What are these utensils called?

13 years ago

I lived in Germany for a few years in the late '70's and I bought these two cooking utensils without really knowing what they were, except that I thought they'd probably be good for mixing food. At first I just stirred rapidly with them, which worked, but I eventually learned that you can spin them like a propeller if you spin the shaft between your two hands (a German woman mentioned that - she didn't know what they were called).

I still use them for things like mixing powdered milk and water in a refrigerator container. A quick swirl/spin and it's done without pulling out an electric mixer or having to use a bowl with a whisk and then pouring the milk into the refrigerator jar.

I lived for years without knowing what they're called, but now it's annoying me. I tried googling, but all I could find was one picture of a similar utensil in a set of vintage German utensils with no names.

Does anyone know what these utensils are called? At the time I bought cooking spoons of various sizes, all made out of the same plastic-like material and they've all lasted beautifully

Thanks,
Claire

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Comments (5)

nancylouise5me
13 years ago
It looks as if they either could be muddlers for mixing drinks or using for mixing a Mexican hot chocolate drink. I can't think of the name of it right now. But that would be my guesses. NancyLouise
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks, NancyLouise. My impression is that these are used in cooking, not in bartending or drink making, but I could be wrong.

Claire
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claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
Original Author
13 years ago
NancyLouise: It may be used for both cooking and mixing drinks.

I've been searching further and found a group of utensils, made of melamine by Rosti, and one of them is called a hand mixer and looks similar though not the same. I also have several of these other utensils from my days in Germany.

Amazon also carries this, in different colors, and calls it a mixing spoon, saying: "This melamine mixing spoon is great for beating eggs or mixing drinks. Rub the mixing spoon between two hands to rapidly spin the mixer back and forth."

So maybe mine are just an older model of a Danish "hand mixer" or "mixing spoon" and there isn't a special name for them.

Claire

This post was edited by claire on Thu, Jan 17, 13 at 17:47
cookncarpenter
13 years ago
Looks like a modern German version of a "Molinillo" a Mexican wisk used to "bate chocolate"
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks, ctycdm! I was stuck without power for a few days due to a blizzard in Massachusetts so I didn't get your email earlier.

I googled 'Molinillo' and apparently it's used by spinning between the palms to create that vortex that makes a good froth if you try hard, just as the German tool is. I found this reference which says the Spaniards brought chocolate and chocolate apparatus back to Europe from Mexico and presumably the Germans happily adopted it.

When I checked Google Images for Molinillo I also found this reference showing a molinillo from India which is used "to make frothy buttermilk and lassis". It's much simpler than those beautiful Mexican wooden tools and is more like my German ones. Mexico does seem to be the source. Chocolate inspires invention! A fine reason to eat or drink chocolate.

Claire

This post was edited by claire on Mon, Feb 11, 13 at 20:08