Tea strainer or sugar sifter?
Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2011 5:56 am
On Zolotnik's request in this thread : viewtopic.php?f=46&t=26268
How to separate a tea strainer from a sugar sifter. There several kinds of tea strainer but I anticipate that the question relates to the tea strainer that is the spoon like strainer quite similar to the sifter. Nonetheless, there are no absolute rules but some "clues" can be given. The easiest one is to hold the object against the light. The holes in a sifter are in older versions cut or saw but hardly ever drilled. The drilled round holes in a sifter appears much later. You could say when the turn of the century is closing in and after that. And if the round holes are drilled they are blearily bigger than on the strainer and more seldom making a pattern, just holes. See pictures below:
Below you see three tea strainers. Note that a second short handle on the opposite side never occurs on a sugar strainer. The right one is the tea strainer above left.
Here you have four older sugar sifters
And finally newer sifters with drilled holes. Please note that the holes are bigger than on the strainer and later the sifter shrinks to 12-13 cm being earlier 20 cm. The strainers are also about 20 cm. Finally the sifter loses its holes because granulated sugar can be bought from the stores. Time for discussion and or any questions?
However, nothing is carved in stone and there are always exceptions. What I wrote is only the main line. I hope the difference became clear.
How to separate a tea strainer from a sugar sifter. There several kinds of tea strainer but I anticipate that the question relates to the tea strainer that is the spoon like strainer quite similar to the sifter. Nonetheless, there are no absolute rules but some "clues" can be given. The easiest one is to hold the object against the light. The holes in a sifter are in older versions cut or saw but hardly ever drilled. The drilled round holes in a sifter appears much later. You could say when the turn of the century is closing in and after that. And if the round holes are drilled they are blearily bigger than on the strainer and more seldom making a pattern, just holes. See pictures below:
Below you see three tea strainers. Note that a second short handle on the opposite side never occurs on a sugar strainer. The right one is the tea strainer above left.
Here you have four older sugar sifters
And finally newer sifters with drilled holes. Please note that the holes are bigger than on the strainer and later the sifter shrinks to 12-13 cm being earlier 20 cm. The strainers are also about 20 cm. Finally the sifter loses its holes because granulated sugar can be bought from the stores. Time for discussion and or any questions?
However, nothing is carved in stone and there are always exceptions. What I wrote is only the main line. I hope the difference became clear.
