What Is a Mandoline?

If you are a serious chef or a cook who is tired of trying to slice things evenly by hand, you might consider acquiring a mandoline for your kitchen. You can create attractive cheese or vegetable platters or ensure that your french fries and potato chips are the exact same thickness with little effort.

Identification

The mandoline is a kitchen utensil used for creating cuts of equal thickness, such as when creating juliennes. Modern versions often come with attachments and blades for creating different types of cuts, such as slices of various thicknesses, or waffle or crinkle cuts.

Function

A mandoline consists of two parallel surfaces, one fixed, which contains the blade or blades, and the other an adjustable working surface. You slide the object to be sliced along the working surface until it encounters the blade. If blades are mounted perpendicular to the working surface, they can cut the object into strips of equal width.

History

The first known culinary book, published in Italy in 1570, contains an illustration of a device similar to a mandoline, although the name did not come into use until the 20th century. A metal version was invented in France in 1930 and named after the musical instrument mandolin, supposedly because chefs played their device with the same flair as musicians played their instrument.

Types

Mandolines range from inexpensive plastic versions to professional, platform types with adjustable surfaces, a safety guard, a variety of blades and a stand to elevate it for easier use.

Warning

A mandoline's blades are sharp, so it should not be used by young children, and cooks should pay attention when sliding food toward the cutting edges.