# sharpening a Benriner Mandoline



## nutmeg (Nov 24, 2019)

I sharpened the blade from my beloved Super Benriner mandoline in order to be able to slice rope mangos very thin and other crazy things.

Even with a small micro bevel it became not bad:


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## Michi (Nov 24, 2019)

Nice! Did you use a jig? What stones did you use?


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## nutmeg (Nov 24, 2019)

Michi said:


> Nice! Did you use a jig? What stones did you use?



all free hand. I‘ll never use a jig!

I began with an AI 1000 and then always finer until a fine Ohira Jizuya. It became even slightly sharper with an Ao Renge after that.
Naturally the stone were 100% flat in order to keep the edge parallel.

Actually I wanted to not waste too much metal and was hoping to get the first burr with the finest stone. It was close but the burr never came ...so it wasn’t the plan but I did a mini micro bevel. But really small, not easy to see with naked eye at less than 10 cm.


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## nutmeg (Nov 24, 2019)




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## nutmeg (Nov 29, 2019)

The goal was to get a Mandoline for one and only task and I find it does the job very well 

Very proud of this pré-dessert I created last week:

Very thin slices of mango + Olive purée / Mango-Vanilla purée:


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## SeattleBen (Nov 29, 2019)

fun dessert.


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## Michi (Nov 29, 2019)

Those are _thin_ slices! 

I have a Börner mandoline that I really enjoy using for bulk slicing. It won't make slices as thin as that though because the thickness can be changed only in fixed increments.


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## nutmeg (Nov 29, 2019)

Mango-& Olive Tortelloni, Vanille sauce, Nutmeg-Safran vinaigrette:



free image upload service

And the parmesan slices are made of vanilla chips!


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## Michi (Nov 29, 2019)

nutmeg said:


> Mango-& Olive Tortelloni, Vanille sauce, Nutmeg-Safran vinaigrette


Wow!


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## ian (Nov 29, 2019)

So... you do cook professionally, right?


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## nutmeg (Nov 29, 2019)

ian said:


> So... you do cook professionally, right?


that's where "Nutmeg" comes from..


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## Xenif (Nov 29, 2019)

Nutmeg-Saffron Viniagrette , how fitting!


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## ian (Nov 29, 2019)

nutmeg said:


> that's where "Nutmeg" comes from..



Cryptic... I notice that there was a place called “Restaurant Muskatnuss” in Austria, but it seems to be permanently closed.


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## rob (Nov 29, 2019)

nutmeg said:


> Mango-& Olive Tortelloni, Vanille sauce, Nutmeg-Safran vinaigrette:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That look beautiful and delicious.


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## Midsummer (Dec 6, 2019)

nutmeg said:


> Mango-& Olive Tortelloni, Vanille sauce, Nutmeg-Safran vinaigrette:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I tried licking my screen and nothing ... 

I would really like to try what you have put together. My palate is not experienced enough to imagine.. 

And I agree with above ^, it is a lovely presentation!


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## nutmeg (Dec 6, 2019)

Midsummer said:


> I tried licking my screen and nothing ...
> 
> I would really like to try what you have put together. My palate is not experienced enough to imagine..
> 
> And I agree with above ^, it is a lovely presentation!



Thanks!

To me creating dishes is like a system.
This is food pairing that sometimes comes from science and sometimes from experience. Mostly from experience.

Mango + Vanilla is like a classic.
Mango + saffron is a classic too (sometimes in combination with chili or pepper)
Vanilla and olive is quite well known pairing in the gastronomy
Saffron is a flower like vanilla so they match very good together
Nutmeg + saffron is a very unknown combination but works surprisingly good.
Nutmeg is the most common spice for pasta in Germany and in the north of Italy (Tirol)
Pasta and Egg are best friends so 1/5 of the Vanilla sauce is made of egg yolk.


My first idea was to make the dish with Mango, Chestnut, Vanilla and Honey Bush (or even Roibos) tea. I guess it would taste better but Olive is smarter for a pasta dish.


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## Oui Chef (Dec 7, 2019)

I think we enjoy dish creation the same way nutmeg. Systematic creativity.
Begin with harmony of flavour, apply novel technique, look for texture and contrast after.
Sounds like we'd create well together. 
I like taking non traditional dessert ingredients and applying experience of flavour/technique like you also. I did a dessert of smoked and frozen mascarpone, ligurian honey, marigold flower and white pepper and baked potato icecream

Cant polish a bevel like you though


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## minibatataman (Dec 7, 2019)

@nutmeg very interesting thought process behind the creativity. I suck at creating recipes and pairings, I'm just not the creative type, but this gives me a lot of ideas on how to go on about it. 
Ironically I picked up a benriner from a thrift shop a couple days ago for 50 cents, I've been meaning to sharpen it too, thanks for the info on that as well


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## nutmeg (Dec 7, 2019)

Oui Chef said:


> I think we enjoy dish creation the same way nutmeg. Systematic creativity.
> Begin with harmony of flavour, apply novel technique, look for texture and contrast after.
> Sounds like we'd create well together.
> I like taking non traditional dessert ingredients and applying experience of flavour/technique like you also. I did a dessert of smoked and frozen mascarpone, ligurian honey, marigold flower and white pepper and baked potato icecream
> ...


We‘re doing a potato ice cream now. the recipe is not very good. Would you quick pm me yours?


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## Oui Chef (Dec 7, 2019)

nutmeg said:


> We‘re doing a potato ice cream now. the recipe is not very good. Would you quick pm me yours?


Actually funnily enough I can't, I never used a recipe. When I cook like that I often don't, thats the other part of the creative approach, winging it. And that dessert special was some time ago. I do remember the icecream was perfect though 
For what its worth i'm pretty sure i modified a basic vanilla sab/milk/cream recipe. Added white pepper and salt baked potato flesh to the cream. I also used a paco jet to churn it because there is no other way to serve icecream than churned from a paco jet imo


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## Oui Chef (Dec 7, 2019)

What troubles are you having with the recipe btw? Splitting?


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## Byphy (Dec 7, 2019)

nutmeg said:


> Mango-& Olive Tortelloni, Vanille sauce, Nutmeg-Safran vinaigrette:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Looks great


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## nutmeg (Dec 8, 2019)

Oui Chef said:


> What troubles are you having with the recipe btw? Splitting?


Consistency was top and the ice cream never melted because of the starch but potato taste is a bit shy with our recipe


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