Mixing, chopping, and puréeing equipment has the potential to be extremely dangerous. The importance of observing all the necessary safety precautions cannot be overemphasized. A BLENDER consists of a base that houses the motor, and a removable lidded jar with a pro- peller-like blade set in the bottom. The speed settings for the motor, of which there may be as many as eighteen or as few as two, are in the base. Jars are made of stainless steel, plastic, or glass, and come in several sizes. Blenders are
excellent for puréeing, liquefying, and emul- sifying foods because the tall narrow shape of the jar keeps the food circulating and in close contact with the blade.
An IMMERSION BLENDER (also known as a
hand blender, stick blender, or burr mixer) is
a long, slender one-piece machine that works like an inverted countertop blender. The top part of the machine houses the motor, which generally runs at just one speed, and a plastic handhold with an on/off button extends above the motor. On professional/commercial mod- els, a stainless-steel driveshaft, which varies in length depending on the model, extends from the motor and is attached to the blade, which is immersed in the food being puréed. An im- mersion blender serves the same functions as a regular blender, but the advantage of an immersion blender is that even large batches
Large equipment. LEFT TO RIGHT: Immersion (or stick or burr) mixer, 20-qt/19.20- L planetary mixer, food processor
vessel. Some immersion blenders have magnetic bottoms, which allow you to stand them up in the pot and let them run unattended.
VERTICAL CHOPPING MACHINES (VCMs) operate on the same principle as a blender. A motor at the base is permanently attached to a bowl with integral blades. As a safety precaution, the hinged lid must be locked in place before the unit will operate. A VCM is used to grind, whip, emulsify, blend, or crush foods.
A FOOD CHOPPER (also called a buffalo chopper) is a piece of equipment in which the food is placed in a bowl that rotates when the machine is turned on; the food passes under a hood while blades rotate vertically to chop the food. Some units have hoppers or feed tubes and interchangeable disks for slicing and grating. Food choppers are available in fl oor and tabletop models. They are generally made of aluminum, with stainless-steel bowls.
A FOOD PROCESSOR houses the motor in its base. The work bowl is fi tted over a stem and locked into place, along with the appropriate blade or disk. Foods are placed in the bowl or feed tube, the lid is placed on top and locked, and the motor turns the stem and the blade rapidly to grind, purée, blend, emulsify, crush, or knead, or, with special disks, slice, julienne, or shred foods.
Mixers
PLANETARY MIXERS are also known as vertical mixers. They get their name from the motion of the mixing attachment, which moves in a path like that of a planet rotating on its axis while revolving around the sun inside the stationary mixing bowl. These mixers come with three standard attachments—a paddle, a whip, and a dough hook—and have multiple uses.
SPIRAL MIXERS are stationary mixers, meaning that the bowl, rather than the mixing attach- ment, rotates. These mixers have bowls that tilt and only one attachment, a spiral-shaped hook. They are used exclusively for mixing bread doughs. They work the dough quickly but gently enough to control the amount of friction.
OBLIQUE MIXERS, also known as fork mixers, are similar in construction to spiral mixers ex- cept that their attachment is a fork rather than a spiral. They are also used exclusively for bread doughs and work the dough gently to minimize the amount of friction, as do spiral mixers.
Ovens
CONVENTIONAL OVENS can be located below a range top. Food (in or on pans) is placed on wire racks that may be set at different heights within the oven. The heat source (either gas or electric) is located at the bottom, underneath the fl oor of the oven, and heat is conducted through the fl oor.
DECK OVENS normally consist of two to four wide, fl at decks stacked one above another, though single-deck models are available. Food is placed directly on the fl oor of a deck oven rather than on a wire rack as is done in a conventional oven. Some deck ovens have ceramic or fi rebrick bases; these are used for breads and pastries that require direct intense bottom heat to develop the crust. Deck ovens usually are gas or electric, although charcoal- and wood- burning units are also available. Like conventional ovens, the heat source for deck ovens is located underneath the deck, and heat is conducted through the deck.
STEAM-INJECTION OVENS vent steam into the oven as breads and rolls bake. The steam helps to develop the crust and ensures that yeast-raised breads stay moist long enough to expand properly during baking.
CONVECTION OVENS are available in gas or electric models in a range of sizes. In a convec- tion oven, fans force hot air to circulate around the food, cooking it evenly and quickly.
COMBI OVENS, either gas or electric, combine the advantages of steaming and convection ovens. They can be used in steam mode, hot-air convection mode, or heat/steam (combi) mode. Combi ovens are available in a number of different confi gurations.
A MICROWAVE OVEN uses electricity to generate microwave radiation, which cooks or re- heats foods very quickly. Microwave ovens are available in a variety of sizes and power ratings. Some models can double as convection ovens.
Proofers
For professional bread bakers in a high-volume operation, a proofer is an essential piece of equipment. Proofers maintain the most desirable environment for yeast growth. In this way, they help to maintain production schedules and ensure that items are of uniform quality. Some proofers have refrigeration capabilities, making them able to retard yeast growth. Proofers like this are known as proofer/retarders. Retarders also help with production in the same ways as a proofer, by maintaining production schedules and quality standards. They are available as stationary walk-ins or as mobile boxes.