While conducting experiments with radar in 1945, Raytheon scientist Dr. Percy Spencer noticed that a magnetron was emitting microwaves that were generating heat. He developed and patented a process for heating food by placing it under parallel magnetrons. Within a couple of years his colleagues William M. Hall and Fritz A. Gross patented a microwave heating unit housed within an oven. The first models of the microwave oven were roughly six feet tall and weighed over 750 pounds, clearly not suitable for kitchen counters at home. It wasn’t until the mid-1950s that microwave ovens were manufactured for home use.
This model 963-5610-60 microwave oven was manufactured in Japan in 1976 by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. for J.C. Penney, a large, American retailer. The operating manual touts some of the oven’s special features, including a 15-minute timer for precise cooking, a built-in recipe guide for “at-a-glance” convenience for common foods, a magnetron tube for even microwave cooking, and an end-of-cooking bell and automatic shut off. The oven’s most unusual features are its door, which is hinged from the top, and a multi-sided observation window, which allowed for watching the cooking in progress. Reflecting the growing popularity of microwave ovens for preparing snack foods like popcorn, the owner’s manual suggests that it can be placed even in the family room due to its low profile design.
Jeff and Jan Thompson purchased this unit in 1976 on installments for $219.95, plus $28.95 for an Assured Performance Plan (an extended warranty) and $12.45 tax. They donated the oven and documentation, including a service manual, warranty card, operating instructions, warehouse sales slip and pick-up slip, to the museum in 2006.
This is an International Paper LHRL-16 peel and lock type coffee cup lid. Peel and lock type lids give the drinker a place to snap the peeled back lid part into itself, preventing the need to tear off or throw away a little triangle of plastic.
Architects and collectors Louise Harpman and Scott Specht donated 56 plastic cup lids to the National Museum of American History in 2012. Their donation is a sample from their much larger collection of “independently patented drink-through plastic cup lids,” which they began in 1984 and discussed in a 2005 essay, “Inventory / Peel, Pucker, Pinch, Puncture,” in Cabinet Magazine: http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/19/harpman.php. The collectors’ categorization scheme reflects the primary way the lid design functions, which helps differentiate between the varieties and styles of lids.
Plastic, disposable coffee cup lids and other single-use food packages reinforce the social acceptability of eating and drinking on the go in the United States and reflect increasing expectation for convenience products. Cup lids are also examples of how humble, and even disposable, objects are sometimes the result of meticulous engineering. Patents for lid innovations describe peel-back tabs and the pucker-type shapes that make room for mouths and noses, and describe the nuances of “heat retention,” “mouth comfort,” “splash reduction,” “friction fit,” and “one-handed activation.”
This WinCup 16LTS coffee cup lid is a peel type lid. Peel type lids require the drinker to peel back a piece of the lid to create a wedge-shaped opening, revealing the top edge of the cup.
Architects and collectors Louise Harpman and Scott Specht donated 56 plastic cup lids to the National Museum of American History in 2012. Their donation is a sample from their much larger collection of “independently patented drink-through plastic cup lids,” which they began in 1984 and discussed in a 2005 essay, “Inventory / Peel, Pucker, Pinch, Puncture,” in Cabinet Magazine: http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/19/harpman.php. The collectors’ categorization scheme reflects the primary way the lid design functions, which helps differentiate between the varieties and styles of lids.
Plastic, disposable coffee cup lids and other single-use food packages reinforce the social acceptability of eating and drinking on the go in the United States and reflect increasing expectation for convenience products. Cup lids are also examples of how humble, and even disposable, objects are sometimes the result of meticulous engineering. Patents for lid innovations describe peel-back tabs and the pucker-type shapes that make room for mouths and noses, and describe the nuances of “heat retention,” “mouth comfort,” “splash reduction,” “friction fit,” and “one-handed activation.”
This is a Lily 350HFL peel and lock type coffee cup lid. Peel and lock type lids give the drinker a place to snap the peeled back lid part into itself, preventing the need to tear off or throw away a little triangle of plastic.
Architects and collectors Louise Harpman and Scott Specht donated 56 plastic cup lids to the National Museum of American History in 2012. Their donation is a sample from their much larger collection of “independently patented drink-through plastic cup lids,” which they began in 1984 and discussed in a 2005 essay, “Inventory / Peel, Pucker, Pinch, Puncture,” in Cabinet Magazine: http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/19/harpman.php. The collectors’ categorization scheme reflects the primary way the lid design functions, which helps differentiate between the varieties and styles of lids.
Plastic, disposable coffee cup lids and other single-use food packages reinforce the social acceptability of eating and drinking on the go in the United States and reflect increasing expectation for convenience products. Cup lids are also examples of how humble, and even disposable, objects are sometimes the result of meticulous engineering. Patents for lid innovations describe peel-back tabs and the pucker-type shapes that make room for mouths and noses, and describe the nuances of “heat retention,” “mouth comfort,” “splash reduction,” “friction fit,” and “one-handed activation.”
This is a Letica Corporation pucker type coffee cup lid. Pucker type lids require the drinker to place his or her mouth over a protrusion with a hole in it. With these lids, the drinker does not drink directly from the cup—mouths do not make contact with the rim of the cup. Instead, one drinks from only the lid.
Architects and collectors Louise Harpman and Scott Specht donated 56 plastic cup lids to the National Museum of American History in 2012. Their donation is a sample from their much larger collection of “independently patented drink-through plastic cup lids,” which they began in 1984 and discussed in a 2005 essay, “Inventory / Peel, Pucker, Pinch, Puncture,” in Cabinet Magazine: http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/19/harpman.php. The collectors’ categorization scheme reflects the primary way the lid design functions, which helps differentiate between the varieties and styles of lids.
Plastic, disposable coffee cup lids and other single-use food packages reinforce the social acceptability of eating and drinking on the go in the United States and reflect increasing expectation for convenience products. Cup lids are also examples of how humble, and even disposable, objects are sometimes the result of meticulous engineering. Patents for lid innovations describe peel-back tabs and the pucker-type shapes that make room for mouths and noses, and describe the nuances of “heat retention,” “mouth comfort,” “splash reduction,” “friction fit,” and “one-handed activation.”
This is a Sweetheart LTG516 pucker type coffee cup lid. Pucker type lids require the drinker to place his or her mouth over a protrusion with a hole in it. With these lids, the drinker does not drink directly from the cup—mouths do not make contact with the rim of the cup. Instead, one drinks from only the lid. This lid's design was covered by patent number D417,845 that was assigned to Insulair, Inc. on December 21, 1999.
Architects and collectors Louise Harpman and Scott Specht donated 56 plastic cup lids to the National Museum of American History in 2012. Their donation is a sample from their much larger collection of “independently patented drink-through plastic cup lids,” which they began in 1984 and discussed in a 2005 essay, “Inventory / Peel, Pucker, Pinch, Puncture,” in Cabinet Magazine: http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/19/harpman.php. The collectors’ categorization scheme reflects the primary way the lid design functions, which helps differentiate between the varieties and styles of lids.
Plastic, disposable coffee cup lids and other single-use food packages reinforce the social acceptability of eating and drinking on the go in the United States and reflect increasing expectation for convenience products. Cup lids are also examples of how humble, and even disposable, objects are sometimes the result of meticulous engineering. Patents for lid innovations describe peel-back tabs and the pucker-type shapes that make room for mouths and noses, and describe the nuances of “heat retention,” “mouth comfort,” “splash reduction,” “friction fit,” and “one-handed activation.”
This is an Imperial Bondware LHRL-10 peel and lock coffee cup lid. Peel and lock type lids give the drinker a place to snap the peeled back lid part into itself, preventing the need to tear off or throw away a little triangle of plastic. This lid is covered by patent number 5,613,619, assigned to Amhil Enterprises Ltd. on March 25, 1997.
Architects and collectors Louise Harpman and Scott Specht donated 56 plastic cup lids to the National Museum of American History in 2012. Their donation is a sample from their much larger collection of “independently patented drink-through plastic cup lids,” which they began in 1984 and discussed in a 2005 essay, “Inventory / Peel, Pucker, Pinch, Puncture,” in Cabinet Magazine: http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/19/harpman.php. The collectors’ categorization scheme reflects the primary way the lid design functions, which helps differentiate between the varieties and styles of lids.
Plastic, disposable coffee cup lids and other single-use food packages reinforce the social acceptability of eating and drinking on the go in the United States and reflect increasing expectation for convenience products. Cup lids are also examples of how humble, and even disposable, objects are sometimes the result of meticulous engineering. Patents for lid innovations describe peel-back tabs and the pucker-type shapes that make room for mouths and noses, and describe the nuances of “heat retention,” “mouth comfort,” “splash reduction,” “friction fit,” and “one-handed activation.”
This is a Dixie DL9540 pucker style coffee cup lid. Pucker type lids require the drinker to place his or her mouth over a protrusion with a hole in it. With these lids, the drinker does not drink directly from the cup—mouths do not make contact with the rim of the cup. Instead, one drinks from only the lid. The design of this lid is covered by patent number D379928, assigned to the James River Corporation on June 17, 1997.
Architects and collectors Louise Harpman and Scott Specht donated 56 plastic cup lids to the National Museum of American History in 2012. Their donation is a sample from their much larger collection of “independently patented drink-through plastic cup lids,” which they began in 1984 and discussed in a 2005 essay, “Inventory / Peel, Pucker, Pinch, Puncture,” in Cabinet Magazine: http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/19/harpman.php. The collectors’ categorization scheme reflects the primary way the lid design functions, which helps differentiate between the varieties and styles of lids.
Plastic, disposable coffee cup lids and other single-use food packages reinforce the social acceptability of eating and drinking on the go in the United States and reflect increasing expectation for convenience products. Cup lids are also examples of how humble, and even disposable, objects are sometimes the result of meticulous engineering. Patents for lid innovations describe peel-back tabs and the pucker-type shapes that make room for mouths and noses, and describe the nuances of “heat retention,” “mouth comfort,” “splash reduction,” “friction fit,” and “one-handed activation.”
This is an Imperial Bondware LHRDS-16 pucker style coffee cup lid. Pucker type lids require the drinker to place his or her mouth over a protrusion with a hole in it. With these lids, the drinker does not drink directly from the cup—mouths do not make contact with the rim of the cup. Instead, one drinks from only the lid. This lid's design is covered by patent number D417,845 assigned to Insulair, Inc. on December 21, 1999.
Architects and collectors Louise Harpman and Scott Specht donated 56 plastic cup lids to the National Museum of American History in 2012. Their donation is a sample from their much larger collection of “independently patented drink-through plastic cup lids,” which they began in 1984 and discussed in a 2005 essay, “Inventory / Peel, Pucker, Pinch, Puncture,” in Cabinet Magazine: http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/19/harpman.php. The collectors’ categorization scheme reflects the primary way the lid design functions, which helps differentiate between the varieties and styles of lids.
Plastic, disposable coffee cup lids and other single-use food packages reinforce the social acceptability of eating and drinking on the go in the United States and reflect increasing expectation for convenience products. Cup lids are also examples of how humble, and even disposable, objects are sometimes the result of meticulous engineering. Patents for lid innovations describe peel-back tabs and the pucker-type shapes that make room for mouths and noses, and describe the nuances of “heat retention,” “mouth comfort,” “splash reduction,” “friction fit,” and “one-handed activation.”
Often used during presentations, planning meetings, and other activities involving group brainstorming, flip charts—large pads of paper typically supported on an easel—are like portable blackboards. This flip chart records the substance of a conversation between Jennifer McCloud, the owner of Chrysalis Vineyards in Middleburg, Virginia, and winemaker Alan Kinne, as they were discussing the future of the vineyard in the late 1990s. Committed to working with the particular soil, climate, and topography of her Virginia vineyard (the terroir), McCloud was interested in experimenting with lesser-known grapes at Chrysalis and this flip chart helped track those discussions.
This page reveals part of McCloud and Kinne’s conversation about Viognier, a white varietal from the French region of Condrieu in the northern Rhône Valley. At the time, Viognier had gained attention as a promising varietal for Virginia’s challenging environment, where summer’s heat and humidity can lead to mildew and rot. Dennis Horton, of Horton Vineyards in Orange, Virginia, had been producing Viognier for several years and other winemakers in the state were taking notice. Kinne and McCloud discussed Viognier’s texture, flavor, and bouquet, recording their observations on this page of the flip chart:
Texture: oily, unctuous, viscous, Sake, slight bitterness, nuts (old), mineral (old). Flavor: Peaches, ripe cantaloupe, honeydew, white peaches, mango, coconut;
They recorded viticulture issues on another page, including vine age, low vigor, spacing, hardening of shoots, pruning, training, trellising, harvest parameters, and yields. McCloud began producing a small amount of Viognier with grapes sourced from other growers and planted 7.5 acres of her own, which came into production in the early 2000s.
This round, white, ceramic plate is from Emeril Lagasse’s NOLA restaurant in New Orleans. The logo in the center features a blue spiral design over a gradient orange background outlined in an edged pattern like a postage stamp. Emeril opened NOLA in the New Orleans French Quarter in 1992. The menu features Creole and Acadian (Cajun) cuisine influenced by Southwestern and Asian cooking styles, as well as local products.
The plate was made by Dudson Fine China in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. Stoke- on-Trent is affectionately known as The Potteries, due to the high concentration of ceramics factories, and is now officially recognized as the World Capital of Ceramics. Dudson first opened their factory in 1800, and has continued to be a privately owned family business for nine generations. Dudson specializes in ceramic tableware for the travel and hospitality industry.
Emeril Lagasse grew up in Fall River, Massachusetts working in a Portuguese bakery; he then pursued a degree at the Johnson and Wales University culinary program, turning his passion into a career. After working in fine restaurants throughout the Northeast, Emeril made the move to New Orleans to become the executive chef of the legendary Commander’s Palace. Emeril went on to open his own restaurants including his first, Emeril’s in New Orleans, in 1990, followed by NOLA in 1992, Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House in the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas in 1995, and Emeril’s Delmonico in 1998. Emeril’s successful career in the restaurant industry was complemented by his television stardom.
Emeril appeared with Julia Child on her program Cooking with Master Chefs, and the episode, which featured a crab and crawfish boil, was a hit. Producers thought Emeril’s culinary talents and ease in front of the camera would make him an ideal host on the Television Food Network, which launched in 1993. His first show, How to Boil Water, was designed for viewers new to cooking. During the show Emeril read from a script, following the existing format of educational public television programs. The show was unsuccessful, and in response the Food Network re-imagined the type of programming it would broadcast, placing Emeril at the center of this transformation. New programming, like Emeril Live, relied on the host’s personality to win over audiences. With a signature slogan of, “Bam!,” a studio audience full of fans and a live band, Emeril Live represented the beginning of a new era of food television, and a model for future Food Network programs.
This white, long-sleeved chef’s jacket with green trim was worn by Chef Emeril Lagasse at his restaurant, “Emeril’s,” in New Orleans, Louisiana. It has been signed by Emeril and includes his tag-line “Bam” written in black marker on the front of the jacket.
Chef jackets are the uniform of choice for many culinary professionals. The double-breasted design makes them easily reversible to conceal stains and the thick cotton material can be bleached clean. It also insulates chefs from hot grills, ovens, and stovetops, protecting them from hot liquids and splatter. Emeril typically wears chef jackets while working in his restaurants, during his cooking shows, and for public appearances. The restaurant Emeril’s in New Orleans is located in the Warehouse District on Tchoupitoulas Street in a renovated pharmacy warehouse. The menu features Lagasse’s variations on classic Creole and Cajun dishes and techniques such as gumbo and étouffée.
Emeril Lagasse grew up in Fall River, Massachusetts working in a Portuguese bakery; he then pursued a degree at the Johnson and Wales University culinary program, turning his passion into a career. After working in fine restaurants throughout the Northeast, Emeril made the move to New Orleans to become the executive chef of the legendary Commander’s Palace. Emeril went on to open his own restaurants including his first, Emeril’s in New Orleans, in 1990, followed by NOLA in 1992, Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House in the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas in 1995, and Emeril’s Delmonico in 1998. Emeril’s successful career in the restaurant industry was complemented by his television stardom.
Emeril appeared with Julia Child on her program Cooking with Master Chefs, and the episode, which featured a crab and crawfish boil, was a hit. Producers thought Emeril’s culinary talents and ease in front of the camera would make him an ideal host on the Television Food Network, which launched in 1993. His first show, How to Boil Water, was designed for viewers new to cooking. During the show Emeril read from a script, following the existing format of educational public television programs. The show was unsuccessful, and in response the Food Network re-imagined the type of programming it would broadcast, placing Emeril at the center of this transformation. New programming, like Emeril Live, relied on the host’s personality to win over audiences. With a signature slogan of, “Bam!,” a studio audience full of fans and a live band, Emeril Live represented the beginning of a new era of food television, and a model for future Food Network programs.
Savas Zahvala Castro wore this hat when he was a bracero working in California.
The Emergency Farm Labor Program, or the Bracero Program (1942-1964), recruited two million Mexican nationals to come to the United States on short-term labor contracts. Some returned to Mexico; others stayed in the U.S. to work, marry, or start new lives and advanced, using the knowledge they gained while in the U.S. These settlements of Mexican, Mexican American migrants eventually formed thriving communities in the U.S.
Southland Corporation’s chain of 7-Eleven convenience stores is known for proprietary products like the Big Gulp® fountain soft drinks, Big Bite® hot dogs, and Slurpee® beverages, a sweet, semi-frozen, flavored drink. 7-Eleven promoted Slurpees with limited-edition cup designs to appeal to kids and teens and to encourage repeat business. These collectible plastic cups from 1975 feature Marvel comic book characters. The 10 designs in the museum’s collection are from a total of 60 in the series and include Captain America, Red Sonja, Dr. Doom, Daredevil, Iron Fist, Falcon, The Vision, Silver Surfer, Black Panther, and Cyclops. The 12-oz. size predates the popularity of supersized (1.2 liter) drinks.
Omar Knedlik invented a machine to make frozen beverages with a slushy consistency in the late 1950s. In 1965, 7-Eleven began a licensing deal with his brand, the ICEE Company, to sell the same product under a different name. 7-Eleven has been selling Slurpees since 1967.
This plastic Slurpee cup from the 7-Eleven chain of convenience stores was produced in 1975 as one of a series featuring Marvel Comics superheroes. It shows the Iron Fist and this quote: I WAS ONCE CALLED DANNY RAND, IN THE DAYS BEFORE MY MOTHER AND FATHER WERE KILLED, AND I SOUGHT REVENGE AGAINST THEIR MURDERER . . . BUT NOW I AM MORE THAN A CHILD SEEKING VENGEANCE, NOW I AM IRON FIST!
Southland Corporation’s chain of 7-Eleven convenience stores is known for proprietary products like the Big Gulp® fountain soft drinks, Big Bite® hot dogs, and Slurpee® beverages, a sweet, semi-frozen, flavored drink. 7-Eleven promoted Slurpees with limited-edition cup designs to appeal to kids and teens and to encourage repeat business. These collectible plastic cups from 1975 feature Marvel comic book characters. The 10 designs in the museum’s collection are from a total of 60 in the series and include Captain America, Red Sonja, Dr. Doom, Daredevil, Iron Fist, Falcon, The Vision, Silver Surfer, Black Panther, and Cyclops. The 12-oz. size predates the popularity of supersized (1.2 liter) drinks.
Omar Knedlik invented a machine to make frozen beverages with a slushy consistency in the late 1950s. In 1965, 7-Eleven began a licensing deal with his brand, the ICEE Company, to sell the same product under a different name. 7-Eleven has been selling Slurpees since 1967.
This plastic Slurpee cup from the 7-Eleven chain of convenience stores was produced in 1975 as one of a series featuring Marvel Comics superheroes. It shows Dr. Doom and this quote: THE NAME IS VICTOR VON DOOM, CHILD! MANY ARE THE TIMES THAT I HAVE ALMOST CONQUERED THE WORLD, BUT WAS STOPPED BY THOSE FOOLS—THE FANTASTIC FOUR. STILL, IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THEY ARE CRUSHED BENEATH THE ARMORED HEEL OF DR. DOOM!
Southland Corporation’s chain of 7-Eleven convenience stores is known for proprietary products like the Big Gulp® fountain soft drinks, Big Bite® hot dogs, and Slurpee® beverages, a sweet, semi-frozen, flavored drink. 7-Eleven promoted Slurpees with limited-edition cup designs to appeal to kids and teens and to encourage repeat business. These collectible plastic cups from 1975 feature Marvel comic book characters. The 10 designs in the museum’s collection are from a total of 60 in the series and include Captain America, Red Sonja, Dr. Doom, Daredevil, Iron Fist, Falcon, The Vision, Silver Surfer, Black Panther, and Cyclops. The 12-oz. size predates the popularity of supersized (1.2 liter) drinks.
Omar Knedlik invented a machine to make frozen beverages with a slushy consistency in the late 1950s. In 1965, 7-Eleven began a licensing deal with his brand, the ICEE Company, to sell the same product under a different name. 7-Eleven has been selling Slurpees since 1967.
This plastic Slurpee cup from the 7-Eleven chain of convenience stores was produced in 1975 as one of a series featuring Marvel Comics superheroes. It shows the Daredevil character and this quote: THE BOYS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD USED TO MAKE FUN OF ME, CALLING ME A NAME . . . BUT WHEN I WAS BLINDED BY RADIATION AND GAINED MY SUPER-SENSES, I TOOK THAT NAME FOR MY OWN . . . FOR THUS WAS BORN DAREDEVIL!
The small white porcelain cup, traditional for espresso in Italy and France, with 2 oz. double shot serving size as opposed to the 1 oz. single shot, the “short” shot (or ristretto), is perfect for the very beverage that emerges from the huge brass machines in coffee bars. It is now common for coffee bar chains (such as Peets or Starbucks or Caribou Coffee) to issue collectible cups for in-house service with their logos and shapes distinctive to them. Nowadays, even espresso might be served in a paper cup. But the little unembellished white porcelain cups are the classic, this one acquired around 1990 to serve coffee from a home espresso machine
One of the most common variants of espresso, all named in Italian usage, is a cappuccino, a single shot with a “coat” or hood” like those of Capuchin monks or with a color like the robes of those monks (depending on which version of the story you prefer), with a steamed milk cover. No foam. Customarily, the cup is more like an American coffee cup, though smaller, and the blue rim on this one serves as the target level for the addition of the steamed milk. Other variants now common, even in the American espresso service, are lattes (café au lait in French, café con leche in Spanish) where a single shot is covered in 6-8 ounces of steamed milk, then with foam. There are, however, as many variations as possible, made with differing amounts and varieties of coffee, and the additions of milk, foam, flavored syrups, liqueurs.
After World War II, many newly affluent Americans had the means and desire to travel. They flocked to the tropics, visiting Pacific islands, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia, as well as warm places closer to home, including Mexico, California, Hawaii, and Florida. People developed a taste for casual living and the distinctive local foods and drink. Returning home, they re-created these experiences in their new suburban backyards, with patios, tropical drinks, and the grill, where they cooked meals craved by a postwar meat-mad America.
By the late 1950s, American manufacturers and retailers were promoting the new “necessities” for the affluence represented in the outdoor life. The tools, clothes, furniture, and serving ware to go along with grilled meals on the patio grew into a major industry.
This Mr. Cheftender “Ranger” four-piece set, c. 1970—a carving knife, spatula, fork, and grill scraper—represents the basic tools provided for barbecuers. As the market expanded, enthusiastic grill masters could enhance their tool kit with tongs, skewers, basting brushes, corn or potato holders, salt and pepper shakers on long handles, “doneness” indicators for meat, grill rests or holders, grill lighters, carrying cases, and other gadgets.
Made out of base metals with inexpensive wood handles (and lops and hooks for hanging on the grill side), these barbecue tools represent the middle range, neither the cheap ones that rust or break easily nor the high end designer tools that eventually became available along with expensive grills, complete outdoor kitchens, and designer patio furniture.
After World War II, many newly affluent Americans had the means and desire to travel. They flocked to the tropics, visiting Pacific islands, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia, as well as warm places closer to home, including Mexico, California, Hawaii, and Florida. People developed a taste for casual living and the distinctive local foods and drink. Returning home, they re-created these experiences in their new suburban backyards, with patios, tropical drinks, and the grill, where they cooked meals craved by a postwar meat-mad America.
By the late 1950s, American manufacturers and retailers were promoting the new “necessities” for the affluence represented in the outdoor life. The tools, clothes, furniture, and serving ware to go along with grilled meals on the patio grew into a major industry.
This Mr. Cheftender “Ranger” four-piece set, c. 1970—a carving knife, spatula, fork, and grill scraper—represents the basic tools provided for barbecuers. As the market expanded, enthusiastic grill masters could enhance their tool kit with tongs, skewers, basting brushes, corn or potato holders, salt and pepper shakers on long handles, “doneness” indicators for meat, grill rests or holders, grill lighters, carrying cases, and other gadgets.
Made out of base metals with inexpensive wood handles (and lops and hooks for hanging on the grill side), these barbecue tools represent the middle range, neither the cheap ones that rust or break easily nor the high end designer tools that eventually became available along with expensive grills, complete outdoor kitchens, and designer patio furniture.