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Whiskful thinking

By JANET K. KEELER
Published September 14, 2005

	BALLOON WHISK		FLAT WHISK
	MULTIPURPOSE WHISK		COATED WHISK
	SAUCE WHISK		COATED WHISK

A whisk is a beater, unplugged.

The simple construction of curved wires gathered into a handle has been around for thousands of years, according to The New Cooks' Catalogue (Knopf, 2000). Today, though, there's nothing primitive about whisks, which come coated in heat-resistant silicon (good up to 500 degrees!) and with ergonomically designed handles.

The purpose of a whisk is to lighten or leaven ingredients by introducing air, as in a souffle or scrambled eggs. In the end, these dishes need to be fluffy, otherwise a dense wooden spoon could do the job.

Whisks can be as small as a 5-inch cocktail version, that's more handle than wires, or a mammoth 5-foot utensil used in industrial kitchens. Some even come with a thermometer in the handle to monitor the temperature when making custards or tempering chocolate.

When looking for a whisk, buy one that is comfortable in your hand and will do the job you need done.

Here are some commonly available whisks and New Cooks' Catalogue descriptions of their purposes. Prices vary, but a sturdy all-purpose whisk can be had for less than $15.

- JANET K. KEELER, Times food editor

They come in various sizes, up to 14 inches for home use. The bulbous shape is designed to whip as much air as possible into egg whites or cream. Look for thin wires rather than thick, which can push out as much air as they introduce.

Sometimes called a French whisk, sauce whisks have an elongated pear shape. The wires should be thicker and more sturdy than those of the balloon whisk. Good for working heavier mixtures such as pastry cream or hollandaise sauce. They come in various sizes, with the smaller ones best for salad dressings.

Kuhn Rikon's new double-balloon whisk promises more and quicker whipping action. We found the globe bundle a bit cumbersome, but it did whip egg whites quickly. Available in 10- and 12-inch.

The whisk-tong-spatula, another Kuhn Rikon utensil, is a better picker-upper than whisk. It's handy, though, for flipping meat or chicken and then making a sauce in the same pan. It hangs on to food well, but don't mistake it for a tool that can whip up crepe batter.

Flat whisks are used to mix flour into melted butter when making a roux. They are also good for beating eggs in a shallow bowl. The best models feel like an extension of the hand. Wires should be sturdy.

They won't scratch surfaces of nonstick pans. Several versions are available, including balloon and flat, some coated in heat resistant silicone. Sometimes the "wires" are so large and flimsy they don't whip as well.

[Last modified September 13, 2005, 09:02:05]