You may have already been puzzled by the statement that to hold a coffee stirring stick by the wide side. It’s quite possible to fall into a slight stupor - after all, it’s much more convenient and rational to hold it, since everyone is used to holding it in a narrow part.
Just a small spoiler for those who are in a hurry - it is correct to hold the coffee stick by the narrow side, and stir with the wide side. You can read why this is so below ⇓
The patent for the invention (in the patent the coffee stick is described as a “Cocktail Stick” ) belongs to the famous Russian entrepreneur Elena Baturina, who, by the way, in 2010 took third place among the richest women in the world in the Forbes ranking, her fortune was estimated at $2.9 billion .
This is a screenshot of the patent:
As you can see, it indicates that the coffee stick is different:
– making the working part in the shape of a spatula with a semicircular upper side; – making windows on the surface of the working part of a rectangular shape with rounded corners and a semicircular side; – radius coupling of the sides of the working part and the handle at an obtuse angle; – making a rectangular handle with a slight bevel to the base of the working part.
So everything is as simple as possible - correctly stir the coffee with a stick, holding the narrow side , and stir with the wide side. At least that's what its designer intended, the holes in the stir seem to create additional swirls of water (or so I think), which helps the sugar dissolve quickly.
I would like to note that there is a statement circulating online that in some EU countries it is customary to hold coffee stirring sticks by the reverse side. They say that the first time the sticks were loaded incorrectly into coffee machines, which led to this misconception.
Traditions require brewing coffee in a Turkish coffee pot and serving it in miniature cups on a saucer, accompanied by a small spoon. The modern rhythm of the city dictates its own rules: instead of a Turk there is a coffee machine, a cup is replaced by a paper glass, and a spoon is replaced by a coffee stick.
Types of chopsticks
Coffee stirrers for vending machines and fast food cafes generally have a standard size - 100-120 mm, but the shape and material depend on the manufacturer.
Plastic
These coffee sticks are available in several versions:
- in the shape of a miniature elongated spoon;
- with a square, rectangular or round working part;
- with one oblong window on the extension;
- with several rectangular or semicircular holes.
Colored coffee sticks are more convenient than transparent ones, which blend in with the color of the dishes and drink.
Wooden
Looks like popsicle sticks. For the most part, they are the same on both sides or slightly expand in the working part, however, there are specimens in the shape of blades or with a spherical expansion.
For Americano, cappuccino and latte, which are served in larger glasses, coffee accessories with a length of 120-160 mm are intended.
Americano stirrer
A coffee stick is a disposable plastic or wooden spatula with an elongated narrow handle, called a stirrer. The blade contains a wide part on which a small hole is located. It reduces fluid resistance when you stir sugar.
The author of the invention is Elena Baturina, a Russian entrepreneur, 55 out of 237 wealthy women. She patented her invention on December 16, 1999. And it's called a cocktail stick.
Which material is better to choose from?
Plastic products are used everywhere - this is permitted by sanitary and epidemiological standards. However, most establishments only purchase wooden fixtures, as they are non-toxic and look decent.
They are made as follows:
- harvest environmentally friendly wood;
- accept and select the best material;
- veneer of the required thickness is made from raw materials;
- cut blanks and automatically sort them;
- dried to a certain moisture level;
- abrade (grind) roughness and nicks;
- checked for quality and confirmed with a certificate;
- package products.
You need to purchase coffee sticks from well-known manufacturers. Low-quality wooden products may have nicks and splinters, while plastic products may have increased levels of harmful substances.
How to hold sushi chopsticks correctly?
How to use chopsticks correctly
- Bend the ring and little fingers of your right hand slightly;
- place the middle of the stick on the last phalanx of the ring finger, and place the first third between the thumb and index finger;
- firmly grasp the lower stick with your thumb and hold it motionless;
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How to hold a coffee stick correctly
The stick is used as a spoon, which means you have to hold it by the thin tip while stirring the drink wide. That’s why the extended part is called the working part, because it is this part that produces the main action.
In Europe, the stick is used differently - they hold it by its wide base, and stir the drink with the thin side. This is inconvenient and wrong, but more common for Europeans.
This tradition appeared as a result of a misunderstanding - the first coffee machines dispensed accessories with the working part into your hands. But even when the error was discovered and corrected, people, on a whim, continued to use the chopsticks backwards, and some coffee lovers in other countries, including Russia, adopted their experience.
Only wooden sticks rarely raise doubts about their use - most often they have a symmetrical shape.
Nothing bad will happen if you stir your coffee with the opposite end of a coffee stick - this is not a sign of ignorance.
Coffee sticks are a convenient and already familiar accessory in coffee shops. If initially they were issued only by vending machines and at fast food outlets, now devices are available in cozy coffee shops and even in posh restaurants. But this is not an omission in the work of the establishment, but basic care for visitors.
Fast foods and fast food outlets that serve takeaway coffee use special disposable stirring sticks.
Now let’s figure out how to properly hold and stir coffee with a stick. Let's talk about the rules of choice and the material from which they are made.
How to use it correctly
Most of our compatriots do not see any difference in how to use disposable spoons. But simple logic dictates that to stir sugar, you should take the spoon by the handle and stir the drink with the wide part.
If you stir the sugar with a narrow handle, it will take longer to dissolve.
But in some places in Europe such spoons are used differently. They are taken by the wide end and the drink is stirred with the narrow side. There is a legend that they started using the wand this way after unsuccessfully refilling coffee machines. Spoons were served wide side forward. The Europeans, naturally, got used to it, and when they noticed the mistake, everyone continued to drink as they had before.
How to hold a coffee stick correctly
As you understand, the question is related to sticks that have a thickened part at one end.
The question is quite interesting - how to use a spatula? As a holder or for stirring?
Historically, all over the world people stir with the narrow end. In our country, on the contrary, a spatula is used for this purpose.
Why did it happen so? Coffee machines abroad are configured in such a way that the stick is fed with the paddle down. Thus, you can only hold it by the narrow part.
With us, on the contrary, convenience comes to the fore. After all, holding by the thickened part is much more comfortable, wouldn’t you agree?
What is a coffee stick
This is a special device for mixing a noble drink, or rather sugar, spices, milk or cream in it. The accessory looks like an elongated blade, and in the lower expanded part it has a pair of through holes.
The patent, which belongs to Elena Baturina, states that the coffee stick consists of two components:
- the length of the handle, slightly beveled towards the working part;
- an expanded working part in the shape of a spatula with a semicircular top side and windows on the surface.
Coffee utensils are discarded by automatic machines, served instead of spoons in stylized coffee shops, as well as in fast food chains, and are even available in restaurants.
About the types of coffee sticks by size and purpose
For those who would like to find out how to hold coffee sticks correctly, a similar device is also available for stirring tea, cocoa and hot chocolate. Depending on why the sticks are provided, they are divided into several following types:
- The length of coffee sticks for vending machines is usually 90-120 mm.
- For espresso, coffee devices are served, the length of which is 100-120 mm.
- Devices for coffee drinks (Americano, latte) have a length of 140-180 mm (the largest). Extended coffee devices are made only from wood.
What types of coffee stirrers are there?
There are several types of coffee sticks. They differ in the material of production:
- Plastic. They have a long narrow handle that runs into an expanding blade with holes. They are issued by vending machines and are used to mix sugar in a drink. Also popular in fast food chains.
- Woody. Usually they are made from bamboo. They have a solid body without holes, rounded on both sides, and equal width along the entire length. In most cases, they are consumed in small coffee shops, and from time to time even in restaurants.
Disposable spoons also vary in size. The length of the sticks sold in vending machines is approximately 9-12 cm. For espresso, stirrers of 10-12 cm are issued. For Americano and cappuccino, their best length should be 14-18 cm. Longer varieties with a length of 16-18 cm are made only from wood.
In addition, traders offer decorative plastic stirrers with handles of the most unusual shapes: from hearts and fruits to bats and naked women. You can find a wand for any holiday or event.
About the creators of the invention
A patent for such a wand, describing in detail its design, as well as the above method of use, was issued in Russia in December 1999 to businessman Lena Baturina.
It indicates that the device contains two parts - a handle and a working part. The working part is distinguished by lower sides that widen downwards with windows on the surface. The handle, according to the features presented in the patent, is the narrow part of the device. The document carefully describes the distinctive features of both parts of the device - it speaks of an “extended working part” that has a “spatula shape with a semicircular outer side”, and the presence on the surface of the working part of “rectangular windows with a semicircular side and rounded corners.” It is also noted that “the rectangular handle is made with a slight bevel towards the base of the working part.” Special holes in the plastic disposable stirrer minimize water resistance and ensure quick and effective stirring of sugar in tea or coffee. Thanks to its special spoon-like shape, the coffee stick is quite comfortable to hold in your hand. The main area of use of these stirrers is a chain of fast food outlets.
Device Description
How to hold a coffee stick correctly? In the photo below you can see an image of this device, which is nothing more than a plastic or wood “spatula” with an elongated handle. It is very easy to use such a stick - it is recommended to hold the device by the elongated handle and simply stir the drink with its lower, slightly expanded part. Manufacturers often equip this part with special holes through which liquid passes during the coffee mixing process, thereby increasing the efficiency of stirring.
What material is the device made from?
First, these devices differ in the material of production. They are:
- Plastic. Such devices resemble a small oar. Their long handle expands downwards and ends with a blade with several small holes-windows, ensuring uniform and high-quality stirring of sugar. Plastic coffee sticks are available from vending machines, mobile coffee shops, and fast food outlets.
- Woody. In most cases, they are made from bamboo. From the outside, such devices are very reminiscent of ice cream sticks. They are distinguished by equal width along the entire length and rounded ends. Such coffee devices can be found on counters in bars and small restaurants.
