1/12/2024 0 Comments Rex vegetable peeler![]() ![]() With more than 60 million units sold, the Swiss celebrated its invention with a postage stamp in 2004. A stronger version called the Star, made entirely from stainless steel and with a serrated blade, was launched in 1970, as capable of peeling a peach as a pumpkin, and a stalwart of many professional kitchens. And in the country of cheese and chocolate, it could easily create artful shavings of either, perfect for pasta or cake toppings. Freshly-shorn vegetables could then be further sliced up or julienned for soups, crisps or a touch of culinary fanciness. A loop of steel at the end of the blade meant imperfections could be quickly dug out. The blade itself was common to other peelers, a two-piece design with one sharp-edged side that did the work and the other to ensure the cutting side wouldn't dig in too much and take off more peel than was necessary. As with cars, good handling means speed, making it easy to swipe repeatedly and remove the skin of any vegetable. The broad span made it easy to hold, especially with indents for forefinger and thumb to stop it slipping from the grasp. That meant it got the most out of the least amount of material that was costly in the postwar period. It was the very model of low-cost practicality, with a handle made from a thin U-shaped ribbon of aluminium with a freewheeling steel blade closing off the top of the U. The Rex appeared in 1947 to the design of Alfred Neweczezal, who had sold kitchen items since the early 1930s, and had loathed peeling potatoes in the army. It's no surprise that the Rex peeler was developed in Switzerland, the land of efficiency and organisation, which brought us instant coffee and Velcro, because even a humble peeler is worthy of perfection. For all-round peelability, though, the Rex peeler remains one of the best. Only a few seemed to struggle through, with variants that often focus on the peeler's comfort in the hand. In the 19th century, there were over five hundred patent applications for vegetable peelers, which implies there must be over 500 ways to peel a vegetable. ![]()
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