Insights
Thanksgiving Ingenuity
November 23, 2011
- Buzz
- Thanksgiving Ingenuity
Thanksgiving is almost upon us, and tomorrow families across the country will gather together around the most traditional of American meals. Any cook will tell you that pulling of a successful Thanksgiving dinner is a challenge, and cooking the perfect turkey can be a down-right art (check out a few tips from IV CEO and cookbook author Nathan Myhrvold).
Ideas are valuable, and never is that more apparent than in a chaotic kitchen, which is why there are hundreds of Thanksgiving-related inventions, contraptions and technologies designed to improve your time in the kitchen. We wanted to share just a few of our favorite Thanksgiving-related inventions, and wish you a happy, safe and ingenious Thanksgiving from everyone here at IV.
- Turkey Baster – An absolute staple in the kitchen during turkey season, the origin of the turkey baster goes back decades, with many patented improvements along the way. However our favorite is without question patent #D390,070, “the ornamental design for a turkey baster”…in other words, a turkey-shaped turkey baster!
- Turkey Fryer – For those who want to try something a little more daring this Thanksgiving, we present patent #5,758,569 for a poultry frying apparatus specifically designed to safely deep-fry turkeys. And of course your fryer will sit atop one of the many patented turkey fryer stands, such as patent #D277,978. On a blustery day you can even hide behind patent #D297,880, a specially-designed turkey fryer wind barrier.
- Dehydrated Potato Flakes – When it comes to side-dishes, nothing says Thanksgiving like mashed potatoes. And while purists might scoff, those who want to save some time and energy can take advantage of patent #6,066,353 for dehydrated potato flakes. Just be sure to top them with a nice gravy served from your gravy boat (patent #D419,363) or gravy ladle (patent #D488,035).
- Portable Pie Case – Guests are often asked to contribute a dessert to the Thanksgiving meal, which can be tough when the dessert in question is a delicate pumpkin pie. Thankfully, there’s patent #4,123,128 for the portable pie case, which will keep your pies safe and secure during transit.
- Plastic Wrap – Finally, we can’t forget about the leftovers. The key to fresh, long-lasting leftovers is keeping them tightly-wrapped and free of air, which is made much easier by patent #6,692,805, plastic wrap with cling layer. If you’re all thumbs, you can use a specially-designed plastic wrap dispenser, such as patent #5,275,321.
Have a story about your favorite Thanksgiving invention? Send us your thoughts, @ivinvents on Twitter or www.facebook.com/intven.
