Unique Traditional Kitchen Utensils

Everyone is familiar with the usual kitchen tools: The trusty spoon, spatula and the whisk, each at your finger tips to aide with the deed of food preparation. Consider this; over the years you have modified your skills and techniques in the kitchen, learned new recipes, been introduced to the seductress molecular- gastronomy, and possibly even participated in a culinary class or two (even the ones found on food network). With all of the revision to our cooking style, isn't it time to take a look at traditional utensil's that have made the change right along with us? The simple spoon, spatula and whisk are the trio du jour, but with a few twists that keep them our favorite traditional Kitchen Utensils, even in these not so traditional times.

THE SPOON

The spoon is a piece of cutlery with a shallow bowl-shaped container and a handle; used to stir or serve or measure ingredients for cooking food, as commonly defined. However when we dig a bit deeper and look a bit closer we find a useful variation to the traditional measuring spoon that our parents may not believe .

• A spoon with a twist has joined our faithful old friend in the spoon drawer. It is the modern measuring Spoon. When considering the accurate design of a recipe we know the many measuring spoons that clutter our utensil drawers are going to be required. We rumble through the disorder to locate them one by one. However this modern version can relieve this kind tedium all together. Especially if your recipe requires the conversion of volume to weight. What we need is a devise that can manage this in one step! Hold on to your coasters because it is already on the market in the form of a spoon/scale. This little wonder has a graduated scale along the side that helps you accurately and quickly measure out the volumetric measurements. If this doesn't suit your need then you can use the LCD display located right in the handle to measure by weight. It can be used for as small of a measurement as 1/10 of a gram or as much as 300 grams.
• Another unique addition to the world of spoons and utensils is a device that will help children to hang-on-to and manage eating with a spoon. (This is real folks) It is called the Spoon Truss-US patent pending issued in 1992 - The principle here is that when children are very, very young and in the lurches of mastering the proper use of western utensils they tend to drop them,...a lot. Instead of you having to pick it up time and time again, you can lash a spoon truss to their little wrist preventing the spoon from falling to the ground. It is literally a spoon on a leash. Sheesh,...and to think we made it through our childhoods without this marvel. I truly find this truss to be amazingly brilliant while displaying the deepest measure of laziness found in our human nature. Yet, if you have ever raised a child you may well wonder where the spoon truss was when you needed it most.

The Spatula

The ever useful spatula. Its uses are unnumbered they are so many. The prince of kitchen utensils (second only to the knife). Having a flat surface attached to a long handle. It can be used for lifting, turning or stirring food. Where would we be without it? It assists us with frying, baking, barbecuing and even making candy. It hangs from a hook where we have access to it at the drop of a hat. Why we would perhaps be stranded in the dark ages had it not been for this divine piece of kitchen equipment.

• I can expound on the virtues of the traditional spatula all day long. However, there seems to be a rendition that has decided to specialize its talents. Which brings us to the new arrival for the home cook, the Chocolate Thermometer Spatula. Tasty, smooth and sweet is the goal when making chocolate treats. But what a hassle it is to juggle a spatula and a thermometer in a bowl full of chocolate! What with the tempering and the seizing and the mess... it all seems so archaic. Well this cool Chocolate Thermometer spatula solves the messy encounter all together. It helps you work with chocolate manually as well as having a handy chocolate-specific temperature guide built right into the tool. It's easy to read and understand and works right out of the packaging. No more wrestling several utensils to complete your devilishly delightful truffles. The Chocolate Thermometer Spatula is the perfect solution!
• Due to its twist on the traditional spatula and its application to the summer bbq activities, the BBQ Backstop Spatula makes the cut. This clever implement gives you back control of the grill! It still has all of the usual great features that our regular spatula has but it also offers a raised edge on one side, measures 12-1/4" long and is made of stainless steel. This edge brings an end to the great escape antics of the roll-away-hot-dogs on the grill. It helps in the containment of sliding burgers, veggies and even fish. Weather on a grill or in a fry pan, the BBQ Backstop Spatula would be a fantastic addition to your kitchen and your patio grill tool kit!

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The Whisk

Egg whites would remain a breakfast food if it were not for the mighty whisk. Briskly doing battle with proteins to embed them with the light fluffiness of air. Blending dry-goods with wet in the development of smooth rich gravies and sauces. Incorporate the fatty goodness of butter with these and you are sure to have a delicacy in the making! All because the whisk is designed perfectly to emulsify, blend and whip ingredients from what they are, in to what we need them to become. Hollandaise may get the praise, but the whisk has done the work. After doing all this work for all these generations it would seem near impossible to improve on what is simply perfect. But as it happens, a bit of improvement can be had in all things, perfect or not.

• The perfect design of the whisk has been upgraded to meet modern demands. Creating a whirl-wind of motion inside and out, the CYCLONE WHISK has a unique center adaptation for lighter whipping and faster blending and measures 10-1/2" X2-3/8" in all. Within the cage of the whisk resides a center spiral. This spiral is coated in non-stick silicone for easy cleaning. The newly remodeled version also has an ergonomic; non-slip grip handle for comfort and stamina. With the cool variety of colors available, you can even match it to your kitchen pallet. The new Cyclone Whisk is an example of the modern twists placed on a few traditional utensils. After seeing the cool modifications of the whisk, you may want to take another look at the kitchen goodies you use everyday. Who knows, you might be the one who discovers the next best generation of kitchen tools!
• True appreciation of today's kitchen utensils may not develop unless we take a peek at an old friend. The new revised whisk we discovered earlier has a relative (twice removed I believe) that we should get to know. This old fellow was born in the 1960's. The boxed Prestige Skyline Egg Beater is its given name, but to protect its innocence we will simply refer to it as the Antique or Vintage Whisk. It sported a stainless steel body and Cranberry Red plastic handles. Its length is 12", weighing in at around 1-1/2 pounds. To use this vintage tool you hold it firmly with one hand while cranking the second handle which causes the blades to spin at a rapid pace. The bracing between the twin blades is easy to clean (it says so on the box). Simply soak the antique gem in warm water, then using a small brush scrub between the nooks and crannies to remove all food debris from hidden view...Mercy, what a handy tool! Truly does bring an appreciation for our more modern and most modern whisks' of today!