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A Whisk is a hand-held tool using for blending, whipping, incorporating air and eliminating lumps in food.

Once seen in North America as something just for people who also have embossed personal stationery, they are now dead cheap, and available even at Walmart or Woolworth's. Many people have a collection of them now, in different shapes and sizes.

Whisks can be made of metal, plastic, wood or bamboo. Wooden ones break easily. Nylon whisks are quite flimsy and don't have a lot of whisking power. Silicone-coated wire whisks are better. Better quality metal whisks have the handle sealed at both ends. Not all are dishwasher safe.



Ball Whisks
These whisks have straight tines that are joined at the handle, but not at the other end. Instead, at their ends, they have small metal balls. They are good for whipping egg whites and cream. Fans swear that they do the job faster and easier.


Balloon Whisks (aka Piano Whisks)
These have many wires to form a ballon-shaped cage of tines. The tines are further apart and thinner than for a Sauce Whisk. They are good for whipping egg whites.


Bedspring Coil Whisks (aka Churn Beaters, Twirl Whisk, Coil Whips)

Bedspring Coil Whisks are used in small bowls. Rather than making the traditional whisking motions, you just press up and down on the whisk, or twirl the handle between the palms of your hands. They are also fabulous for making gravy in roasting pans, as they can scrape the bottom of the pan well.
















Birch Whisks
These are made of fine, stiff birch twigs bundled together.


Coiled Whisks (aka Spiral Whisks)

Coiled Whisks are a rounded bar with a single spring coil around the bar, open in the middle. They are good for small amounts of liquid.


















Flat Whisks (aka Roux Whisks, Pan Whisks)
Flat Whisks look somewhat like a flipper. The shape lets you get right into the sides and bottom of a pot. Fans swear by them for any sauce being made in a low pot, including gravy. You can also use them to lift poached eggs out of water.


Sauce Whisks (aka French Whisks)

Sauce Whisks are the ones that everyone thinks of first when they think of whisks. They have curved tines joined at the handle, and are teardrop shaped.

Substitutes
For blending, a spoon or a fork will do. For whipping, an electric hand mixer or a blender.

History
The earliest Whisks were bunches of twigs tied together. Whisks were mentioned as early as 1765 by Susannah Carter.

Whisks only really became known in North America through Julia Child.

Literature & Lore
"A White Syllabub: Take two porringers of cream, and one of white wine, grate in the skin of a lemon, take the whites of three eggs, sweeten to your taste, then whip it with a whisk; take off the froth as it rises, pour it into your syllabub-glasses or pots, and they are fit for use."

-- Susannah Carter. The Frugal Housewife: Chap. XIV. Of Syllabubs, Creams, and Flummery. London: Francis Newbery. 1765.

Also called:

Other entries for:

Whisks
Chasen, Danish Bread Whisk, Molinillo Chocolatero

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