l not -l wrote in rec.food.cooking:

>
> On 27-Jun-2017, Wayne Boatwright >
> wrote:
>
> > On Tue 27 Jun 2017 08:24:30a, Taxed and Spent told us...
> >
> > > On 6/27/2017 8:10 AM, wrote:
> > >> On Monday, June 26, 2017 at 2:26:56 PM UTC-4, Wayne
> > >> Boatwright
> > >> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > >
> > >>> There have been others who have posted wanting to know what
> > >>> a
> > >>> certain item or utensil was, but they also included a
> > >>> picture
> > >>> that they had either taken or had search for on the
> > >>> Internet.
> > > >
> > > >
> > >> Would someone please enlighten me on how one searches for a
> > >> photo
> > >> when one doesn't know the right keywords to use?
> > > >
> > >> It's like trying to search for a song title when all you can
> > >> do
> > >> is sing "la-la-la." One time, when I tried to do that, the
> > >> program (I forget which) couldn't even identify "Twinkle
> > >> Twinkle
> > >> Little Star."
> > > >
> > > >
> > >> Lenona.
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I just searched of "kitchen utensil with holes" and looked at
> > > the
> > > images returned by the search. Then I quickly found this:
> > >
> > > https://www.etsy.com/listing/1922544...flat-metal-ute
> > > n sil-with
> > >
> > > now you know.
> > >
> >
> > This is the most common type of flame tamer and has been around
> > for
> > at least 65 years. Back in the 1950s they usually cost no more
> > than
> > a couple of dollars or so. New ones today are still
> > inexpensive.
> >
> > Some folks used them instead of a double boiler.
> >
> > --
> I may give it a try for very low simmering; but, I bought mine
> originally to use with my Bodum Santos Vacuum Coffee Maker. I
> had heard that sometimes direct flame could cause the glass to
> break; that appears to be a generalization about the state of
> modern glass cooking vessels.

It's designed for low simmering needs. You don't use them on a
glasstop/smoothe top range, but on a cast iron, they are essential.
They can be useful too on an electric range.

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