Identifying an Old Kitchen Tool

[Belg]

Dear all,

I found an old kitchen tool, but I have no clue what it is.

It looks like something to squeeze garlic or something,but the "handles" are rather short so you can not apply a lot of force.
In one picture you see it opened, while in the second picture it is closed. It has those little "bumps" on it. It really looks like you can put something in between and then squeeze it. However: the handles are rather short, so I doubt you can put something hard (e.g. garlic?) in it. For a teabag squeezer it also seems a but strange.
Anyone an idea what it really is?

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Dear all,

I found an old kitchen tool, but I have no clue what it is.

It looks like something to squeeze garlic or something,but the "handles" are rather short so you can not apply a lot of force.
In one picture you see it opened, while in the second picture it is closed. It has those little "bumps" on it. It really looks like you can put something in between and then squeeze it. However: the handles are rather short, so I doubt you can put something hard (e.g. garlic?) in it. For a teabag squeezer it also seems a but strange.
Anyone an idea what it really is?

It’s squeeze a wedge of citrus like lemon or lime.

 

[Belg]

It’s squeeze a wedge of citrus like lemon or lime.

Ok, I was thinking the same, but it seemed a bit strange because if you cut the lemon or lime in two pieces, it is still hard to put it between the two parts.

EDIT: aha, I get it: you ment "pieces" (a wedge, sorry not native english speaker) ! Not just a half part, but like a "cut" already.
Yeah! This makes more sense.
Altough, I wonder when people cut the fruit in wedges and then still use this.. seems strange. I never used 1 wedge or 2 if I need the juice. Rather a half or full citrus

I found it here: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Stainle...Hand-Press-Bar-/401586242973?oid=333087262252



Thanks a lot! THat it was for wedges, I would not have figured that out.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Ok, I was thinking the same, but it seemed a bit strange because if you cut the lemon or lime in two pieces, it is still hard to put it between the two parts.

EDIT: aha, I get it: you ment "pieces" (a wedge, sorry not native english speaker) ! Not just a half part, but like a "cut" already.
Yeah! This makes more sense.
Altough, I wonder when people cut the fruit in wedges and then still use this.. seems strange. I never used 1 wedge or 2 if I need the juice. Rather a half or full citrus

I found it here: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Stainle...Hand-Press-Bar-/401586242973?oid=333087262252



Thanks a lot! THat it was for wedges, I would not have figured that out.

It’s funny how American English is British English, but we vary in some usage and spelling. I wish Americans has the lovely British accent.

We slice the fruit in wedges all the time in the US to serve with food. A squeeze of lemon for seafood; lime for tacos. Wedges are also served with iced tea and other cold beverages.

 

[J13]

Yep, that’s what it is. To squeeze a quartered or smaller slice of lemon either over fish or vegetables or possibly even a cup of tea. That way the person handling it gets the most juice, but doesn’t get juice on their hands, doesn’t get a spurt of juice in the eye and avoids seeds falling out. It doesn’t look pretty enough for a tea table, so probably for the kitchen when just a dash of lemon juice was needed?

 

[Belg]

It’s squeeze a wedge of citrus like lemon or lime.

Yep, that’s what it is. To squeeze a quartered or smaller slice of lemon either over fish or vegetables or possibly even a cup of tea. That way the person handling it gets the most juice, but doesn’t get juice on their hands, doesn’t get a spurt of juice in the eye and avoids seeds falling out. It doesn’t look pretty enough for a tea table, so probably for the kitchen when just a dash of lemon juice was needed?

Yeah, but to me it still seems an odd thing to have.
I actually wonder how often this is used. I doubt not a lot of people have this

 

[J13]

Odd tools have always been made (and are still made) for very specialized uses, many that were in style, but aren’t any longer. Like celery vases, which in Victorian times everyone just had to have so that fresh celery was near to hand. Currently, there are all kinds of avocado scoops and slicers around. No one needs a special tool to scoop or slice an avocado. BUT, given that avocado toast is all the rage at the moment, the fact that I’m seeing these specialized scoops and slicers in every kitchen store makes sense. If avocado toast vanishes from people’s menus, then, ten or twenty years from now, someone finding one of these avocado tools will think exactly like you “seems an odd thing to have....”

My guess about why this tool exists at all: there was a time when a squeeze of lemon was almost as popular as avocado toast; women trying to lose weight went on diets of mostly steamed vegetables and fish, and all the recipes urged them to add “a squeeze of lemon” to make these rather bland dishes more tasty. So, I can see someone making these little squeezers in an attempt to capitalize on the fact that all these women were keeping lemon wedges on hand at every meal.

And then there’s always having such on hand for tea (a classy tea with good china, that is). I own a pretty, quartered-lemon-slice squeezer in the shape of a bird meant for the tea table. And no, I don’t use it often, but it was inexpensive and pretty, so “why not?” One would not embarrass a guest at teatime by having them spurt lemon juice as they squeeze their quartered slice. Nor would you want to leave that unsightly juiced slice visible on the table It also has the benefit that the quartered slice won’t slip from your fingers and fly away as you squeeze it, as those slices are wont to do.

 

[Belg]

..
And then there’s always having such on hand for tea (a classy tea with good china, that is). I own a pretty, quartered-lemon-slice squeezer in the shape of a bird meant for the tea table. And no, I don’t use it often, but it was inexpensive and pretty, so “why not?” One would not embarrass a guest at teatime by having them spurt lemon juice as they squeeze their quartered slice. Nor would you want to leave that unsightly juiced slice visible on the table It also has the benefit that the quartered slice won’t slip from your fingers and fly away as you squeeze it, as those slices are wont to do.

Call me "old-fashioned", but I just cut the lemon in 2 and squeeze out the juice I need from 1 part and that is it.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Yeah, but to me it still seems an odd thing to have.
I actually wonder how often this is used. I doubt not a lot of people have this

You’re right it is an odd tool. I just squeeze the wedge with my fingers. Works great!

 

[J13]

Call me "old-fashioned", but I just cut the lemon in 2 and squeeze out the juice I need from 1 part and that is it.

And I just scoop an avocado out with a spoon and slice it with a knife but people do love gadgets, even for silly little simple things like squeezing a lemon slice. Let me ask you this...when you squeeze your lemon the old fashioned way, do you get seeds on your food or in your drink? Next time, try the lemon squeezer...no seeds. Might be worth it. Fishing slippery lemon seeds out of your tea can be a pain

 

[Belg]

And I just scoop an avocado out with a spoon and slice it with a knife but people do love gadgets, even for silly little simple things like squeezing a lemon slice. Let me ask you this...when you squeeze your lemon the old fashioned way, do you get seeds on your food or in your drink? Next time, try the lemon squeezer...no seeds. Might be worth it. Fishing slippery lemon seeds out of your tea can be a pain

If you pay attention to it... you can simple either take them out before they fall out or just prevent them for falling on/in your food.And even if they do, it is pretty easy to just take them out.

 

[J13]

If you pay attention to it... you can simple either take them out before they fall out or just prevent them for falling on/in your food.And even if they do, it is pretty easy to just take them out.

Easy? Do you know how many times I've tried to fish out lemon seeds from an iced tea and had it fall back in as it hit the ice? Or just slip out of the spoon? I don't know what you call easy, but I find them a real pain.

Ultimately, easy depends on who you are and where you are. If you're some little old lady with arthritis, then it might be hard to keep lemon seeds out, or fish them out. Ditto if you're serving up a very nice dinner and want to make sure none of your guests end up with seeds in their tea and have to fish them out—that would be awkward for them and for you. The job of a host, after all, is to make dinner as easy on guests as possible. It's why good restaurants often serve lemons covered with a bit of cheese cloth...to make sure the seeds don't get all over the food or in the drink and make it harder for the person eating that food.

Do you find the practice of serving lemons with cheesecloth over them weird and strange? I don't. And this little gadget is just a version of that cheesecloth over the lemon—difference is, you can use it over and over again instead of throwing it away.

 

[Belg]

Easy? Do you know how many times I've tried to fish out lemon seeds from an iced tea and had it fall back in as it hit the ice? Or just slip out of the spoon? I don't know what you call easy, but I find them a real pain.

Ultimately, easy depends on who you are and where you are. If you're some little old lady with arthritis, then it might be hard to keep lemon seeds out, or fish them out. Ditto if you're serving up a very nice dinner and want to make sure none of your guests end up with seeds in their tea and have to fish them out—that would be awkward for them and for you. The job of a host, after all, is to make dinner as easy on guests as possible. It's why good restaurants often serve lemons covered with a bit of cheese cloth...to make sure the seeds don't get all over the food or in the drink and make it harder for the person eating that food.

Do you find the practice of serving lemons with cheesecloth over them weird and strange? I don't. And this little gadget is just a version of that cheesecloth over the lemon—difference is, you can use it over and over again instead of throwing it away.

I cut my lemon in 2 pieces, if I see seeds, I just remove them with a knife or fork (just pick the seeds out) and then I squeeze some lemon juice in my tea.
Never really had problems with seeds in my tea.
I do get your point, but the device just seems a bit overkill for me and more as a thing to show off or for "fancy" stuff.