What Is It Called? Unique Kitchen Tool Names

What Is the Top of the Plate Called?

This one's pretty simple: The top of the plate where food is placed is called the plate. While the edge of the plate is called the rim and the bottom of the plate is called the foot, the top of the plate is simply referred to as the plate in everyday conversation. If you really need to specify that you mean the top of the plate but not the rest of it, the top of the plate can be called the food-contact surface, as well. This term can be used with any kitchenware, but when it's used to describe plates, there's no chance of confusion about what part of the plate you mean.

Cloche is the precise term for a domed food cover, regardless of what material it's made of. You'll see other terms, such as plate cover, dish cover, gourmet cover, and a few brand-specific names, all of which are completely acceptable, though cloche is by far the most elegant term.

What is a cloche? Cloches are specifically domed food covers, as the word itself is French for bell.¹ Cloche is also used to describe a bell-shaped hat and domed plant covers often used to protect vulnerable flowers from inclement weather. Cloches are used to keep food warm, protect food from contamination, and improve the serving aesthetic in a restaurant, and if you're aiming for that fancy feel, cloche is definitely the term you want to use for this elegant piece of equipment.

The most common word for it is just that: the handle. However, the handle of a cup can also be called the ear because of its similar shape. Calling the cup handle the ear might cause more confusion than it alleviates, though, so if you're communicating with a wide audience, sticking to the handle might be your best choice.

This kitchen utensil name is both specific and necessary, unlike ear. A pizza spatula is called a pizza peel or a pizza paddle. What's a pizza peel? These are usually made of wood or aluminum with a long wooden handle so the operator can reach into a pizza oven and retrieve the pie without burning their hands. The wide end of a peel can lift and manipulate a pizza easily, making it a favorite tool for any pizzeria.

Pizza ovens operate at very high temperatures, making a peel vitally important to operating an oven safely. Pizza peels are made to hold a pizza flat and transfer it onto the baking surface smoothly without spilling any toppings. With a bit of flour or semolina on the peel, even wet pizza dough will slide off a wooden peel easily while retaining its shape. Pizza peels can also extract a finished pizza from the oven without warping its shape; metal peels are preferred for this task because they can be thinner and slide under the pizza more easily.

Rarebit dishes are more common than the dish for which they're named. Welsh rarebit is a very old dish consisting of toasted bread and cheese, with variations on that theme comprising English rarebit, Scottish rarebit, and buck rarebit. The term originates as a bit of dry British humor, with cheese being the closest that poor farmers could get to eating real meat. Originally known as Welsh rabbit,² this dish exists more in American culinary minds as a type of servingware rather than a main entree. Rarebit dishes, also called au gratin dishes and other names, are often used as both serving and baking dishes and come in a wide range of styles and sizes.

Rarebit isn't used outside of referring to this particular food and dish type. If the word is on its own or in conjunction with "dish," rarebit refers only to the kitchen tool name. Welsh, English, or buck rarebit refers to the food item.

Conical strainers, cousins of the rounded colander, are properly known as chinois strainers or china caps, depending on the type of conical strainer.³ The two names are often used interchangeably and are derived from the same etymological origin; they resemble a traditional type of conical hat worn in China centuries ago. Chinois is the French term for this shape of strainer, while china cap is obviously the English version, but in commercial foodservice, the two terms do actually denote different styles of strainer.

• Chinois strainers utilize fine mesh to separate miniscule particulate from a broth or bouillon, which is why they're sometimes called bouillon strainers. They can be used to drain liquid from very fine foods, as well, such as couscous or quinoa.
• China caps are constructed of metal with small perforations and are made to remove larger chunks from a liquid. These are better when you're straining coarsely textured foods.

Both chinois strainers and china caps are preferred over colanders when users need to direct the strained liquid more accurately. Most also have a handle and small protrusion opposite the handle so the strainer can be rested on top of a tall pot while in use. Chinois strainers can be used to sift dry baking ingredients, as well, removing all clumps and producing an incredibly fine and consistent powder.