Need Help With Ultimate Mandoline!

[cat]

I earned the UM last year and haven't taken it out of the box until 2 days ago! I wanted to practice using it for my show yesterday because it's the host special for March! It worked ok when I practiced at home, so I tried to demo it at the show. The food guard kept "derailing"...not sure why! I was able to slice an onion. Then someone asked if it can also slice cheese. I figured if it can grate cheese, maybe it can slice cheese too and I tried it, but didn't work so well. I was using mozzarella (that I had frozen earlier that day to make it easier to grate using the Deluxe Cheese Grater).

Needless to say, didn't sell one UM, although I did get a booking for April 14th!

Any tips??

Oh and I closed the show the same day at $500 in sales. Not bad...I guess

 

[amy07]

I'm new and I got the UM in my kit.......I am not comfortable grating cheese yet at shows (it takes too much effort and I feel clumsy), so I prep it at home and do other things with the mandolin at the show....but maybe it's just me still getting used to the product? Or a cheese thing?

 

[PamperedK]

Why freeze cheese? It should be warm to grate it...I was told to microwave softer cheeses for 5-10 seconds before grating.

 

[cat]

Why freeze cheese? It should be warm to grate it...I was told to microwave softer cheeses for 5-10 seconds before grating.

Have you tried grating softer cheeses?? It totally gums up and is too squishy to grate. My favorite cheeses to grate are Parmesan and Asiago, because they are hard to begin with. Mozzarella (especially FRESH mozzarella, sold in water) will clog your deluxe cheese grater if you grate it warm or even room temp....

 

[PamperedK]

Have you tried grating softer cheeses?? It totally gums up and is too squishy to grate. My favorite cheeses to grate are Parmesan and Asiago, because they are hard to begin with. Mozzarella (especially FRESH mozzarella, sold in water) will clog your deluxe cheese grater if you grate it warm or even room temp....

I always grate it when it's warm and I've never had a problem. I use small pieces though...maybe that's why??

Funny thing about the Mandoline...I had never used it before and decided to show it off at my show on Saturday. I screwed up and couldn't get it to slice anything!!! Luckily I figured it out and actually had people saying they wanted one!

 

[cat]

I always grate it when it's warm and I've never had a problem. I use small pieces though...maybe that's why??

Hmm...interesting! I can't remember where I heard the tip that you can put your cheese in the freezer for 10 minutes before grating to make it easier to grate.

Actually, I just went to the PC website and found the demo video for the UM...guess I should watch that!!

Oh! And I found the following in the use and care:

For best grating results, cheese should be cold and cut into 2-inch/5 cm pieces.

But personally, I do like to have it cold to grate.

 

[debhowey]

ok I love the UM. I use it at every show! The key is practice. Take a bag of potatoes and slice away for awhile. Once you get the hang of it, you will love it too. Remember slice with a slow even motion gently pushing on the guard to feed the food into the blade. The V blade is the easiest to cut. I never grate cheese with it. I like to demo with a vegetable (potato, zucchini,etc.) to show all the slicing options.

 

[dianevill]

For the cheese, the old school of thought was to put it in the freezer before grating (I only use the Deluxe Grater for grating cheese, not the UM). You can still do that, but yes, putting it in the microwave for 5-8 seconds (just put in the 1" piece you're grating, not the huge hunk, at a time) works, too, and in my opinion, better than freezing! The slight heating releases the oils in the cheese so that it doesn't stick to the grater. I share the tip at every show. I show grating before microwaving and after. Always gets oohs and ahhs, and I sell a lot of graters.

Back to the UM, though, practice, practice, practice!! It does get easier the more you use it, but I'm still too nervous to do anything other than cukes or potatoes at shows.

 

[cat]

Hmmm..ok, you have all now convinced me to try grating cheese that is warm!

And ok, I will keep practicing with the UM.

 

[RachelNguyen]

You mentioned in the first post that the food holder kept coming off the track. If it is on right, it doesn't do that.

Your food holder should slide onto a rail on the base. When it is on right, the food holder is held onto the base by the rail. The food holder has a notch on either side and slides onto the base that way. Try it again and see!

 

[mommyhugz1978]

I haven't used mine at a show yet... but I am going to this weekend..... to get March Shows...... though I am not grating cheese....

 

[jrstephens]

I earned the UM last year and haven't taken it out of the box until 2 days ago! I wanted to practice using it for my show yesterday because it's the host special for March! It worked ok when I practiced at home, so I tried to demo it at the show. The food guard kept "derailing"...not sure why! I was able to slice an onion. Then someone asked if it can also slice cheese. I figured if it can grate cheese, maybe it can slice cheese too and I tried it, but didn't work so well. I was using mozzarella (that I had frozen earlier that day to make it easier to grate using the Deluxe Cheese Grater).
QUOTE]

I did not like mine at first either but I MADE myself practice with it and now I love it. And am starting ti use it at more shows. I recommend get a bacg of potatoes and slice away for practice!

To make sure the holder does not come off make sure it is one properly. Put the holder on with the UM laying flat once you have slid the holder on, pick up the UM using the holder if you can pick it up w/o the holder coming off you have it on correctly. This tip has helped me tremendously!

It took me a while to let the holder do the work instead of my forcing it. The less pressure I use the better.

I like the V blade the best for tomatoes. Either one does fine for me with potatoes.

I love grating with the UM instead of the Deluxe Cheese Grater for soft cheese b/c I have always had a problem with the soft cheeses sticking. I LOVE THE DCG for parmesean cheese though.

I say practice practice practice b/c when I have used it at my shows I have sold at least 1!

 

[cat]

To make sure the holder does not come off make sure it is one properly. Put the holder on with the UM laying flat once you have slid the holder on, pick up the UM using the holder if you can pick it up w/o the holder coming off you have it on correctly. This tip has helped me tremendously!

It took me a while to let the holder do the work instead of my forcing it. The less pressure I use the better.

Thanks for the tips! I have a fundraiser cooking show on Sunday, so I will definitely be practicing all this week! Anyone need 5 pounds of sliced potatoes??

 

[jrstephens]

Thanks for the tips! I have a fundraiser cooking show on Sunday, so I will definitely be practicing all this week! Anyone need 5 pounds of sliced potatoes??

Here's a good recipe I got from someone on here:

Layer Potatoes in your Rectangle Baker. Pour melted butter over them. Covver with cheddar cheese and back until potatoes are done. Usually I bake on 350 for about an hour. I have also used parmesean cheese.

 

[etteluap70PC]

Here's a good recipe I got from someone on here:

Layer Potatoes in your Rectangle Baker. Pour melted butter over them. Covver with cheddar cheese and back until potatoes are done. Usually I bake on 350 for about an hour. I have also used parmesean cheese.

The wavy blade is especially good for doing potatoes this way. I found mine cooked faster because they werent so stuck together.

 

[baychef]

For the cheese, the old school of thought was to put it in the freezer before grating (I only use the Deluxe Grater for grating cheese, not the UM). You can still do that, but yes, putting it in the microwave for 5-8 seconds (just put in the 1" piece you're grating, not the huge hunk, at a time) works, too, and in my opinion, better than freezing! The slight heating releases the oils in the cheese so that it doesn't stick to the grater. I share the tip at every show. I show grating before microwaving and after. Always gets oohs and ahhs, and I sell a lot of graters.

Yes, yes, yes!!! I will be celebrating 7 years with PC and have done the old school of freezing cheese but how wrong I was!! This works perfect and makes those that were not happy with their DCG give it one more try and fall in love with it again! And it is 5 to 8 seconds depending on wattage.

I did a party this weekend and had all of my pieces to my DCG except for the handle (OOPS!!) So...I HAD to use the UM to grate cheese. It was Swiss cheese and it turned out very nice. Not sure if a soft mozzarella would fair as well, but I would try it before I did it at a party.

My tomato when flat on me, however and I ended up slicing it by hand. The host still wants to replace her 3 knuckle busters with the UM, however!! I have had a tomato turn out beautifully before, however!
Ann

 

[hoosierchef]

Hum....I haven't practiced on mine and thought I would dig it out and use it tonight at my show to hopefully get a few bookings......

Should I even bother?? I did watch the Product Video today at lunch.

 

[jrstephens]

Hum....I haven't practiced on mine and thought I would dig it out and use it tonight at my show to hopefully get a few bookings......

Should I even bother?? I did watch the Product Video today at lunch.

If you have time to practice a little before you go, I recommend taking it. Might get you some March bookings if you need them. If you do not have time to practice, I might not do it. Maybe you could practice during a little prep before people got to your show if you do not have time at home?

 

[hoosierchef]

If you have time to practice a little before you go, I recommend taking it. Might get you some March bookings if you need them. If you do not have time to practice, I might not do it. Maybe you could practice during a little prep before people got to your show if you do not have time at home?

Nope, unfortunately I don't have time at home. I'm going straight to my hostesses house after work, so I may try to practice a little there before anyone gets there. I just figure with it being the March Host Special, it would be a good thing to show off.

 

[pampered1224]

Just an FYI!Don't even bother trying to grate fresh mozzarella. My aunt who married into the family, is 100% Italian and I asked her about grating fresh mozzarella.
She nearly fell off her chair laughing. She said "you slice fresh mozzarella only. You can cube it, slice it thin and all that but you never grate it." She said it would be like trying to grate cream cheese. You wouldn't do that either so...

 

[chefann]

My tomato when flat on me, however and I ended up slicing it by hand. The host still wants to replace her 3 knuckle busters with the UM, however!! I have had a tomato turn out beautifully before, however!

Tomatoes can be tricky because they have to be just the right firmness. I never assume that the host will have tomatoes that are firm enough, because most will buy nice deep red ones that are just a little soft for the UM/USG.

 

[jrstephens]

I always make sure to tell my host to get tennis size tomatoes and make sure they are firm. Our Walmart has a 3-pack for 99 cents and I always tell them to get that package b/c they are usually firm and the right size.

 

[cat]

Here's a good recipe I got from someone on here:

Layer Potatoes in your Rectangle Baker. Pour melted butter over them. Covver with cheddar cheese and back until potatoes are done. Usually I bake on 350 for about an hour. I have also used parmesean cheese.

Mmmm...sounds yummy, I'll have to try it!

 

[cat]

The wavy blade is especially good for doing potatoes this way. I found mine cooked faster because they werent so stuck together.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[jrstephens]

Hum....I haven't practiced on mine and thought I would dig it out and use it tonight at my show to hopefully get a few bookings......

Should I even bother?? I did watch the Product Video today at lunch.

How did your show go? Did you use the UM?

 

[Miss Cori]

Hmmm..ok, you have all now convinced me to try grating cheese that is warm!

And ok, I will keep practicing with the UM.

Cat,
How did it work. I have never heard of grating warm cheese either now I have to know if it worked or not.

 

[cat]

Cat,
How did it work. I have never heard of grating warm cheese either now I have to know if it worked or not.

I had a show yesterday and I tried it...worked wonderfully! And I didnt' get all the cheese gumming in the grater...I guess I'm a convert now!

I also showed the UM and it worked fine this time, but no buyers! Maybe next time. (No one wanted to book for March either to get it at 60% off!) Although one guest was thinking of booking for April or May...