Market basket: Toothpicks are useful tools to keep around the kitchen
Exactly 153 years ago tomorrow, a rather unusual patent was issued to Silas Noble and James Cooley. Today, the Noble and Cooley Company is much more famous for making drums. But in 1872, these two enterprising men came up with a machine that would manufacture toothpicks.
We know that some form of toothpicks have been used for eons. Thin tree or bush twigs were called chewing sticks and documented by early Chinese around 1600 BC. That name was very appropriate because it softened the twig and very slowly it eventually gave way to the toothbrush.
Thanks to floss, most folks seldom use this slender piece of wood for the purpose it was originally intended. But it remains a must-have item in the kitchen and beyond.
I use toothpicks routinely to hold wrapped bacon around steak, figs, water chestnuts, shrimp and cocktail smokies (especially around this time of year). It's perfect length and sturdiness do the job well.
Toothpicks are my go-to device for checking the doneness of brownies and cakes. Although I own a cake tester, more often than not, I end up reaching for a simple toothpick to see if baking needs to continue a bit longer.
A trick I learned from my Daddy is to roll sausages like kielbasa around each other to prevent them from traveling all over the grill. Toothpicks come to the rescue once more to hold it all together.
I never purchase colored or plastic toothpicks but prefer plain wooden ones instead. If using as a cocktail pick, there are quite a wide array of fancy ones that are reusable.
A good tip is to use the same number particularly when wrapping bacon around a large piece of steak. I always use three, then there is no issue with accidentally leaving one in the meat when serving.
Scotty from Montgomery writes, 'We received a large chunk of Lancashire cheese and have enjoyed it enormously with crackers. Is there a good recipe for using it in cooking?'
Scotty,
Welch Rarebit is your classic for using Lancashire cheese and there are recipes galore. The cheese melts beautifully which makes it perfect for this dish. I like serving it with the same beer used in making the cheese sauce.
Tammy Algood is the author of five cookbooks and can be seen on 'Volunteer Gardener' on PBS stations in Tennessee. Follow her at www.hauteflavor.com
This article originally appeared on Southern Kitchen: Market basket: Toothpicks are useful tools to keep around the kitchen
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
21 hours ago
- Newsweek
Photos Reveal US Air Force Spying Capabilities
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Recently released photos show a fleet of specialized United States military aircraft staged on a flight line, highlighting their capabilities for a wide range of intelligence-gathering missions. The 55th Wing of the U.S. Air Force, an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance unit headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, told Newsweek in a statement that its aircraft and personnel conduct missions that defend the U.S. and safeguard global security. Why It Matters The U.S. Air Force often deploys its reconnaissance aircraft overseas to gather intelligence on America's adversaries. Forward deployment locations include Kadena Air Base in Japan, Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom, and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. American spy flights off the coasts of Russia and China have been intercepted by Russian and Chinese fighter jets. Moscow has stated it will not allow its borders to be violated, while Beijing has accused Washington of conducting "close-in reconnaissance" near its territory. Several U.S. Air Force RC-135V/W Rivet Joint aircraft park on the flight line at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska on June 1, 2025. Several U.S. Air Force RC-135V/W Rivet Joint aircraft park on the flight line at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska on June 1, 2025. Chad Watkins/U.S Air Force What To Know A set of seven photos released by the 55th Wing over the weekend shows several U.S. Air Force aircraft parked on the flightline at Offutt Air Force Base at night on June 1. These aircraft included the RC-135U Combat Sent, the RC-135V/W Rivet Joint, and the WC-135 Constant Phoenix. They are developed from the C-135 Stratolifter transport aircraft. The Combat Sent can locate and identify foreign military radar signals, while the Rivet Joint detects, identifies, and geolocates electromagnetic signals. The Constant Phoenix conducts air-sampling missions, collecting particulates in the air for detecting nuclear explosions. A U.S. Air Force RC-135U Combat Sent aircraft, right, parks on the flight line at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska on June 1, 2025. A U.S. Air Force RC-135U Combat Sent aircraft, right, parks on the flight line at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska on June 1, 2025. Chad Watkins/U.S. Air Force In the statement, the 55th Wing stated that the unit has global reach and enduring strategic impact by maintaining forward-deployed units around the globe, ensuring what it described as "rapid and persistent global ISR [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] coverage." In addition to the aforementioned specialized aircraft, the Nebraska-based unit operates the so-called "rapidly deployable" RC-135S Cobra Ball, which is designed for collecting data on ballistic missiles, a vital information that cannot be obtained by "any other source." What People Are Saying The 55th Wing of the U.S. Air Force, in a statement to Newsweek: "While we do not disclose operational status or comment on specific interactions with foreign military aircraft for operational security, the 55th Wing remains steadfast in executing its mission with precision, professionalism, and strict adherence to international standards." Offutt Air Force Base, on its website: "[The 55th Wing's] mission is to provide dominant information warfare forces through electromagnetic spectrum operations, information operations, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and nuclear command, control and communications to the Joint Forces and national leadership, any time, any place." Two U.S. Air Force WC-135 Constant Phoenix aircraft, left and center, and an RC-135U Combat Sent aircraft park on the flight line at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska on June 1, 2025. Two U.S. Air Force WC-135 Constant Phoenix aircraft, left and center, and an RC-135U Combat Sent aircraft park on the flight line at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska on June 1, 2025. Chad Watkins/U.S. Air Force What Happens Next It remains to be seen how the U.S. military maintains its worldwide airborne spying missions amid tensions on the Korean Peninsula, across the Taiwan Strait, and in the Middle East.
Axios
21 hours ago
- Axios
Portuguese is the third most-spoken language in Utah
Portuguese, Chinese and German are the three most commonly spoken languages in Utah, other than English and Spanish, per new census data. Why it matters: The myriad languages spoken across the state reflect the settlement and colonization of centuries long past, as well as more modern immigration patterns. By the numbers: Just over 13,800 people speak Portuguese in Utah, followed by 9,100 Chinese speakers and 8,500 German speakers, per the census data. That is a fraction of the 310,300 Spanish speakers in the Beehive State. The survey data represents the languages spoken at home from 2017 to 2021 among people five years and older in the U.S. The intrigue: Portuguese is prevalent in Utah in part because the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has ties to Brazil. The South American country is home to 1.5 million church members, according to church statistics. As of 2022, about 7,700 foreign-born residents of Utah hailed from Brazil, according to Portuguese is the top language after English and Spanish in four other states: Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Between the lines: Nationally, many multilingual people speak one language at home with family, but use English at work, school and elsewhere. Just over 60% of people who speak a language other than English at home also say they speak English "very well," per the census data. Zoom out: Chinese, Tagalog and Vietnamese are the three most common languages spoken in the U.S. after English and Spanish, per the census data.
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Historic Japanese triplexes restored at B.C.'s oldest surviving cannery
Japanese triplexes built in the 1960s at the last intact cannery on B.C.'s north coast have now been restored, preserving a vital piece of the region's multicultural fishing heritage. Built in 1889, the North Pacific Cannery in Port Edward played a key role in driving economic development on British Columbia's coast through salmon canning. It remained in active operation until 1980. Now the North Pacific Cannery National Historic Site and Museum, the site consists of a cluster of wooden buildings, primarily single-storey, arranged along a wooden boardwalk. It includes the main cannery building, management and administrative offices, residences, and employee housing. 'Ethnically-segregated living and work areas divided Chinese, Japanese, Native and white labour,' stated Parks Canada. The set-up was designed to function as a self-sustaining community in an isolated location, generating significant profits for its owners. The main cannery structure, completed in 1895, remains largely unaltered to this day. The Port Edward Historical Society is the current steward of the site. They are a registered charity dedicated to preserving, restoring, interpreting, and expanding the legacy of the North Pacific Cannery. With funding from the Japanese Canadian Legacies initiative, a non-profit organization supported by the Province, the local society received a grant that enabled the restoration of three units in one triplex to their original state. These restored units are now available as short-term rental accommodations. 'The Japanese Canadian Legacy Society was set up by the provincial government [in 2022] because the provincial government finally owned up to the fact that they had a role to play when the Japanese Canadians were interned [in camps] during World War Two. So to make up for that horrible time, they set aside some funding,' said Mona Izumi, North Pacific Cannery Historical Society's president. Additionally, the society transformed a fourth unit in the second triplex into an interpretive exhibit showcasing the history of Japanese Canadians at the cannery. This display features archival recreations of the homes and everyday objects used by past residents, offering visitors an immersive glimpse into their lives. The society organized the grand opening of the triplexes on May 24, drawing a turnout of more than 150 attendees. The afternoon featured a special interactive performance by the Lax Kw'alaams Dancers, guided tours of the site, and a delicious salmon bake and sushi relished by all. Japanese Triplexes A significant number of Japanese Canadians worked at the cannery before the Second Wolrd War. They were fishermen, skilled boat builders, net menders and cannery workers. In 1941, Canada declared war on Japan. After that, 1,200 fishing boats owned by Japanese Canadians were impounded, states the exhibit panels at the triplex. 'All persons of Japanese ancestry were forcibly removed from their homes on the West Coast and moved to internment camps in the interior of B.C. Able-bodied men were sent to work on farms and road crews in communities east of the Rockies,' said the text on the exhibit. Ichitaro Miki was born in Japan and moved to northwest B.C. to join his father and uncles to build boats before the war. 'On February 19, 1942, my parents were forced to evacuate Arrandale [north of Prince Rupert] for the last time. Father [Ichitaro Miki] 's relationship with the First Nation's people was so close. With his departure, he was abandoning years of hard work and everything he had built up was virtually lost. As the catala steamed past familiar landmarks, father took a final glance up Portland Inlet not knowing when he would ever see this land again,' shared Miki's family. In 1945, Japan surrendered after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. All internment camps in B.C. were then closed and bulldozed. Japanese Canadians were made to relocate east of the Rocky Mountains or 'repatriate' to Japan. By 1949, the federal government lifted the restrictions it imposed under the War Measures Act, and Japanese Canadians were finally allowed to return to British Columbia's coast. Following the news, fishing companies in B.C. started actively recruiting these fishermen and tried to attract them with boat rentals and housing. After the war, the Japanese were mainly fishermen, no longer boat builders and cannery workers. Old housing at the cannery withered and fell apart, so the owners constructed new ones for the returning fishermen between 1964 and 1965. Some of the original residents were Robert and Fumiko Nishimura, Katsuki and Misao Kadowaki, and Frank and Yoshiko Yoshida. These families made every effort to make the most of the salmon season. According to the interpretive text, men typically fished while women took on responsibilities both at home and in the cannery. Life was busy, especially during peak season, as they worked hard to preserve enough seafood to last the entire year. They canned sockeye salmon, crab, abalone, and sea urchin, and also dried seaweed. Salmon was often salted and shipped to family members in other parts of Canada. In addition to their work, women also maintained the communal bath, a vital part of daily life and community hygiene. For the first time in the triplexes' record, they are now open to the public. The restored spaces offer an immersive look into daily life in these historic homes. The kitchens display traditional cooking items, while the living rooms are set up with vintage radios, pianos, and traditional Japanese games and snacks. The bedrooms feature old beds and side tables filled with personal items from the era, evoking a deep sense of nostalgia for visitors. Heather Hadland-Dudoward, the historical society's general manager, invites visitors to rent the three new, refurbished units. She says while the exterior maintains the old, rustic look, the interior is equipped with modern furniture, heating and lighting systems. The bathroom, however, includes an antique clawfoot bathtub and a cast-iron sink, both salvaged from the original cannery. Modern amenities such as TVs and Wi-Fi have not yet been added. 'You really get to unplug and just enjoy the environment. It is really neat, and people who like trains will especially love staying here,' said Dudoward. Travellers will wake up to an ultra-tranquil setting, surrounded by lush greenery, a serene river, and the majestic mountains. The only regular source of funding the cannery gets is from the North Coast Regional District, without which operations would not be possible. Young Canada Works provides some additional support for tour guides. However, as Dudoward noted, maintaining the various museum spaces, artifacts, and facilities, along with supporting staff and events, requires an immense amount of ongoing effort. The upkeep of this historic site involves considerable work, from guided tours to daily maintenance and administrative operations. With the addition of new rental units, the society hopes to advance its mission to preserve and enhance the site for years to come. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
