What cooking utensil is most associated with your culture?

[purplepoppy]

When I think of Chinese cooking I think of the wok, Australia brings up images of the barbecue, Scotland the deep fat frier and in the photo you can see a welsh bake stone as found in every kitchen with a pancake on it.

So what cooking utensil is associated with your area

[HighlyVolatile]

I had to ask my wife for a second opinion and really deliberate on this, but we ended up with Shamoji ( 杓文字) as maybe the most symbolic representation of traditional Japanese cooking. It is a wooden rice paddle (most traditionally made with bamboo) but used in a variety of ways beyond rice traditionally:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamoji

Shamoji

[HighlyVolatile]

I also think fairly high-quality Japanese kitchen knives. They became popular around the 14th century originating in Sakai along with samurai swords:

[HighlyVolatile]

My wife and I are a bit split there though because my wife prefers German knives while I prefer the Chinese cleaver. But I think Japanese kitchen knives have become fairly popular around the world.

[HighlyVolatile]

I always thought samurai swords were a bit overrated (that seems more blasphemous to Western people who worship samurai swords than to Japanese) compared to European swords designed so carefully against armored opponents and constantly evolving that way. But I think the razor sharpness of the blades was well-suited for cutting the flesh of animals, fish, things of this nature.

[andreasderjuengere]

I... seeeeeee :)
As for the 'Samurai' swords': I wasn't aware that you use them for cooking :D
Apart from that - they have a certain appeal; but I think for murdering opponents the European swords of the same time period were indeed a little more efficient :D
But you guys had better techniques of ''smithery''.

[HighlyVolatile]

@andreasderjuengere To my best understanding (I am hardly a Japanese historian and actually became far more fascinated with Western history in my youth), the legacy of Japanese kitchen knives actually descended from the samurai swords. Warfare and kitchen utensils blended a great deal in our history... although I'm sure they did in all cultures, but maybe to an unusual extent here since the greatest swordsmiths in Japanese history were also commissioned to greatest kitchen knives.

Might also explain the "waiiyahhh!" sort of way of stereotypical Japanese steakhouses in the West chopping things up so fast in front of a big audience. :-D As a fun tidbit, the Japanese teppanyaki-style steakhouse is also much more of a Western thing where chefs put on such a fancy show in front of audiences. We don't have so much here in Japan but I miss from my time in the US!

[NathanDavis]

to make salsas

Molcajete

to make tortillas

Comal

to make tacos...

Cuchillo to make carnitas (chop chop chop)

[Ninania]

We have a pan specifically for making æbleskiver.

[exitseven]

I am of Italian decent so maybe it is the scolapasta. That is the Italian word for colander. It is used in making spaghetti.

[Whatthefluff]

I learned something new today. Interesting!

[purplepoppy]

In the UK it's mostly used to drain vegetables but they're useful to steam puddings in. I assume you make pasta by pushing dough through the little holes

[exitseven]

@purplepoppy hahahhah Yes, you buy different ones for linguini and angel hair too. 😂😂

[andreasderjuengere]

I would not know of any German household that doesn't have a wooden spoon.
Some may say it's a ''Sauerkraut'' clay-pot :D.
But I'd say that for ''us'' it's stews and potages. - - - Although the newer generations would rather ORDER meals online, than cooking them on their own.

As for my hosting culture, Thailand:
It's either the sticky-rice arrangement

or a very sooty, grimy, worn out thing that once was a wok-pan

[MrOracle]

Is that an actual stone or is it cast iron?

Most people in the US use aluminum stove-top griddles for pancakes, though I'm a Lodge cast-iron griddle man myself.

[purplepoppy]

Originally they were stone but now they're cast iron, the name just stuck. I've got a lodge pan but it's easier to flip things on a griddle stone

[MrOracle]

That's what I figured - I was pretty sure that was cast iron in your pic. I don't remember seeing such griddles for sale here - I'm sure you can get them but they aren't common here.

[Кураж]

Slovak halušky are traditionally made with this kind of a strainer pan thingy.
The mixture is wet goop so you just let it drip through the holes.
It's similar to how spätzle are made, except the spätzle "hopper" is a stupid contraption that's totally unnecessary and creates a ton of mess.

[Andres77]

Cast iron skillet for me, thank you very much.

This also keeps away iron deficiency without making one constipated... from the iron supplements.
Red wine does as well.

[Hanrej]

The cheese slicer.

[goaded]

Oh, is that what that is? I've had one in a drawer for the last 30 years.

[purplepoppy]

I use a grater or knife, I'd probably shave my legs with that

[DonkeyDan]

A Yorkshire pudding tray

[goaded]

I used to go to a pub where they did a six-inch diameter Yorkshire puds, filled with stew, sausages with gravy, or chilli, Not traditional, but really nice. With chips, of course. :)

[DonkeyDan]

@goaded
I've had one of those with a roast dinner inside.

[matchrestore]

Casserole Dish

[t-8900]

I suppose it would be the spaghetti fork. Though I'd venture to say more people see pizza cutters on a daily basis.

[AviatorTom]

American cooking is often done on a grill. Eggs, sausage or French toast for breakfast. Steak, ribs, chops or hamburgers for dinner.

[goaded]

I suppose it would have to be the frying pan for the English, I don't know, waffle iron for the Germans?

[goaded]

Your bake stone reminds me that, in the French Alps, they do Pierre Chaud, which is a hot rock for you to cook your own meal on. Bit of a con, really, having to cook your own food in a restaurant. :)

[genericname85]

a bear glass. cause we don't eat. we only drink beer, i guess xD

[ArtemisSilver]

Canada, electric kettle, as we invented it. I'm always using mine for something.

[OddBeMe]

The one that works best. Cuz traditions are stupid.

[Roxxy99]

The DoorDash app. Lol

[Adam1978]

Cheese shredder.

[EssenceOfLight]

Germany. Sausage press.

[Mark987]

Indian: Pressure cooker

[Jamie05rhs]

The Crock-Pot, I guess?

[IsoUser]

To be perfectly honest a bamboo utensil