Market basket: Toothpicks are useful tools to keep around the kitchen

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16-02-2025

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