The modest beginnings of kitchen equipment are sometimes forgotten in our fast-paced contemporary world, which is filled with an abundance of culinary devices. Consider the time-and effort-saving miracle of the can opener, which nowadays entails nothing more than the press of a button.
But at a different time, the clever can opener key constituted the basis of this art form. Join us as we reminisce about the origins, rise to fame, and fall from grace of this culinary hero who often gets overlooked.
The Beginning of Ease
A practical way to get these gold gems was necessary when the popularity of canned food skyrocketed in the late 19th century. A little but crucial innovation that changed the face of food preparation is the can opener key. In spite of its striking visual dissimilarity to our contemporary electric can openers, the can opener key served as their ancestor.
Cans used to be sealed with heavy lids that required strong hands and sometimes dangerous implements to open, long before the invention of the can opener key. Injuries and lost food resulted from the widespread use of sharp implements like hammers, chisels, and knives. With the invention of the can opener key, a regulated and time-saving method of opening the cans was born.
A Ballet to Open a Can
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