What is a Thermomix?

Until the other night I’d never heard of a Thermomix, a friend in Australia posted on Facebook that she’d just brought one, she was so excited, off I went to google it & was shocked at what I found.

It’s basically a kitchen in 1! It isn’t cheap at around £900 but seems to do just about everything apart from actually bake & roast.

I asked Kelly if she would write a post for me & she was only too happy so read on & see what she thought after her 1st proper use of it.

Thermomix Review

BACKGROUND TO PURCHASE –

Since Christmas 2011 when I visited my parents in Western Australia I fell in love with Mum’s Thermomix.

When she told me she had purchased one I nearly fell off my chair and couldn’t understand how one machine could be so expensive and how to justify spending that much money. However by the end of my family Christmas holiday I was converted!

Being someone who loves being in the kitchen the Themomix made everything seem easy, from fresh rolls in an hour, to pumpkin soup in 20 minutes all in the one bowl, an afternoon dip whipped up in 30 secs to my favourite, a frozen berry sorbet in less than 60 secs.

So my plan was to get back to Victoria, start saving and purchase one asap…..

Well the year passed very quickly, January turned into June, savings turned into expensive dentist visits and my online searching for an alternative to purchasing the Thermomix from a “authorized rep” turned into a weekly google session.

As a background, Thermomix can only be purchased from an “Authorised” rep in Australia. It can not be purchased in Stores or anywhere online…. You wont find it in the bargain basement of Target. You also have to have a “party” , drag all your friends into looking at one who have no intention of purchasing and then hassling them into also having a party. I’m just not that type of person.

In the end I went to eBay and checked out if anyone was selling second hand and came across a seller in Spain who was selling them brand new…. Back to googling I went on reviews and seemed like the only people who were giving negative reviews on a Spain purchase were those that were most likely “authorized” reps in Australia and didn’t want you to spend your money elsewhere. For about 2 months I watch the eBay listings (there was one ending at 8pm every night) and they were all selling for about $600 – $700 cheaper then I could purchase in Australia… all the reviews from Australia seemed to be legit and all were positive. I checked out the pay-pal and eBay refund policy to check I would have some sort of dispute policy for spending that much money and tried my luck on a couple of auctions.

After a couple of try’s I noticed that just before 8 it would get crazy with bidding and I missed out on a couple of auctions. But early December I was giving it another go and next thing I know I have purchased from Spain for $1200 + postage …. It took me a couple of days to tell family as maybe they would think I was crazy, but everyone thought it was great and knew I would have done my background checks.

Then the wait began …. The seller advised I would receive between the 8th of January and the 30th of January. It included a plug converter and a photocopy of the instruction manual in English. I thought it also included the “basics” recipe manual in Spanish but I must have got this mixed up with the instruction manual. Not that it mattered to me as I had already organized with Mum to bring over her book which I could photocopy.

I had a tracking number and all over Christmas it said it was “ on its way” then on the 9th it was “arrived in destination” by the 11th it had been delivered and it was like Christmas had come all over again (pity mum had only left 3 days earlier from her Christmas holiday)

Opening the box, the foam protector was a little crushed in one corner and a few plastic bits fell out …. I was starting to worry so I started to take lots of photos before I removed it from box. But once out of box all was ok…. Phew it was just the plug converter that had been smashed to 100’s of pieces, all other parts and the main machine was perfect, now I just had to look at it whilst I wait for the shops to open in the morning.

DAY 1

So I have been to the shops and purchased the plug converter  Michael said he thought there were some at work and I guess I could have waited, but if there were none in the office I would have sat around all day doing nothing.

Now I don’t know what to do so may have to do a little reading and decide what I am going to tackle first !

So many options and things to do, firstly I will need to stock up on some veggies and make the veggie stock. Seems like the thing to do and keep in the fridge so you always have it.

I would love to make the sorbet but at 11am in the morning that may just be over the top…. Lunch / Dinner / Sweets ……. Lemonade it is !!! I wanted to do something which I could do completely in the Thermomix and not start and finish in the oven (like a cake or biscuits)

What a great idea on a hot day to just be able to whiz up some lemonade …. I have a lime and lemon tree in the back yard, just need a little sugar, ice and water or sparkling water (which I had both) .

Seems too easy, put in the sugar and pulverise for 5 secs. Put in a tray of ice and pulverise for 5 secs, Cut ends off lemon and quarter, throw them in the bowl, and add 500gm of water (which can be weighed directly on the inbuilt scales straight into the bowl)

Put lid on and then use the pulse button 4 times…. Once finished just put another 500gm of water into the bowl then add the strain basket into the bowl and poor into a jug..

Great tasting not too sweet and refreshing

Once finished I threw away the bits in the bowl, rinsed and then added water just over the blade and then “washed” for 20 secs on the machine….

Bowl is clean, no smell in bowl and ready for my next adventure.

So far so good looks like I am going to be cooking all weekend !!!!

Kelly posted this on her Facebook status:-

So far I am still super excited about my new Thermomix….. made Sorbet last night, Fudge today, made the vegetable stock this afternoon and Risotto tonight for dinner….. love that I now have a stock which I know is 100% preserve free and lasts 6 months.

Thank you Kelly for this I can’t wait for more of your Thermomix recipes.

( I wonder if she’ll let me “look” at it next Christmas when we head over to Melbourne??)

Amazingly on Saturday morning, I was watching cookery programme & low & behold they were using a Thermomix, & I have been told a certain well know eccentric chef has numerous Thermomix machine in his restaurant.

Disclosure. This post has been written for my blog & has not been endorsed by Thermomix.