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   09.27.05 || What is a Spatula?

Now we’ve come to the biggest question of the day: What is a Spatula? Thinking of growing up, hearing your parents talking about a spatula in the kitchen maybe grandma asking you to get one, what do you get? This has become a neighboring debate, so I present it here, what is your thinking of what a spatula is: #1 or #2 or both? Comment to state your opinion. (Krissy, I already know your opinion)

#1

A rubber or silicon flexible tool used to scrape bowls to get the remaining pudding or other soft creamy substance out.

#2

A harder plastic or metal flat ended tool used to flip hamburgers, or other solid food items.


Comments

They're both spatulas. Merriam-Webster says, "a flat thin usually metal implement used especially for spreading or mixing soft substances, scooping, or lifting."

Both of those tools do that -- in the traditional sense, #2 is what comes to mind when we say spatula since it's used more often in everyday cooking.

But both of those are spatulas.

And don't get started on calling #2 a "flipper".

Posted by: Pete at September 27, 2005 10:05 PM

yes, m-w.com is the only dictionary that says that, the other two i know of (answers.com and dictionary.com) say something similar, but something that more decribes the first.

Posted by: Photo Phil at September 27, 2005 10:34 PM

Well acording to the foods teacher number 1 is a spatula and number 2 is "Pancake Flipper"

Posted by: Katie at September 28, 2005 06:28 AM

blah, if u want me to make u food, you'll call it what I tell you too. ;)

Posted by: krissy at October 4, 2005 02:32 PM

I'm going to have to agree with Pete on this one. I looked it up on foodtv.com (the food network website) and saw this definition:

A flattish, rather narrow kitchen utensil that comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Depending on the material from which it's made (which includes wood, metal, rubber and plastic), spatulas can be used for a plethora of kitchen tasks. Rigid wood spatulas are good for scraping the sides of pots and turning foods, whereas softer plastic or rubber spatulas are better for stirring ingredients in a curved bowl and folding mixtures together. Flexible metal spatulas--both long and short--are perfect for spreading frosting on cakes. See also turner.

--Copyright (c) 1995 by Barron's Educational Series, from The New Food Lover's Companion, Second Edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst


This probably doesn't help the debate at all, does it? :)

Posted by: erin at October 7, 2005 01:44 PM

I'm one of those people who has a kitchen, and has some stuff IN the kitchen, but rarely uses the kitchen. To me, anything that can be found in a kitchen drawer, that has a handle and does NOT have a spoon-like scoop to the business end of it, qualifies as a spatula. Now, what a person should DO with one of these spatula things is a mystery I don't intend to solve. I leave those matters to the cooks at the various restaurants I frequent.

Posted by: Karla at April 3, 2006 07:01 PM

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