another person on "this" side of the world.  Welcome!

Xxx

 

[mairim]

Everyone has been so wonderfully warm and welcoming. It's great to have this kind of community to help, when there's no consultant to contact. Dave, I'll let you know how I'm doing as soon as I've mastered my new "toy."  Had an operation on the sole of my foot and I've been grounded for at least two weeks (until the stitches come out).  Nothing serious, but it does mean that until I can move about, I won't be using my Thermomix.  So far, I've made chicken stock concentrate, vegetable stock concentrate (since I'm unfamiliar with gram measurements, I made far too much of this, so gave one jar to a friend for the veggie risottos he makes), and a lemon salad dressing (ditto, made far too much, which meant gifts for friends and neighbors).  I also made a mushroom risotto, where I was too smart for my own good: I halved the recipe, and added time to it, since I used Carnaroli rather than Arborio rice, and in my experience it takes a bit more cooking. The result (which will teach me not to monkey with recipes until I try them correctly the first time) was gummy risotto, but it did taste delicious, as well it should have with porcini powder and dried porcinis added to the fresh mushrooms.  Received the Easy Cooking and Asian Cooking cookbooks that I ordered from England, so when I'm on my feet again, I think I'll start with some simple recipes.

[Cornish Cream]

I hope you recover soon Joan.

[andiesenji]

I also prefer Carnaroli or Vialone Nano to Arborio.  I follow the direction in the TMX cookbook exactly for the Carnaroli and it turns out perfect every time. 
The Vialone Nano rice has a smaller grain and cooks more rapidly so I cut off 4 minutes on the time. 

[mairim]

Thanks Andie.  Just received Vialoni Nano from Amazon.com, and I'll cut 4 minutes from the cooking time as you recommended.  Can't wait until I'm on my feet and playing with Bimby.
To all you Aussies, spent six weeks in Australia in the '80s.  Loved it.  Australians and Americans seem to have a great deal in common, I found everyone wonderfully warm and welcoming.
Spent time in New Zealand some years later, studying end of life issues in intensive care.  Loved that as well. You seem to have the most amazing sunsets in that part of the world, far more spectacular than we have here. And in both countries, people seem to be more informal and welcoming than Americans (if one can make blanket statements with any sort of truth to them).

[mairim]

Well, I just made lemon curd and there's only one problem with it: I can't stop eating it!  Perhaps two problems: I should have made more.

[quirkycooking]

Isn't it delicious??!!

[mairim]

I'm trying to stay off my feet as much as possible until the stitches are removed, but I couldn't resist trying a recipe for brioche in the Thermomix.  I was a bit worried, because when I make bread I generally keep an eye on the dough to make sure whether it needs more flour or water.  But to my surprise and utter delight it was perfect!  I made a large oval loaf, couldn't have been easier, and the result is delicious.  I'm looking forward to knowing enough about the Thermomix so that I can adapt recipes for it.  There's a Swedish rye recipe from an old bread book by James Beard that would be much easier in the Thermomix, once I get on my feet, learn more about Bimby, and start baking -- and cooking. (There's a Spanish fish stew recipe that calls for slowly sauteing onions, sweet red peppers, and tomatoes for 45 minutes to an hour, served with a garlic mayonnaise.... But I've got to learn to walk before I try to run.)

[cookie1]

I hope the foot is going well.

[mairim]

Thanks!  The stitches come out tomorrow.  Hope I can drive then, I'm running short on fresh groceries.  And I want to get back to my Thermomix.  There's a cheese and basil rolls recipe I want to try..  I live alone, but the neighbors are always delighted to get food when I make too much.  (And when it isn't entirely successful--like my last risotto where I followed the recipe and strained the dried mushrooms but didn't strain them through paper, ending up with a delicious but sandy risotto -- my German Shepherd thinks it's delicious!)

[Cuilidh]

I think you are becoming as much of an TMX addict as the rest of us Joan - there's always another recipe we want to try and, yes, our neighbours often benefit from our efforts.

Take care of your foot.