Generously sprinkle salt over the ice and add water to cover the ice. Place a clean, dry 2-quart bowl in the ice bath. I use it for everything, from mixing purees to tempering chocolate. This is a very sharp hand-operated slicer used especially for making very thin slices. It usually comes with a variety of blades.
Professional kitchens use stainless steel mandolines.
For all the dry measures given in the recipes, I used an Amco stainless steel set of cups and measuring spoons. I can't imagine making anything without a stand mixer. I prefer the 5-quart professional version. I like one that is fairly firm, not very flexible. These are available in different sizes and are very strong.