Mary Allen
Introduction to the Turnspit: A Forgotten Kitchen Appliance
In modern times, we take for granted the convenience of kitchen appliances that can cook and roast meat with the press of a button. However, for centuries, turning the spit over an open fire was a laborious and time-consuming task. Enter the turnspit, a forgotten kitchen appliance that revolutionized the way meat was cooked.
The turnspit was an ingenious device that turned a spit over an open flame, allowing meat to cook evenly and thoroughly. It was a staple in medieval kitchens and remained in use until the 19th century, when it was finally replaced by the rotisserie. Despite its importance in culinary history, the turnspit has been largely forgotten in modern times. In this article, we will explore the fascinating history of this forgotten kitchen appliance, from its origins to its legacy.
The Origin of Turnspit: A Look into Medieval Kitchens
The turnspit has its roots in medieval kitchens, where meat was a luxury and cooking was a labor-intensive process. In those days, the spit was turned by hand, a task that required constant attention and physical effort. As cooking techniques and equipment evolved, the turnspit emerged as a solution to this problem.
The turnspit was initially powered by a live animal, usually a dog, who ran on a wheel attached to the spit. The dog was trained to run for hours at a time, turning the spit and cooking the meat evenly. This was a significant improvement over the manual method, as it allowed cooks to focus on other tasks while the meat cooked. The use of live animals to power the turnspit continued until the 18th century, when clockwork mechanisms began to replace them.