I gues it's the same with breadmakers and soupmakers and the like.
You dont actually need them, but they do perhaps encourage you to make those things, and give those, like me, with under developed culinary skills the confidence to do so.
(Cave Duck, Wed 10 Nov 2010, 15:12, 1 reply, 15 years ago)

breadmakers are a bit different I think
because it removes a lot of the effort and skill required. Mind you, I only use mine for making pizza dough these days.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 10 Nov 2010, 15:15, Reply)

I may have mentioned this before.
but a friend of a friend used to make great pizza dough. He was a pastry chef by trade, but it always amused me that he had actually initially trained to be a stonemason.
He emigrated to Australia and apparently qualified to settle there under either job.
(Cave Duck, Wed 10 Nov 2010, 15:25, Reply)

doesn't ring a bell
pastry chef looks like a hard job. too much of a science rather than an art.

most things I approach scientifically, but not music or cooking
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 10 Nov 2010, 15:27, Reply)