The Victorio Apple Peeler

Bushels of apples are being delivered to farmers markets and grocery stores across the country as we settle into Autumn so there is no better time to start planning what to do with all those apples. Enjoying them freshly picked is always a good option but if your Fall menu includes apple pie, apple dumplings, applesauce, dehydrated apple slices or an exquisite tarte tartin (for the super adventurous), peeling, coring and slicing apples will be on your to-do list. A paring knife or vegetable peeler does the job but a better tool is the Victorio Apple Peeler: a machine that peels, cores, and slices apples easier, quicker and with less waste.

Made of durable cast iron with a baked candy apple red (of course!) enamel finish, the Victorio Apple Peeler is fast, easy, and effective. Although the machine looks like a throwback to another era or something you might have seen in your grandmother’s farmhouse kitchen, the Victorio Apple Peeler is one of those inventions that has never needed to be improved because it has always peeled, cored, and sliced efficiently (the machine looks complicated but it’s actually very simple). As Louisa May Alcott once wrote “Good old-fashioned ways keep hearts sweet, heads sane, hands busy.”

The Victorio Apple Peeler comes assembled (all you have to do is screw the fork and the wooden handle on). Follow the easy instructions that come with the machine or watch the 4-minute video by Raw Nutrition called the Victorio Apple Peeler Slicer VKP1010 Suction Base VKP1011 Clamp Base Demonstration (a long title that simply means “how to use the machine”).

To operate the Victorio Apple Peeler, place the machine on a smooth countertop surface. Lock in place by pulling down the side lever. The suction base mounts to any non-porous base and will remain still.  Make the adjustments as described in the instruction manual and decide among the three options:

Option 1: Peeling, Slicing and Removing the Core

Option 2: Slicing and Removing the Core (great for dehydrating apples)

Option 3: Keeping an Apple Whole by Just Peeling It (for those who prefer an apple without skin or for making baked apples)

The Victorio Apple Peeler sells for about $25 and can be purchased on-line directly from the company at www.victorioproducts.com and most on-line retailers selling kitchen products, including www.amazon.com. The machine can also be purchased in the kitchen department of most retail stores but beware of copycats that may not work as well (the word “Victorio” is engraved on the suction base of the authentic Victorio Apple Peeler).