Risotto seems to be much too difficult to make for the average person. The problem is patience. You first add broth to rice, and boil it. Then stir. Then add more broth. Then stir. Repeat in a seemingly endless manner. If you ever miss a step or delay too long, you have ruined risotto.

Enter the Risottomatic. The Risottomatic has three parts. The first is a heating element and a pan. The second part is a mixing unit that slowly mixes the contents of the heating element and the pan. The third part is a container that when filled with broth slowly empties it's contents into the pan.

To use, simply pour a measured amount of rice in the pan, fill the container, and turn on the timer.

Dishwasher safe, and foldable for convienent storage.
-- Worldgineer, Jun 29 2004

New name courtesy of my wife, who didn't like the name "Risottorator".
-- Worldgineer, Jun 30 2004


But "ottomatic" sounds like "automatic", which it is. Hmmm... I'm torn.
-- Worldgineer, Jun 30 2004


Ha! She's not that fragile. (yet notice the name has not changed back)
-- Worldgineer, Jun 30 2004


Bone, I'm afraid. Risotto is, for a start, a piece of piss to make, you just have to set the heat veeery low and then wander around the kitchen drinking the cooking wine and eating bits of parmesan for a half hour, occasionally poking the bubbling pot with a spoon and sloshing in stock or wine every now and then.

The Risottomatic would:
a) Clutter up my already-filled-to-maximum-capacity cupboards
b) Break or become useless when I loose the rotating bit
c) Be a pain in the butt to assemble, dissasemble and wash due to many parts
d) Deprive me of a half hours peace and quiet, pottering around the kitchen slurping wine and listening to the radio
e) Never get used

I'm more of an analog cook, myself.
-- squeak, Jul 01 2004


This sounds like a breadmaker with a drip feed. Am I reading the idea correctly?
-- calum, Jul 01 2004


While the thought is there, I'm afraid I have to agree with [squeak]. Part of the pleasure in cooking stuff like this is in the cooking, and the things you do while you're cooking (principally drinking and snacking). Also, in my book, "ruined risotto" (or "ruined any dish made to a recipe") doesn't really exist; it might not be how you intended but unless it's totally inedible, what's the problem? Many a classic has been produced accidentally.
-- angel, Jul 01 2004


//Many a classic has been produced accidentally //

I know I was.
-- etherman, Jul 01 2004


I agree with [squeak]'s points a) through e). Except for maybe c), as my breadmaker is easy enough to clean (hadn't realized the similarity [calum], but you're right - that should work well as a basis of design). Also I'm not sure about d), as it would free up time for snacking and drinking while doing anything you'd like.

I wouldn't buy this device, but one-use devices are very common and typically sell well.

//Also, in my book, "ruined risotto"// A bestseller, no doubt.
-- Worldgineer, Jul 01 2004


[squeak] that may apply to you (and me too) but it wouldn't stop them selling a bucketload of these things.
[calum] It sound more like a hot version of an ice cream maker to me.
For added marketing, get a famous italian to put their name on it like George Foreman and his grill. You could italianise the name a bit too.
How about: "The Pavarotti Risottomattico"?
-- goff, Jul 01 2004


//A bestseller, no doubt.//
Selling like hot cakes, although strangely the hot cakes are hardly moving.
-- angel, Jul 02 2004


[Zanzibar] It is also quite easy to make a toasted sandwich, grill a piece of chicken, slow cook a casserole, open a tin, juice an orange, steam ricechop herbs, turn a pepper mill, make bread, steam vegetables (now that really is not hard), and whip egg whites. However, a search of any appliance store will reward you with any number of electronic and electric devices to do all of these things and more. Never question the unbelievable laziness of the general public as far as food preparation is concerned.
Also, although it seems many of us on the halfbakery are farily proficient in the kitchen, there is a large proportion of the population that are not, and quite willing to part with their cash opn the basis that as long as they buy the right gadget, they will suddenly be transformed into Delia Smith (for our american friends, read Martha Stewart, but without the share dealing fraud and prison sentence)
-- goff, Jul 02 2004


[Zanz] Yes, that process will make a Risotto, but without boiling off a lot of broth you won't get the full flavor of a good Risotto. Sure you can add a lot of broth at the beginning, but then you have to make sure you come back to the pot after the way-too-much-water phase but before the burned-on-the-bottom phase.
-- Worldgineer, Jul 02 2004



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