105results about "Shaping utensils" patented technology

In general, one embodiment of the invention is directed to food holding apparatus for holding pre-cooked food at a selected holding temperature. The apparatus comprises a cabinet having at least one holding compartment therein, and pre-cooked food in the holding compartment, the food having been previously cooked in a cooking appliance. At least one radiant heat source is spaced above the food a distance less than 12 inches for delivering radiant heat to the food. A control mechanism varies the amount of radiant heat delivered by the heat source to the food to maintain the food at the selected holding temperature. A related method is also disclosed.

In general, one embodiment of the invention is directed to apparatus for warming pre-cooked sandwich buns and the like to a desired holding temperature and then holding the buns at such holding temperature. The apparatus comprises a cabinet having at least one compartment with a bottom wall, a top wall and opposite side walls. Adjacent the bottom of the compartment is at least one heat source for delivering heat to buns in the compartment. A control mechanism controls the heat source to deliver heat to the buns to warm the buns to the desired holding temperature and then to vary the amount of heat delivered to the buns to hold the buns at the desired holding temperature. A related method is also disclosed.

A cooking device including an upper housing and a lower housing is described. The lower housing is pivotally connected to the upper housing. The cooking device also includes a heating plate and a heating unit. The heating plate is removably attached to at least one of the upper housing and the lower housing. The heating unit is disposed in at least one of the upper housing and the lower housing and includes a heating element and a heat conducting plate between the heating element and the heating plate. The heat conducting plate conducts heat from the heating element to the heating plate.

The present invention provides for an apparatus for coring and slicing a food item comprising: a) a peripheral member; b) a coring element; and c) a plurality of blades extending radially of the coring element to the peripheral member, in spaced relation about the coring element. The apparatus may be combined with a base for securing the food item. Methods of constructing the apparatus are also encompassed by the present invention.

In general, one embodiment of the invention is directed to apparatus for warming pre-cooked sandwich buns and the like to a desired holding temperature and then holding the buns at such holding temperature. The apparatus comprises a cabinet having at least one compartment with a bottom wall, a top wall and opposite side walls. Adjacent the bottom of the compartment is at least one heat source for delivering heat to buns in the compartment. A control mechanism controls the heat source to deliver heat to the buns to warm the buns to the desired holding temperature and then to vary the amount of heat delivered to the buns to hold the buns at the desired holding temperature. A related method is also disclosed.

A foldable blade assembly enables users to section and display a food preparation within a food preparation container. The blade assembly comprises radially orientable cutting blades sized and shaped to fit within a food preparation container for sectioning and displaying the food preparation. A centralized hinge structure hingedly connects the cutting blades providing structure for pivotally changing the relationship between the cutting blades from radially orientable blade configuration to a substantially coplanar arrangement for storage. A manually removable handle assembly is provided to enable manual force perpendicular to the cutting blades for sectioning the food preparation.

An apparatus is disclosed which can shape fruits and root and tuberous vegetables. The shaping apparatus is operated in such a manner that: when root and tuberous vegetable or fruit is placed in a cutting blade case and rotated, the object is spirally tracked and the spirally tracked object is removed from the lower side of the cutting blade case, so that the spirally tracked object is picked up by an additional stick and then ornamented into various forms. The shaping apparatus allows fruits and root and tuberous vegetables to be easily treated in a variety of ways, as per the second process, thereby enhancing the product value of processed foodstuffs produced from the first process.

Controls for stirrers, hot plates and stirring hot plates provide respective user interfaces having a single control knob that is used to provide a plurality of setpoints. The control permits a user to pause a stirring operation of stirrers and stirring hot plates, unload a vessel, load a new vessel, and restart the stirring without having to re-enter a speed setpoint. Also, current operational parameters may be stored as preset setpoints. The control further permits a user to program a calibration temperature that is similar to the temperatures expected to be encountered during operation.

An improved method and apparatus for producing a rolled snack piece using an extruder having typically a plurality of orifices through which an extrudate exits the extruder. Each of these orifices is spiral shaped. When a desired length of extrudate stream or rope protrudes from an orifice, it is cut at its base, thus producing individual snack pieces that appear to have been rolled after being sheeted.

A foldable blade assembly enables users to section and display a food preparation within a food preparation container. The blade assembly comprises radially orientable cutting blades sized and shaped to fit within a food preparation container for sectioning and displaying the food preparation. A centralized hinge structure hingedly connects the cutting blades providing structure for pivotally changing the relationship between the cutting blades from radially orientable blade configuration to a substantially coplanar arrangement for storage. A manually removable handle assembly is provided to enable manual force perpendicular to the cutting blades for sectioning the food preparation.

A stove for transferring heat to food in a tray and a method of using the same. The oven includes a small cabinet having a partition dividing the interior into a plurality of separate, thermally insulated holding compartments, each compartment adapted to removably receive a food tray. A heat source above the tray emits radiant heat to heat the food in the tray. A control mechanism controls the period of the total holding time of the food, which has a heat holding period during which a corresponding heat source is activated. The furnace also includes a forced draft mechanism for delivering forced air into the compartment under the control of the control mechanism. The heat source is activated or deactivated during successive duty cycles to thereby maintain the food in the corresponding compartment at a selected hold temperature for a heat hold time.

An oven rack for supporting food items to be cooked in a oven cavity of an appliance includes a frame portion and a support platform defined by a plurality of support members that establish a food item support zone and a food item access zone. The plurality of support members include substantially straight support members and offset or shaped support members. The offset support members, in combination with a vertically offset section of the frame portion, define the food item access zone which is vertically offset from the food item support zone so as to enable a consumer to access a bottom portion of a food item resting on the rack.

A device to mix and extrude various ingredients including pastas, pastries, baked goods, hors d'oeuvres, and cookies. The device includes novel measuring, mixing and extrusion arrangements including: an automatic measuring cup; a way to continuously mix and extrude ingredients without intervening cleanings; a mixing and extrusion feed for handling different consistencies of ingredients; an integrated automatic cutter; motor cooling and extruded ingredient drying; as well as various safety devices.

A baking assembly bakes a food item prepared to be baked on a stick with a batter. The baking assembly includes a first heating element including a reservoir for receiving the batter and the food item therein. The reservoir defines a longitudinal axis. A second heating element includes a cavity that complements the reservoir. A hinge secures the first heating element to the second heating element allowing the second heating element to pivot over the first heating element such that the reservoir and the cavity create a heating hollow to bake the food item and the batter therein. A stick retainer receives and retains the stick in an orientation such that the food item is coaxial with the reservoir.

An apparatus for holding a pastry bag comprises a caddy and an ice-bath container that removably receives the caddy. The caddy includes a tapered receptacle and a flange arranged externally about the tapered receptacle. The container includes a first wall having a generally planar external surface, a second wall adjacent the first wall, the second wall having a generally planar external surface, and a third wall adjacent the second wall. The third wall includes an external surface engaged by the flange and an opening configured to allow insertion of the tapered receptacle into the interior of the container. The flange and / or the external surface of the third wall are configured so that the tapered receptacle is inclined relative to a support surface (e.g. a tabletop) whether the container is placed on its bottom (the first wall) or on its side (the second wall).

A butter heating and dispensing system for facilitating dispersal of melted butter. The system includes a container assembly, a spray assembly, and a heating assembly. The container assembly includes an interior space for receiving a quantity of butter to be melted and dispensed. The spray assembly is operationally coupleable to the container assembly. The spray assembly includes an intake for liquid butter, and a spray nozzle for dispersing the liquid butter. The heating assembly is for providing thermal energy to melt the butter received by the container assembly. The heating assembly is thermally coupleable with the container assembly. Most preferably, the container assembly has a sloped bottom wall, which slopes downwardly towards the intake of the spray assembly.