Hi from New York City

[Home cook]

Hello everyone...

I read a recent article in the Wall Street Journal that described the Thermomix in such a way that I was absolutely convinced I needed to get it.  I am a pediatric occupational therapist with my own practice here in New York City.  I work a lot of hours and I was looking for a way to cook healthy food without spending hours in the kitchen.  Subsequent research via the internet sealed the deal for me.  I contacted a Canadian distributor and had the Thermomix imported from Quebec.

My first dish was the mushroom risotto which was quite a success at my dinner party.  I first made the vegetable stock which was a great way to learn about the machine. The second dish I attempted (the ice cream recipe from the Australian cookbook that arrived with the machine) was a different story.  It was supposed get firm in the freezer in three - four hours but was still a liquid after seven hours.  I substituted vanilla extract for vanilla essence and maybe that was the problem?  The alcohol in the extract interfered with freezing?  My friends, with the wonderful risotto still in their bellies, forgave me for my promise to serve a delectable ice cream with chocolate sauce. For dessert we headed out to our local creamery.

Has anyone had any success making ice cream from scratch in the Thermomix?  Also, are there additional recipe books anyone can recommend?  Thanks so, so much in advance for any suggestions/advice.  We don't have distributors in the US so I am on my own here and I would love to hear from others with any suggestions/tips concerning the TM.

I look forward to spending this summer making all sorts of dishes (soups, spreads, sorbets, and pizza).  I will share the results of my experiences. 

[MrSpock]

w00t! w00t! w00t!

Finally, one more from America! Welcome! I'm from Quebec 

*throws confettis in the air*

Sorry you had no luck with your ice cream! Next time, try a strawberry sorbet: I use that recipe to impress company every time I have someone over, and it works every time. Let me know if the recipe is not in your book, I'll post it.

The best way to find excellent recipes is to browse this forum. Not only do you get great recipes, but you also get good feedback on those recipes, so it helps figure out if they're what you're looking for.

Funny, I was just wondering today what book I would have gotten if I had asked for an English book. Mine is French from France, and it was the only dissapointment with my Thermomix. French recipes are really unusual and don't inspire me at all.

[brazen20au]

Welcome Home Cook!!!

[I Love Bimby!]

Welcome Home Cook.
You'll enjoy this forum - everyone is so helpful and supportive and no problems too big or small  

I'm an Aussie - and was surprised that you got the Australian cookbook with yours.  Nice touch though  

I make the icecream from time to time (although have since had to keep away from dairy  ).  It's worked each time, although for me it does take a lot longer to freeze.  I always use extract rather than essence.

Did you just get incontact with Canada's HO for a consultants contact details?  The reason I ask is that I have a potential customer here who is visiting her sister in the US later this year and strongly believes her sister would love one. So it would be great to have the information to pass on.

As far as recipe books (I can only speak for the Australian ones), the Gluten Free Cookbook and the Vegetarian Cookbooks are great.  There is also Cyndi O'Meara Cookbook (author of Changing Habits, Changing Lives www.changinghabits.com.au ). There is also a Seafood Cookbook (I'm not a seafood eater...).

All the very best on your TMX adventure - I'm sure you'll love it!

[Home cook]

Thanks for the hearty welcomes!

Mr Spock - the English language cookbook (Australian) is quite good.  There are instructions as to how to convert recipes to the Thermomix.  I have the added challenge of needing to change the way I measure ingredients.   Most of my recipes use the US system of measurement, not the metric system.

 I am finding the metric system quite easy to learn, especially since the Thermomix has a built in scale.

[Home cook]

To:  I Love Bimby

I will get the contact info for you - it was included in the Wall Street Journal article.  I am at our beach house and the info is on my desktop computer in the city.  I will be returning there tomorrow and will post the info for you in case the person in the US wants to import one from Canada.  They sell the Thermomix with 110V so they they will work in our electrical outlets here in the US. 

Thanks for the cookbook recommendations.  I don't want to pay an arm and a leg for them so I will need to find the best way to get them.  They are not offered on Amazon.com.

Again, thanks for the info.

[MrSpock]

Here's the contact info for the Quebec City HQ:

Claude Perron, General Director

Nathalie Miller, Marketing Director

Importations Nobelhaus
2393 boul. Louis XIV
Québec (Québec)
Canada  G1C 1B2

Phone: 418 661-3735
Fax: 418 661-1598

Email: importationsnobelhaus@qc.aira.com

[Home cook]

Mr Spock  Thanks!!

I spoke with Nathalie and placed my order with her.  She was great!  Unfortunately, my machine was stuck in Customs for over a week.  I had to contact UPS - FDA and nudge them to get the proper paper work to the correct department.  There was a whole in the box where they peeked in to confirm the contents.  I am not sure why the Thermomix is not sold in the US...

[Home cook]

Oops!!! There was a 'hole' in the box.  It is getting late here and my concentration is slipping...

[judydawn]

A big welcome to Home Cook to our forum.  You will have ups and downs with your Thermomix but eventually it will sort itself out.  I suggest you browse the recipes on this forum as we have some beauties here.  You can even get some good ones from the ThermomixUK site too.  The basic everyday Australian cookbook that came with the TMX is something you need to have but the actual main meal recipes are not vast in quantity and sometimes leave a lot to be desired.  However, some are great too. Good luck and keep us informed as to how you are getting on with it.

[Home cook]

Judydawn,

Thanks for the welcome.  I look forward to experimenting and trying new recipes.  I did a number of searches and was unable to find anyone else who made ice cream according to the recipe instructions in the Australian cookbook.  Maybe I will have to scratch that recipe...  Again, thanks for welcome!

[judydawn]

Home cook, there are a few ice cream recipes in the dessert section of this forum.  Maybe you could give those a try.  Bron from Spain and Cookie1 from Western Australia seem to do different icecreams a lot so they could give you more advice than I can. 

[bron]

Hi Home cook and welcome. Try my instant ice-cream (in the dessert section), any frozen fruit and a semi frozen yoghurt, and some icing sugar. Its instant and delicious. Or try the strawberry foam, its not ice-cream, but has tiny fragments of frozen berries in and its delicious too. Both desserts are very healthy and easy and instant. All you need is frozen fruit. I also make normal ice-cream and add in all sorts of not so healthy things! So if you would like my recipe for that just let me know, but try out these 2 recipes first and give me your honest opinion

[Rowyfo]

Hi and welcome!! It's great to see another person from the US here. (I am not, but you are few and far between indeed!)

We'll all be here to help you through the teething problems

[Thermomixer]

Hi Home Cook - sorry for the belated welcome.  Work and other commitments.   

I have not tried the ise cream in the Everyday cookbook, but think that 2 things may be at play.  I would not be concerned about the vanilla issue - that amount shouldn't matter.

What size tray/dish did you use to freeze the ice cream - it would be best to use a shallow metal or ceramic dish for speeding up the process.

The other thing is that I really think 4 egg yolks would be needed for 500ml milk/cream to make a custard base properly.  It may be OK to make the custard with just the milk, egg yolks and sugar, flavourings and then mix through the cream (whipped !!!! first).

Completely different recipe, but think that has a better chance of working.