A celebration of the spoon rest

[lindag]

Here’s my favorite:

 

 

[palo]

 

 

This has to be in everyone's kitchen

 

p

[weinoo]

2 hours ago, gfweb said:

Spoon rests seem great in theory, but most of the time its one more frigging thing I don't need on the counter

 

This is basically where I'm at.

[heidih]

That would just make me crave crab!

[weinoo]

1 hour ago, Paul Bacino said:

Works  just fine,  also u can rest a pan lid!!!

 

 

I have this one!!  It gets a D+.  I also have the one in the second post of this topic - those get a C-.

[Paul Bacino]

@weinoo  D+     come on man   (   JK   )

 

this one gets a lot of work too.. was fortunate to have someone with a kiln,  to melt the wine bottle

 

[Dave the Cook]

For me, it's not just neatness. Thanks to spoon rests, I always know where the spoon/tongs/giant tweezers will be. With two cooks often in the kitchen, it's easy to lose track of where things might be. But with spoon rests (I admit that we have and use three), I don't have to search the counters or the stove top (both usually cluttered with mise or equipment) to find what is currently in use. 

[Kerala]

I just use a plate.

[MaryIsobel]

I jusr use a half sheet of paper towel folded in half. I have induction - not suggesting the paper towel for electric or gas!

[heidih]

1 minute ago, MaryIsobel said:

I jusr use a half sheet of paper towel folded in half. I have induction - not suggesting the paper towel for electric or gas!

I either use a cup already purposed or as you a disposable - I have gas so similar bit of foil.

[Kim Shook]

1 hour ago, Kerala said:

I just use a plate.

This is me, too.  I cook sticky stuff, so the weight of the plate is GOOD.  And it won't tip over like some other ones do.  And I tend to use more than one utensil while cooking - there's lots of room on a plate.  

[weinoo]

5 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

And I tend to use more than one utensil while cooking - there's lots of room on a plate.  

 

There may be lots of room ON a plate; my problem is often no room FOR a plate.

[Kim Shook]

19 minutes ago, weinoo said:

 

There may be lots of room ON a plate; my problem is often no room FOR a plate.

Me, too.  You've seen my so-called counter space.  But I usually have either one burner or at least the area in the middle of the 4 burners available.  If I can't fit a dinner plate, I can usually fit a salad plate.  

[weinoo]

2 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

Me, too.  You've seen my so-called counter space.  But I usually have either one burner or at least the area in the middle of the 4 burners available.  If I can't fit a dinner plate, I can usually fit a salad plate.  

 

I find it a bit dangerous to use glass around my cooking areas! But I could see maybe using an 1/8 sheet pan, or something along those lines.

[MaryIsobel]

Maybe this is a good use for all the old ashtrays!

 

[Katie Meadow]

3 minutes ago, MaryIsobel said:

Maybe this is a good use for all the old ashtrays!

 

Excellent idea if you have a reasonably big ashtray. I do in fact have such an item; a mid-century square job with a totally great design that is a little bit bigger than a cake baked in an 8x8 baking pan. Needless to say I didn't buy it to use as an ashtray. So it's a cake plate now. But it's rather frightening to think people needed ashtrays that size. I guess it would be useful if you were in a conversation pit and too drunk to climb out.

[Kim Shook]

1 hour ago, Katie Meadow said:

Excellent idea if you have a reasonably big ashtray. I do in fact have such an item; a mid-century square job with a totally great design that is a little bit bigger than a cake baked in an 8x8 baking pan. Needless to say I didn't buy it to use as an ashtray. So it's a cake plate now. But it's rather frightening to think people needed ashtrays that size. I guess it would be useful if you were in a conversation pit and too drunk to climb out.

I remember those!  My mother had a huge coffee table ashtray.  Very decorative.  She was the cleanest woman I've ever met and we used to joke that she emptied the ashes before you'd even put your cigarette out!  But those ashtrays were perfect for cocktail parties.  Twenty or thirty people milling about - everyone with a drink and a smoke in one hand and a napkin and nibble in the other.  Probably ten people at a time putting their cigarettes out.  Even my mom couldn't keep up with that that she would never have stood for an overflowing regular sized ashtray!  😄

[weinoo]

1 hour ago, Katie Meadow said:

. But it's rather frightening to think people needed ashtrays that size. I guess it would be useful if you were in a conversation pit and too drunk to climb out.

 

Or...there were a couple of cigar smokers. I actually wish I had my grandmother's stand-alone ashtray, from the Art Deco era...it was really nice. With a huge bowl.

 

I grew up around a lot of cigar smokers.

[Tropicalsenior]

26 minutes ago, weinoo said:

. I actually wish I had my grandmother's stand-alone ashtray,

Wouldn't work for me. I can trip over my own feet, I can only imagine what would happen with an ashtray in the middle of the floor.

[weinoo]

My saga last night, specifically for this topic. Starts out simple enough...

 

 

Making a pasta with asparagus...

 

 

That's the addition of a tasting spoon, and two Grey Kunz spoons, as I'm pan braising a pork chop...

 

 

Gotta have tongs. So now...

 

From above...

 

 

Oh, don't forget this...

 

 

To end up with this...
 

 

It all worked out. I hate these spoon rests.

 

 

Edited March 28, 2023 by weinoo (log)

[Tropicalsenior]

I've been reading through this topic from the very beginning hoping to somehow resolve my relationship with these nasty little critters. Had I started this topic I would have called it The Curse of the Spoon Holders. They are oh so necessary and yet none of them fit my needs. If I get one I like, I break it. If it's only adequate, it lasts forever.

First, I have one like @Darienne's. I keep it in my baking area because it is fine for a whisk or for one spoon.

Second, I have one on my stove that is adequate. Not that I'm all that crazy about Christmas all year long but at least it's big enough for a spatula and a tasting spoon.

 

Finally, I have one from Belize that my husband brought back as a souvenir. It's hanging above my stove and I can grab it when I'm desperate. Other than that it's completely useless.

For now I think I'm going to start using a small plate. It makes more sense to me and I don't know why I never thought of it before. As they say, too soon old and too late smart.

I'm going to start looking for something like Fat Boy's. I've seen them in the stores all the time here and always thought that they look like a pretty useless little dish. Now that I know what they would be good for, I will probably never see one again. If I do, I will buy four of them because if they work and I like them I'm sure to break them.

 

[Darienne]

48 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

I've been reading through this topic from the very beginning hoping to somehow resolve my relationship with these nasty little critters. Had I started this topic I would have called it The Curse of the Spoon Holders. They are oh so necessary and yet none of them fit my needs. If I get one I like, I break it. If it's only adequate, it lasts forever.

First, I have one like @Darienne's. I keep it in my baking area because it is fine for a whisk or for one spoon.

 

 

My goodness, this topic is so old, I had no memory of ever contributing to it or even seeing it before.  2011 it was.  Probably my first year on eG.  

 

And my two spoon rests, which I still have and use constantly, and was using this morning while making tomato sauce, are not quite like that of @Tropicalsenior.  Mine are larger, softer, and completely flexible.  And here they still are and I still celebrate them!!! 

[Annie_H]

I've been happy with the Thermoworks silicone trivets. I purchased 4 last year when the were two for one sale. Gifted one, then bought four more recently when they had another sale. Two stacked on both sides of the stove top. One on the breakfast table and another lives on the dining table as trivets. One on my desktop for beverages. (Ikea corks are looking shabby). 

Thermoworks does have 9x12 rectangles but too big for my main prep zone. The far left in the pic are my stainless spoon rests that I never really embraced. A stack of three. Hate is a strong word but I did hate them. 

The far end of my kitchen run beyond the stove to the right is the morning coffee prep and the fermentation station and spice blend projects. Triple duty silicone Thermoworks trivets are a a stubborn jar opener and pot holders. Always one or two in the dishwasher. 

My kitchen is tight but we have a great kitchen zone triangle. 

Prep zones and kitchens vary but this works for us. 

B+. I like the industrial circle design but square might be better ...they do come out of the dishwasher very wet. They hold water and need to be shaken in the sink and hung to air dry. The only minus.

 

[Mjx]

I usually use a vertical container (cup or jar), which has a small footprint, corrals drips, and ensures that nothing runs back along the handles.

[Annie_H]

I do soak beans in a 4 quart pyrex that sits by the back burner while they simmer for the foam skimmer and/or to collect misc tongs/spoons. Then goes in the sink to soak all the cooking utensil crap. But making something so simple like a creole remoulade that uses 4-5 teaspoons, Or various dressings. I need them to sit flat and not touching. Mayo/yogurt, mustard, chipotle, chili crisp, horseradish, and a dry one for spices. A few tasting spoons. I don't use recipes so I always need to adjust adding a bit more of this or that. 

This worked for a while as a test. Useless as pot holders--too stiff. The baby sheet pans are handy and came in a set of two. Small enough I often use them side-by-side. One for compost scraps. Sauté spoons, tong rest.