Kitchen Utensil: Foley Fork
The Foley Fork, also called a blending fork, is a 6-tined kitchen utensil that has become a rather chic item to own. Julia Child used one occasionally on her original The French Chef television series, and she waxed poetic over it. The fork does a great job mashing potatoes, making guacamole, blending fat into flour for a pastry, beating eggs, stirring sauces, mixing batters, whisking salad dressing, and many other kitchen tasks.
No longer manufactured, you can usually find a used one on eBay, but it’s apt to be pricey. Don’t despair! You can buy brand-new replicas known by various names. Mine–in the photo above–is a stainless steel Granny Fork (manufactured by Norpro). It cost me $8.00 and it does everything an original Foley Fork does. Another brand is RSVP Endurance Stainless Steel Fantastic Food Fork.
The tines are flat and broad, about 3/16-inches wide.
And they don’t all lie in one plane.
It’s this configuration that makes the fork so efficient.
If you google “Foley Fork, ” pages of entries pop up. Have fun browsing. If you can’t find a replica at your local hardware store, buying one online is a snap. Once you use one you’ll wonder how you ever got along without it.
Hello ! I can’t remember if I’ve written you on the subject of foley forks before. My Grandma Hazel of Topeka Kansas was a big fan ! In your photo, I’m guessing you have the current day copy. But yours is not a foley fork. How do I know ? The tines are not twisted ! This is what makes the foley fork such a great tool. Pie crust is perfect ! Made in Minneappolis after the First World War, these were popular kitchen tools in the Midwest. You can still find them in EBay but they aren’t inexpensive. 30 dollars and up will get you a nice used one. They are indestructible ! Splurge and get a real one Sir and join the fans of Foley Forks !
Yes, Lissa, you have written to me about the genuine Foley Forks and their twisted tines and I love what you say about those forks and their history. The Granny Fork I have ain’t the real deal, but I’m quite happy with it. Fewer and fewer Foley Forks are offered online and at more than $40, that may not be an option for a lot of folks.