The History of Spatulas

Spatulas, in their earliest form, date back to the dawn of civilization. Historians note that spatula-like tools existed in a rudimentary form in ancient Babylonia and Egypt and became a more varied category of cooking utensil during the Iron Age, when humans were more able to create tools tailored to specific tasks. In the 20th century, rubber was used to make spatulas specifically designed for scraping batter. In fact, spatulas were reportedly once referred to as "child cheaters" because they allowed parents to fully scrape batter out of the bowl before kids could lick the leftovers. Over time, plastic and silicone spatulas became increasingly available and are very popular today. But where did the word spatula itself come from? The term has its origins in the Greek word spathe and the Latin word spatha, both of which referred to long swords with broad blades. The term spatula was first used in the early 16th century to refer to variety of tools with broad, flat blades that were used not only for cooking, but in medicine and masonry as well. Today, spatulas are considered kitchen essentials all around the world and are available in a variety of sizes and materials, with flexible silicone being one of the most popular options.