About Salad Tongs

Salad tongs are a basic kitchen utensil specifically designed for use in mixing, tossing and serving various types of salads. Salad tongs have been around for centuries with versions being found in many ancient archaeological sites and some luxury items found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs. Salad tongs have become more modern by design, but they still function on the same basic premise.

History

The original salad tongs were of a very basic design, which usually included two separate utensils. Using these two, same-size utensils, which were often made of wood, salad tongs worked in unison when serving salad. One piece looked like a large fork, with three prongs, while the other piece looked similar to a large spoon. The modern salad tong varies in size and dimension and is often joined together with a hinge that can be compressed to grab salad and released when serving. These newer, one-piece designs eliminate the hassle of using two hands.

Function

Salad tongs ease the tossing and serving of salads made from typical greens, vegetables and pasta. The design of a salad tong makes the grabbing of salad between two large, flat paddles much easier than that of using a normal spoon or fork. While salad tongs were originally created for salads, they can also be used to prepare and serve other foods. In addition to their use as salad servers, salad tongs can remove pasta from water and serve a prepared pasta dish. Salad tongs are also very useful in removing barbecued items from the grill. Modern salad tongs are often made of a heat-resistant material, which make them ideal for scooping potatoes or grilled vegetables out of the oven. Because of their gripping design, they are like a third hand and a handy tool for doing just about anything without running the risk of burning yourself.

Types

While the original salad tongs were typically crafted out of wood, a large variety of materials are used in the making of salad tongs today, like long-lasting metal, heat-resistant plastic and melt-proof silicone. While classic wood and the newer silicone designs are celebrated for being gentle on tender vegetables, metal tongs are much more durable and stain resistant. The newer plastic styles are normally heat-resistant and therefore work well for barbecuing and removing hot items from the stove or oven. Classic, standard, modern and luxury designs are available at most home, department and kitchen retail stores.

Features

Salad tongs are specifically designed to ease the tossing and serving of salad. Whether using a two-piece or one-piece set, salad tongs make the grabbing and releasing of salad simple by combining the use of a flat spoon and fork. The enlarged size of salad tongs, along with the flat-sided design, work to cover a wider area, keeping the salad in place and allowing the server to pick up larger portion sizes at a a time. In a general sense, salad tongs are simply an alternative to using your hands, but the long handle and grip of the pincher makes salad tongs a sanitary alternative.

Identification

Salad tongs can be identified by a set of arms, usually attached by a hinge and implementing a spring device, that are shaped like a V or U. Attached to the arms are a hand guard assembly set, which is used to pick up and serve the salad. While many modern salad tongs are joined together by a hinge and spring and have a locking pin to keep the hands in place, there are also salad tongs available in two separate pieces that require the use of two hands to operate.