The Love Tool: Oskar the Food Processor
—Contest now closed—
Ain't he cute?
The Chef: Michelle Bursey is chef at Heceta Head Lighthouse B&B in Yachats, Oregon, where she prepares a seven-course (!) breakfast for guests daily. She and her mother recently co-authored The Lighthouse Breakfast Cookbook: Recipes from Heceta Head Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast
The Love Tool: Her favorite kitchen tool is a little food processor called Oskar, manufactured by Sunbeam.
Where You First Fell For It, And Why?: “We were given our first Oskar in 1989 as a gift that I thought for sure would collect dust in our pantry until the next garage sale,” she says. But instead of selling or regifting it, to Bursey’s surprise, it was love at first use, and Oskar has been a part of just about every meal ever since. “I’m now on my second Oskar, and I don’t know what I would do without him. He chops everything perfectly, especially nuts which usually don’t fare so well in a processor. The bowl has a nice shape for scraping, plus it’s not too loud. I have a friend who has a small food processor that makes toes curl when she runs it! In fact, Oskar is responsible for co-creating many of my recipes.”
Uh, then maybe he should have gotten a co-author credit?
Michelle Bursey LOVES her Oskar
How Do You Use The Tool?: According to Michelle, it’s easy as cake. You just snap the bowl in place, put the blade in, fill with ingredients or use the hole in the top, and turn it on by sliding the lid counterclockwise through a slot that engages the motor. “It has no buttons, only one speed and it’s perfect,” she says.
Interesting Factoid?: “Oskars aren’t made anymore, but you can find them if you’re resourceful,” she reports. “I have people out there keeping their eyes peeled at garage sales and on eBay. I have four of them in my garage in case the current Oskar breaks.” She admits that she also has a hard time parting with other kitchen tools she loves, and she gets stubborn about replacing an ailing appliance because it holds sentimental value and reminds her of good times. “I may just save them to be buried with,” she adds.
And if they take off after this post appears, Michelle just might want to get busy and stockpile a few more.
Do You Use It For Anything Besides Cooking?: “I’ve also used Oskar to make herbal concoctions, poultices and salves mainly,” she says.
Behind the Knife Giveaway!
You can win your very own copy of Michelle Bursey’s cookbook and see if you can recognize the recipes that have Oskar’s fingerprints all over them. Just leave a comment below about a tool in your life that you’ve loved so much that you’ve given it a name. But do it before midnight on December 10!
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Shrimpie the shrimp peeler. Used to devein and peel shrimp all in one stroke. Most people don’t know what she does when they first see her.