Spatula or Pancake Turner?

applecruncher

applecruncher

SF VIP
Location
Ohio USA
A friend's son was cooking something the other day and I heard him refer to a utensil as a spatula. I said
"Huh? That's a pancake turner." We went back and forth a bit.

Guess it's just a difference in which terminology one chooses to use.

(Hope the pics come out okay. I'm tired of fooling with the resizing.)

To ME, this is a spatula: Rubber, used to scrape the edges of a bowl, or to smooth out cake batter before putting the pan into the oven. You can lick the cake batter off a spatula. Spatulas don't go near heat. (Except the silicone ones, but even then not usually.)

spatula.jpg


This is a pancake turner: Used to turn pancakes, fried eggs, sausage patties. You never lick a pancake turner. It's never used for smoothing or scraping. I have a metal one, and a couple made of silicone.

panck turner.png
 

Yes, same here. However, when cooking with my 12yr-old granddaughter recently, I did explain to her that many people refer to the pancake turner as a spatula...because when you buy one these days it always says 'spatula' on the package.

Where the world went so wrong on this issue, I do not know :p
 
So, looks like majority goes with spatula for both. Interesting.

Okay, bit I'm still saying pancake turner for the second one. :tongue: (whether cooking pancakes, sausage, hamburger....whatever).

Not sure where I picked that term up - I think my mom and other relatives.
 
I agree with Applecruncher. I say pancake turner for the second one and often tell someone to get me the pancake turner when I'm cooking hamburgers on the grill. My Mom never owned a spatula she just scraped away in the bowl with a great big long handled spoon.
 
Ruth n Jersey said:
I agree with Applecruncher. I say pancake turner for the second one and often tell someone to get me the pancake turner when I'm cooking hamburgers on the grill. My Mom never owned a spatula she just scraped away in the bowl with a great big long handled spoon.
Click to expand...

Same with my mom but I suspect that was so she could leave enough for us to lick the bowl!

Do kids still lick the beaters and the bowl?
 
What do people call this when it's used to remove fried eggs from a skillet? Falafel? Hamburgers? What do people call a scraper when it's used as a stirring implement? A silicone wooden spoon?

attachment.php
 
What do people call this when it's used to remove fried eggs from a skillet? Falafel? Hamburgers?

A flipper.


What do people call a scraper when it's used as a stirring implement? A silicone wooden spoon?

A Spatula.

You can stir coffee with a pencil but it's still a pencil. It doesn't turn into a spoon.
 
With my new copper-lined frying pan, I don't need either of those tools. Stuff flips over just by flipping the pan.

Just like greasy spoon cooks do it. (Practice it with a piece of baloney etc.)
 
According to Miss Girard my 7th grade Foods Class teacher THIS and only this shape is a spatula.
77882e89b65c74289ce5be3ac0bf692e.jpg

Miss Girard taught me to cook AND gave me the best fudge recipe ever!
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top