Frozen Mango Cocktail and a Review of the Wolf Gourmet Blender

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Wolf Gourmet Products

Several months ago we were invited to work with Wolf Gourmet to do a review of their new line of Wolf Gourmet Cookware and create a recipe using one of the pans. We were very impressed with the cookware and how quickly it responded to and held the heat. We also liked the stay cool and comfortable handles and several other impressive features, so we replaced some of our prior favorite pieces on our kitchen pegboard with the new pans and have thoroughly enjoyed working with them in the kitchen.

When we were contacted again by Wolf Gourmet and asked to review another one of their other products, the Wolf Gourmet Blender, we were excited to see how this high performance appliance would compare to other professional blenders we use.

Setting up to make Frozen Mango Cocktails

The Details

The polished stainless steel base and shatterproof 64-ounce Titan Jar are heavy-duty and weigh a total of 13 pounds. The height of the blender (17 1/8 inches) will fit under standard kitchen cabinets. When in use, at even the highest speeds, the base is very secure on the countertop with no movement. The jar also stays squarely on the base with no jiggling and no liquids leak from the tight-fitting lid and emulsion cup.

The blender has four timed settings for smoothies, ice crush, purée, and soup and a manual setting with a variable speed adjustment, which transitions smoothly and is quick to respond to the increase in speeds. We also like that the blender is very quiet.

The obvious competitors in this market and price range ($599.95 at Amazon.com) would be Vitamix and Blendtec. While we have not used a Blendtec product, we do have a Vitamix 750, the professional version. That motor has 2.2 horsepower and the Wolf Gourmet Blender has 2.4 horsepower. The Wolf does seem stronger. The two products have similar features and settings, although they are not exactly the same. The one noticeable difference is the way the jar sits on the base. The Wolf Gourmet Blender is very secure (as mentioned above) whereas the Vitamix jar wiggles and it’s not locked into place, so that is a big plus for me. I feel like I can walk away and leave the Wolf Blender, even on high speeds, and not worry about anything going wrong.

We worked with all of the settings except for the timed soup setting. If you are not familiar with a timed soup feature, it allows you to add the ingredients for a soup (such as sautéed mirepoix , chicken broth, other vegetables, and seasonings, etc.), set the dial and let the blender cook, heat, and prepare the soup for 5 minutes and 45 seconds, all while you do something else in the kitchen. After the cycle, it’s completely ready to serve. We did make Corn Soup (recipe coming soon) on the stovetop and used the purée setting to purée it in batches, followed by the manual setting to reach the desired consistency. (As a side note – when using a blender with any hot liquid, only fill the container about halfway to avoid any spills. Ingredients expand in a blender when they’re hot.)

Pureeing the soup

Fresh Corn Soup topped with crisped bacon

We also tried out the ice crush feature, which pulses from low to medium for a total of one minute, to  achieve the right texture. We first tried this with ice produced by our Scotsman ice maker, which produces “wet” ice. When we asked for ice from a neighbor and used traditional ice, it worked much better, making great crushed ice perfect for serving cocktails.

Using the ice crush feature

I also made one of my favorite smoothies (recipe coming soon) using the timed smoothie feature. The beverage was perfect in 45 seconds with a slightly frosty/frozen consistency and was completely blended. I did not have to use the tamper tool that comes with the blender, even though I started with mostly frozen fruit and very little liquid. With the programmed five initial pulses to chop the frozen ingredients or ice at the beginning of the cycle, it does the work for you and the timed smoothie cycle was just the right amount of time to get the ideal consistency.

Using the smoothie setting

A perfect smoothie

Of course, with any of the timed settings, you can always switch to manual operation and purée for a few more seconds, if you’d like.

As with all high performance products, people may think of them as just that – for using in special (crushing ice) or extraordinary situations (making hot soup), but this is a regular blender, too. It should sit on your counter and be used for everyday cooking and making ordinary things like nut butters, whipped cream, salad dressings, milkshakes, mayonnaise, and puréed sauces.

For a quick cleanup, fill the jar about halfway with warm water and a few drops of dish soap and blend for about 30 seconds. This will work well for most uses, but it’s also good to do this after especially messy recipes to make further cleanup easier with final hand-washing and warm soapy water in the sink.

A Mango Cocktail

I didn’t have to think long and hard about what recipe to make and feature with the crazy hot summer we’ve been having. I knew something boozy and icy cold would hit the spot. And since we just returned from the beautiful island of Nevis in the West Indies and had attended the Nevis Mango and Food Festival…a Frozen Mango Cocktail it is!

A refreshing summer cocktail

I tried a few combinations of fruit and rums in this drink and we decided after several rounds of tastings (I know, it’s a tough job.), it was best to keep things simple. I first prepared the drink with mango and pineapple, going for island flair, but the mangos we purchase locally have a slight hint of pineapple flavor, so the pineapple overwhelmed the mango. We decided the same thing with the coconut rum. It was overpowering with too much coconut, even when blended with another rum.

The easy way to peel mango away from the pit – ingenious! Slice the fruit in half longways and slide the fruit down with the seed pressed against the side of a glass.

For this mango cocktail we finally found the perfect blend of mango, with a slight bit of sweetness, and it’s nicely balanced with freshly squeezed lime juice. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum gives it the right amount of rum flavor with just a hint of spice.

And it wouldn’t be a Nevis inspired drink without a zesting of fresh nutmeg on the top. Nevisians like to top some of their cocktails with fresh nutmeg, including the rum punches I tried while on the island. It adds a bright finish, similar to a dash of bitters, and pairs nicely with mango.

The perfect touch – a zest of nutmeg

Depending on the sweetness of the mango, you might need to add more or less sugar or lime juice, so adjust accordingly, to taste. Purée all of the ingredients just until the cocktail is icy and the mango is smooth and enjoy immediately. Don’t forget the nutmeg!

Wolf Gourmet Blender Giveaway – * THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

Congrats to Dorothea of Washington State on winning the blender!

Print Recipe

Frozen Mango Cocktail

Yield: 2 cocktails

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped and peeled ripe mango
• 1 tablespoon to 4 teaspoons granulated sugar, to taste
• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice, to taste
• 4 ounces Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
• 2 1/2 cups ice
• Freshly grated nutmeg and pineapple triangles, for garnish

Directions:

Place all ingredients in blender, except for ice, and blend a few seconds to combine. Add ice and blend on manual setting, just until mixture is still icy and smooth. Serve immediately, garnished with nutmeg and a pineapple triangle.

Gwen Pratesi

PratesiLiving.com

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