The right tool for the job....

So, my kid sis has this obsession with spatulas. When I say obsession, I mean she oohs and ahhs over a ergonomic silicone spatula the way some women go ga-ga for shoes. She has at least 3 spatulas at home-- and each one serves a different purpose.

There's the pancake spatula-- a wide platform for flipping, a thin edge for getting under those "sometimes still wet" sides, and a neck and handle flexible enough to flip in confined spaces.

Then there's the egg flipper: it's a more sturdy spatula to handle the fluid nature of a nearly fried egg, but still compact enough to maneuver inside the arena of a standard skillet.

And, one cannot forget the BBQ spatula which is large and industrious with a jagged razor edge and a long arm to protect the chef from the flames.

As you can see, the spatula can have a huge impact on 1) how smoothly the food prep process goes and 2) how the food looks coming out of the pan. Very. big. deal.

I, for a long time did not understand this spatula science. I didn't fully comprehend that her obsession was founded in sound reason and culinary research. But, years of fried eggs that turned scrambled because I couldn't get them to flip, and pancakes that went in the bin because they resembled abstract sculpture of partly cooked batter, have taught me you must have the right tool for the job, even if it's just something as humble as a spatula.

So, this morning when I pulled out the spatula that is provided to me in this temporary house, I was nervous. It was black and basically flat-- very little curve in the neck for maneuvering. The kind of spatula that is sold in a bundled with 53 other essential kitchen tools-- all of which are mediocre in quality, but you get a great quantity for just $19.99. I was fearful that my fried egg would flop. I almost just made scrambled. But, I took a chance on this run-of-the-mill spatula. I took a chance and ended up with a beautiful egg-- no mix-up, mash-up or mess-up.

Hopefully, this spatula is versatile enough to stand up to the demands of my kitchen. I guess only time will tell. Until then, I'll eat my egg and salute my little sister who taught me to always get the right tool for the job.