We introduced Joseph Ades, New York City's best sidewalk sales guy, yesterday. Today we're reviewing the Swiss made Star brand peeler he peddles.
This peeler is a Swiss kitchen classic, according to Swissinfo.org. The Rex ($2.99 on eBay), a similar peeler made by the same manufacturer, appeared on a Swiss postage stamp in 2003!
We've been testing the Star for a few weeks and comparing it to our current favorite from Oxo ...
Ades sells his Star peeler on the street for $5, the Oxo peelers start around $6. The Star has a minimalist design and stainless steel shine. While Oxo gives us the Aeron chair of peelers, the Star has its own mid-century function driven flair.
We found that we had to change the motion we use to peel to get the most out of the Star. Holding the Star parallel to the body using a left-to-right or right-to-left motion, like Ades uses in his demonstrations, works best.
The Star has a metal hook on the side that makes digging eyes out of potatoes easy. Ades uses the hook to create carrot flowers and three sided french fries.
Because the Star doesn't have a padded handle, the cook feels more control over the thickness of the peels. If you want a peeler to quickly cut long stands of carrot for a slaw or salad, that could be the tool for you. We got tired faster when using the Star, so will still reach for our champ -- the Oxo -- when facing a ten pound bag of potatoes.
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
This guy was covered in Vanity Fair about a year ago. He dresses in fabulously tailored suits and lives with his wife in her Park Avenue apartment...and they fill it with boxes of these peelers. He goes through every one. He is a legend. In that town, that's saying something!
view SF_Gal's profile
i bought one. hurt my hands. i wasn't impressed, even less so now that i hear he's selling it for 5X what i can get it for at 99c store.
view olga's profile
I have ALWAYS wondered who this fabulously dressed British man was, and why he was squating in Union Square in vegetable detritus. Thanks! He sure works hard and deserves a little recognition from NYC foodies.
view AMLitt's profile
Lol! thanks so much for this post! we have the Oxo peeler too, but since we are now in Switzerland, will do as the Swiss, and get one of their peelers (at 1/5 the price that Mr. Ade sells them for, but we will be sorry to miss his sales patter).
view mschatelaine's profile
I never bought one, but like everyone else who's lived in NYC, I remember him well. Awwww you're making me homesick for Union Square!
view mjoe's profile
I swear by my OXO peeler. I just recommended one to a friend today when he was going to buy the Swiss peeler. I don't know how I'd mange without it.
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