Hi everybody! My wonderful husband got me a Vita-Mix for Christmas. I have wanted one for soooooooo long. Now that I have it, it seems a little intimidating. I have seen them mentioned on this forum so I know that some of you have them. I have made fruit ice cream (we loved it) and mixed a few things in it, but thats it. Could some of you tell me what you like to make in yours? Do you use it often? Do you use it for canning and putting up food from the garden? Any tips and hints will be appreciated. Thanks, Dian in TN

-- dian hoffman (rhoffman@nctc.com), January 04, 2001

Answers

What I use mine the most for is grinding wheat for flour.

-- Terry (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), January 04, 2001.

Dian,

I used mine this year to grind up tomatoes (whole, skins and all)at the end of the season to put in the freezer. The whole tomatoes sure have made some absolutely delicious chili without the chunks that my small children would balk at. Next year when it comes time to put up spaghetti sauce and the like, I think I'll use the VitaMix instead of my Vittorio strainer. No waste!

I have used it to grind wheat for flour, but didn't like how the flour got so hot. I have used it to crack wheat, also, to add to bread. (Be sure to soak the cracked wheat in hot water for a couple of hours before adding it to the bread dough or you'll crack your teeth on wheat berries!)

Some of you may be asking who is this new person responding. I've been checking in off and on for several months and have subscribed to Countryside for 5 years or so (I think). As we live well within the sidewalks, I have little to contribute to farm-type questions so I usually just read and dream of the distant future when we just might be called to live outside the big city.

Corinne

-- Corinne Hayes (hayesm@fcc.net), January 04, 2001.

I use mine for tomatoes, we like our food spicy so I throw in a few hot peppers with it, makes wonderful chili! We like to make ice cream, orange Julius, & cream of broccoli soup. Have fun with it!

-- Lenore (archambo@winco.net), January 04, 2001.

Did you get a cookbook/manual with it? I got mine 22 years ago and it came with the book back then; was very helpful when starting out, and I still use it sometimes. I love my Vita-Mix.

-- Earthmama (earthmama48@yahoo.com), January 04, 2001.

Can I ask a personal question? Like what kind of price they are? I've been thinking about one and that perhaps I could get a used one for less on eBay if I know what kind of prices to bid.

-- Julie Froelich (firefly1@nnex.net), January 05, 2001.

julie,

i just gotta brochure in the mail a coupla weeks ago.the prices are between 4 & 5hundred dollars. that's why i only got the brochure. let me know how you do on e-bay.thanks ,fred

-- fred in wi (sixuvusmeyers@aol.com), January 05, 2001.

p.s. they do have a web site www.vitamix.com .

-- fred in wi (sixuvusmeyers@aol.com), January 05, 2001.

Julie, My husband bought mine off ebay, but I don't know what he gave for it. It was listed as new and it looked like it had never been used. It is an older model a 4000. The number on the newest one is 5000 (I think). I think I am going to love it when I figure it all out. Sorry I couldn't be more help. Dian

-- Dian (rhoffman@nctc.com), January 05, 2001.

In the old cookbook they have a recipe for pudding that I like extremely well. The new cookbook doesn't have the same recipes.

-- R (thor610@yahoo.com), January 06, 2001.

I have used mine for grinding wheat. I use it a LOT for tomatoes...salsa and juice. Beats the dickens out of skinning all those tomatoes. Have also made some great malts with whole fruits, such as bananas. The prices on eBay generally are running from $125-$200 for the older 3600 and 4000 models. Here is an address which will take you to a search page for Vita Mix. Sorry for the length, but just copy it and paste to your browsers address window.

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&Sor tProperty=MetaEndSort&ht=1&query=vita+mix

I recently bought a 2 hour Vita Mix video on eBay. It is great. Two years ago, I attennded a Preperation Expo in Indianapolis and spent over an hour watching them demonstrate the Vita Mix. (and, of course, sampling the yummies) They are built like a brick sh....well, they are built to last, so are worth the investment in my opinion.

jonesey

-- David A Jones (jonesey65244@yahoo.com), January 08, 2001.

I do not have a Vita-Mix but for Julie Froelich who was asking about the price I saw in my Urban Homemaker Catalog that people who have Vita Mixes have gotten rid of them after buying The Kitchen Champ 2000 by K-tec. I don't have one of those either but am thinking about buying one. I have the K-tec Kitchen Mill and I really like it can't say enough good things about it or the Moll family that owns the Urban Homemaker. They are very up front and honest about the products. they sell. The Champ is $379.00, I'm not sure if it does as much as The Vita-Mix.. doesn't the Vita-Mix cook food,too?

-- Artie Ann Karns (rokarns@arkansas.net), January 11, 2001.

I used mine to sauce my apples, skin still on. No one would even know there is so much fiber in my apple sauce. Worked wonderfully.

I also use mine (Dry container that is an extra)to grind grain. I did find that is is wise to store the grain that you intend to grind in the freezer so that when you grind it it does not get too hot. Then grind for 90 seconds only while stirring continuously. Maylene

-- Maylene (zedanka@aol.com), January 21, 2001.

I use it to make a variety of nut milks. Simply add springwater to raw nuts and a little sweetner. Almond milk is a good everyday milk for cereal etc. One of the most luxurious is pecan milk - very smooth and rich. You can increase the nuts to make cream. Some can be succesfully substituted for cow's cream in various recipes such as ice cream. These milks are great for people who can't eat dairy products. Babies thrive on nut milk whereas many of them are allergic to dairy pr

-- Kenvin Lyman (fiabon @home.com), April 21, 2001.

Just went to an expo yesterday and the new model 5000 is going for 400.00 they made ice cream, smoothies, SOUP- it heats up automatically. I'm going back today to buy it since I can not find one bad listing anywhere on these blenders. Oh, it also will make baby food.

-- Suzan Jackson (barjaj@hotmail.com), July 26, 2001.