I found an article in the cooking magazine, Fine Cooking, a few weeks ago that discussed offset spatulas. I've seen them around and always wondered "What's the point?" My reading answered the question and sent me shopping. Here's why:

An offset spatula is like any other spatula with a stiff metal blade except that the blade bends up where it meets the handle, which is why it's called "offset." Why is this a good thing? Just try wiggling a regular flat spatula under a pancake on a crowded griddle or try turning a hamburger in a packed pan, and you'll know why. The offset lets you get in amongst things without disturbing the other items.

The author of the spatula article, professional baker, Abigail Dodge, said she could probably live with only four sizes and shapes: one that's long (14 inches) and sturdy, another that's wedge-shaped, one that's small and square, and one that's small and narrow. Let's look at these four one-by-one:

The long, sturdy offset is perfect for heavy jobs, like evenly spreading batter in a jellyroll pan or transferring a cake from a cooling rack to a plate. For moving a 9x13-inch cake, baker Dodge uses two of these long spatulas. She says their strength moves anything heavy and cumbersome with no problem whatsoever.

She also uses this size spatula to smooth the tops of frosted cakes. Her tip: Run the blade through a flame to heat it and then slide it across the top of a mousse cake or frosting. She says she's never found anything else that does the job so well. It's also great for lifting a multitude of cookies off a baking sheet.

The small wedge-shaped offset spatula is the no-brainer choice when it comes to serving cake or pies, and the larger one is invaluable as a pizza server.

The small square-ish offset has a blade of about 2-1/4 x 2-1/2 inches. Not only does the spatula make lifting easier, it's also sturdy enough to actually cut cookie bars without scratching the pan.

The small narrow spatula is the ultimate when it comes to spreading frosting on cake sides. Again, because the blade is offset from the handle, frosting spreads evenly and swirls icing on the top beautifully without any hands getting in the way. It's also great for spreading mustard or mayo on sandwiches, too.

As I said, I finished my reading as a believer. I went straight to a kitchen store and started my collection with the small square-ish offset. I used it right away with some cookie baking and baker Dodge was absolutely right - this tool is a MUST HAVE! Next payday I'll get a couple long offsets with the narrow blade. In the meantime, bring on the cooking - I'm getting' ready!