When my roommate Kristen moved out of our Brooklyn apartment to fulfill her destiny as a self-possessed Manhattan It Girl, I fulfilled my own: I became the new owner of her mini mandoline slicer. As she left Brooklyn, she held out her gloved hand, placing a miniature, careworn Oxo mandoline in my palm. âThis has always brought me luckâand lots of thinly sliced radishes,â she said, her eyes obscured by a large elegant sun hat. The final call for departure rang out and she turned to board the ship.
âThank you, Kristen! For everything you taught me!â I shouted after her. She glanced back for a moment, offering a knowing smile, before disappearing into the bulkhead door. Her last words of advice hung vivid in my mind: âAlways remember to protect your fingers
Ever since she crossed the great expanse of the East River, Iâve tried to do right by her parting gift by making a lot of exquisite shaved and shredded salads.
These details of my mandoline acquisition are true emotionally, if not literally. But, I do genuinely love this kitchen tool. You probably already know the deal on mandolines
But most mandolines on the market are large and come with a lot of attachments that are hard to keep track of. Oxoâs mini mandoline slicer, technically called Oxo Good Grips Mini Complete Grate & Slice Set, has a modular design small enough to fit in your utensil drawerâand itâs more versatile than your typical mandoline slicer.
The set comes with three attachments: Thereâs a mini mandoline, which I use on raw brussels sprouts to make slawtacos
Of course, the mandolineâs size does mean it has some limitations. It canât slice large potatoes or butternut squash, and thereâs no way to make ribbons or julienne cuts. But the purpose of a small mandoline like this is not to handle all your slicing work. Rather, it steps in for a little assistance here and there, when you just want to add a neat little pile of shredduce to a single sandwich, or add an extra clove of sliced garlic to an already sizzling pan. Itâs ideal for people who cook for one or two, make a lot of salads
Perhaps someday, when I too am ready to become a downtown It Girl, preparing for my own distant voyage 15 minutes away by subway, I will also leave behind a mini mandoline in the utensil drawer for future generations of salad lovers.*
*Kristen, you forgot to pack your mandoline, if you want it back let me know.
