Ladle: features and types

Ladle is one of the most frequently used and necessary items of kitchen utensils, and is available in every home. However, despite the apparent simplicity of the design, today there are several varieties of this simple device, and some instances, in addition to their direct purpose, do act as an important element of kitchen decor.

Ladle is a large-sized spoon used to spill soup, sauce, gravy and other culinary substances. The volume of the scoop is usually more than 100 ml, and depends on the intended use of the product. For example, models with a capacity of 140-170 ml are usually used to pour pancake dough into a frying pan, while large cooks containing between 200 ml and 1 l are used as soup soups. In this regard, the majority of housewives there is not one, but just two or three different ladle in volume.

Often scoops come in sets with other cutlery and have an ergonomic handle with a hole, hook or ball at the end. Thanks to these devices, the ladle can be hung on a special “hanger” included in the set or on a stud.

The handles of more expensive specimens are equipped with special silicone or wooden linings that prevent the scoop from heating up while it is in a saucepan with hot soup. More budget options have no heat insulating layer, which makes it necessary to use tacks.

Ladle is known in Russia since time immemorial, and its first samples were made of wood. The main purpose of the scoops was to remove the foam from the preparing dishes, however, a little later they began to be used to pour liquid culinary dishes into plates and cups.

Later, metal specimens began to appear, which markedly exceeded wood products in many operational characteristics. Such models were distinguished by high strength and durability, and were not subject to deformation, splitting and swelling, which often happened with wooden scoops. For their manufacture initially used aluminum, and much later products began to be made from stainless steel.

Today, not only wood and metal are used to make ladles, but also plastic, silicone, and even glass. Scoops are often included in expensive cutlery sets made from precious and semi-precious metals such as gold, silver or nickel silver.

As mentioned above, for the manufacture of polovnikov used different materials, each of which gives the finished product certain working properties.

Wood is the oldest type of raw material for ladles, and, despite a number of drawbacks, continues to be used for the production of scoops.

TO The advantages of the material include naturalness and environmental friendliness, as well as aesthetics of appearance and style. By cons include probability of emission of harmful substances from varnished modelswhich happens when the paintwork interacts with hot liquids. In addition, wooden models for the sake of decoration are often made quite large and massive, which is why it is not very convenient to use them for their intended purpose.

Metal ladles are made from copper, aluminum and stainless steel. Such products are characterized by a long service life, ease of use, ease of maintenance and concise appearance. In addition, the metals used for the production of cutlery, when interacting with boiling water, do not emit harmful substances, do not oxidize and do not rust.

Synthetic materials in the form of Teflon, silicone, nylon, plastic and plastics allow you to make light and comfortable products that have a different shape and color. Models can be used for non-stick internal surfaces - where the use of metal devices is undesirable. They do not scratch the inner layer of dishes, they are light in weight, they can be painted in any colors and have a modern design.

Products made of precious metals stand apart. Such models are usually included in expensive dining sets and, in addition to the performance of their basic functions, emphasize the status of the owner and his excellent taste. In addition to giving the product a high decorative effect, the use of precious metals disinfects water, and in some cases enriches it with useful elements.

The classification of ladles occurs according to several criteria, such as purpose, scope, shape and volume. The main criterion for the difference is, of course, the purpose of the device, since it is often the decisive factor for the other two signs — configuration and size. According to their functional purpose, there are several kinds of cooks.

Soup models, in turn, are divided into kitchen and dining rooms. The first ones use catering in kitchens, pouring soups and other liquid and semi-liquid culinary dishes into plates. The size of such models often exceeds 300 ml, and the diameter reaches 16 cm or more, which allows you to take portions from the boiler by one scoop. Among the kitchen models there are just huge copies that can hold up to 1 liter of liquid.

They are used in public canteens when it is necessary to quickly feed a large number of people. Dining models have more elegant sizes, and are used in everyday life. Their volume varies from 200 to 250 ml, which is enough for home use. Scoops are often placed on the dining table next to the tureens so that each person present can pour their own soup on their own.

Ladle for dough used when frying pancakes and donuts. Such models have a rather small volume, which usually does not exceed 140-150 ml. Pancake scoops are distinguished by wide edges with special notches on both sides, intended for filling the dough with a thin stream. Models have a rather narrow specialization, and their use for other needs, for example, for filling compote or soup, is not very convenient.

Scoops for sauce They are intended for filling garnish sauces and sauces, and do not look like soup models. Their edges often have beautiful grooves, and the work surface ends in a narrow nose. Handles of sauce mini-ladles in most cases also have ornate forms and are often carved. Sauce ladles are often located on a beautiful stand, and their volume usually does not exceed 140 ml.

The modern market of cutlery and kitchenware represents a large selection of ladles from various companies. Below are a number of models that, according to online stores, are the most popular and occupy the first lines of popularity ratings.

• Ladle Ototo Nessie It is a product made of blue nylon and comes in sizes 24.5x8x8 cm. The model has an unusual appearance and is made in the shape of a Loch Ness monster. At the bottom of the working bowl there are legs that allow you to store the product in an upright position. Such a scoop is produced in China and costs 480 rubles.

• Ladle Tupperware Available in black and red strict colors and can claim to be a worthy decoration of any modern interior. The width of the working bowl is 9.5 cm, the handle length is 28 cm. The material used is polyamide, which can easily withstand temperatures up to 150 degrees. At the same time, the product is not deformed, does not emit toxic substances into the environment, and, due to low thermal conductivity, does not heat up even with a long stay in a saucepan with hot soup. There is such a ladle 499 rubles.

• Model Gipfel 6479 Tramonto Made of environmentally friendly material - nylon, and weighs only 100 g. The product can be placed in a dishwasher, comes in different colors and has dimensions of 10x34 cm. The handle of the scoop is made of rubberized plastic, which prevents its heating from hot liquids. It is such a ladle 310 rubles.

• Ladle Pitagora Italian company Pintinox has a working bowl 10 cm wide and 3 mm thick, and the handle is 18 cm long. The model is made of high-quality stainless steel and has a restrained design and classic forms. The cost of a scoop leaves 844 rubles.

• Ladle gipfel comfort 6455 Made in black and purple and made of nylon. The handle has a hole for hanging, the dimensions of the product are 27.4 x9.2 cm, weight is 134 g. Such a scoop is produced in Germany, and its cost is 395 rubles.

In the next video you can get acquainted with a special model of a ladle, designed for a cauldron.