Solid state Kitchenaid mixers were introduced in 1978 (the K45SS and the K5SS). In 1986 the line was sold to Whirlpool and all the Artisan, Classic etc. mixers sold today are basically the same models as made in 1986 (some improvements and efficiencies in the machining but anyone who has an old "original" K45SS or K5SS can repair it using today's parts). The Pro line was developed as something entirely new so it doesn't have the same history, but the company has worked very hard to upgrade and improve the model since its inception. There was a period of time when people were having a lot of trouble with their Kitchenaid mixers and the company had to work very hard to restore the reputation of the product. That's when they instituted the one-year no-questions-asked full replacement policy. It's still the best guarantee in the business (my opinion). I'm not convinced the old Hobart mixers are inherently superior to the Kitchenaids made today. I think there's a lot of mythology attached to the brand, but my take on it is people have trouble with the newer mixers because they ask them to do more than they were designed for, especially kneading bread. 50 or 60 years ago women (and it was women in the home kitchen) fortunate enough to have mixers used them for cakes, cookies, meringues, whipped cream, etc. They didn't use them for bread dough, which was generally kneaded by hand. My MIL baked 4 loaves every other day and her old Dormeyer never saw the dough. There's a lot of discussion on The Fresh Loaf about people who burn out their mixers with stiff doughs mixed at speeds higher than the recommended "2" setting. Bread is not the KitchenAid's strong point, though you can mix a perfectly fine one or two-loaf batch or autolyse a portion of a bigger recipe and finish by hand. For bread the Bosch (stiff doughs) or the Ankarsrum/Electrolux Assistant/Magic Mill, etc. (wet doughs) are more suitable. Getting back to the original discussion, the two attachments I use most often on the KA are the grinder and the colander/sieve. The colander/sieve is wonderful, but you have to purchase a vintage one and the K5 is the biggest mixer one will fit. Why the company doesn't offer a new colander/sieve for the 6 quart I do not know. The Viking/Cuisinart/De Longhi (all the same machine) did have a colander/sieve attachment available. I use the shredder attachment less frequently, but I do use it, and even though I have a 14-cup Cuisinart, I prefer the shredder attachment because I find since the mixer is already on the counter, it's less fuss for me to use. Just one of those individual quirks we all have. Carol

The think the food shows use the term "comfort food" as a catch phrase meaning the opposite of low Cholesteral/low fat! LOL!! According to Wikipedia: "There are three categories of food fads. Some food fads incorporate a combination of categories: 1. The virtue of a particular food or food group is exaggerated and purported to cure specific diseases, and is therefore incorporated as a primary constituent of an individualÂs diet. 2. Foods are eliminated from an individualÂs diet because they are viewed as harmful. 3. An emphasis is placed on eating certain foods to express a particular lifestyle." Lindac's mention of "bistro" brought to mind several other fads. When I was in college during the '70s health food was all the craze. I still love avacado sandwiches though! Then there was "haute cuisine" whatever that was. And then there was "cajun cook'n" and everything was being blackened! I just can't eat burned anything no matter how magnificent others say it is. In the '90s everything was enclosed in a pot sticker. Pot sticker vegetables, pot sticker chicken and I can even remember chocolate pot stickers. I never understood the concept. Oh and let's not forget the "deconstructed era" where no food can touch another food. You get the burger, then the bun, then the pickles, then the mustard and on and on. But heaven forbid if one food item touches another until the customer reconstructs his burger. Good thing this did not last too long. Now in upscale restaurants everything has a bit of colored foam on it. I'd rather have parsley, the foam looks like some kind of weird, voodoo fog hovering over the food. I don't like it. As far as meatloaf being a new high end restautant item, it has been on menus in the Midwest forever. I waitressed in the '70s and '80s and every restaurant I ever worked in, including fine dining, had meatloaf on the menu at some time or other. Michelle

For all the specialty tools I have and love, I really do use a knife most of the time. About 80% with my 8" chef's knife, 10% with a paring knife, and 10% with a specialty knife or tool. This is the Kyocera paddle mandoline. It should be great for slicing table vegetables. I generally just use my knife if there are only a few of us, though I have to concentrate to get even slices. Usually, a V-slicer is better for tomatoes than a straight edge, but the angle of the Kycera's blade helps with that. And it's sharp enough to think nothing of turnips. I can definitely recommend it. Plus, it fits right in the knife drawer, can go in the DW, and is easy to clean by hand. There's a rod at the back that turns to select thickness (.5 mm 1.3mm, 2mm, and 3mm). The hand guard doesn't mash the veg, and moves back and forth easily. I've never cut myself on this one (my usual complaint with mandolines), even though the ceramic blade is supersharp and won't get dull as fast as steel. If you don't need a julienne, the Kyocera is top quality and excellent performance for $25 or less. The $10 kind (I've used one several times) has julienne blades but the deck is narrow and it's harder to slide back and forth on it, the handguard isn't as good, and many of my veg are too big for it. I was using it in a crowded kitchen and looked away, hit a bump and got a chunk out of my thumb (not serious, but still). The OXO looks like a very nicely designed V-slicer if you want the julienne blades. A lot of traditional, steel mandlines on the market have beds that are too narrow and mechanisms that are hard to clean. The DeBuyere V-slicer was a gift--very expensive and really not necessary if one isn't catering. I haven't cut myself on that either but the pusher--far more of a mechanism than a mere hand guard--is the size of a small spaceship. It's not horrible to clean, like some are, but it's awkward and heavy. I really love it, but it's overkill for most purposes. Be careful in choosing a mandoline. A lot of them aren't well designed for either safety or cleaning, or both. I agree with you about the apple culls. Salvaging them takes so much personal attention that you might as well peel and slice while you've got each in your hand. And it's nice to be able to hear the birds. In my laundry list above, I totally forgot choppers! I have an old fashioned multiblade chopper and chopping bowl (though my mezzaluna seems to have wandered off...) and a spring mechanism flat chopper. I don't think I've used the former since I got the Cuisinart (which is why I haven't gotten a new mazzaluna). I might for a small amount of apple sauce, though (or something similar), since I prefer the hand cut texture. I always make my hummus by hand (with a metal grid potato masher). The spring chopper is great for being lazy. Throw in a few cloves of garlic or nuts and go bash bash bash and one doesn't actually have to work at cutting them. It's delayed work, actually, because then one has to take apart the chopper and clean it, but that can be put off a few hours. I also have a food mill that was given to me as I was packing up the old kitchen. Soup season is upon us so I'll be seeing if I like using it soon! Most of the time I'm happy with slightly rustic and the immersion blender is perfectly fine, but supposedly the mill is the way to perfect purees. We'll see...

"I do worry about the high calorie count of smoothies, though, which is part of why we only buy them infrequently." The major advantage to making your own is you control the ingredients. Start with a non fat greek yogurt, add half a frozen banana and frozen strawberries for a great, low fat, healthy smoothie. I regret I didn't have my blentec when my girls were eating purees, but now that they are older (school age), I find the smoothies even more important because it ensures they eat wholesome, healthy foods. If you look at the Sneaky Chef or Seinfeld cookbooks, you can get alot of ideas for adding purees to food. Your Au Gratin sounds divine. If it will peel the spuds, I will go buy the cuisinart food processor today. LOL!