The upper utensil is a Rosette iron. It is dipped in batter, and then the working end is lowered into hot grease and it makes a wonderful cookie-like dessert. I'm sure more than one country has their own name for this but we just called them Rosette irons. The second item is a simple tea strainer. I've used these until adulthood when loose leaf tea was no longer mainstream. We steeped the tea in a pot and then poured it through the wire strainer into a tea pot. The last item is an egg beater

Thanks, ctycdm! I was stuck without power for a few days due to a blizzard in Massachusetts so I didn't get your email earlier. I googled 'Molinillo' and apparently it's used by spinning between the palms to create that vortex that makes a good froth if you try hard, just as the German tool is. I found this reference which says the Spaniards brought chocolate and chocolate apparatus back to Europe from Mexico and presumably the Germans happily adopted it. When I checked Google Images for Molinillo I also found this reference showing a molinillo from India which is used "to make frothy buttermilk and lassis". It's much simpler than those beautiful Mexican wooden tools and is more like my German ones. Mexico does seem to be the source. Chocolate inspires invention! A fine reason to eat or drink chocolate. Claire This post was edited by claire on Mon, Feb 11, 13 at 20:08

Nikki, Not quite sure what you mean by “What do you mean plant it in the same? How far apart do they need to be?” If you’re referring to my suggestion to keep the branch attached to the plant, I’m only saying that I would not remove that branch to start a new plant. A single trunk rubber plant is...somewhat dull. If you choose to proceed anyway, it’s easy. Snip off the branch with sharp pruners, and carefully but completely remove the lowest leaf (or two). There will be some sap leaking out, so I just let it be for 30 mins or so until it stops. Then just stick it in soil, ensuring that the nodes you exposed (by the leaf removal) are under the soil. That’s where the roots will emerge from. Water in the soil, keep in a bright, warm room, but away from direct sun, and just wait. I do whatever it takes to keep the soil “lightly damp” but never soggy wet again (after the first watering) until it’s rooted. If your weather is cold, then it could take a month. During the warmer months, they root in about 2 weeks in my experience. Of course, it’s never guaranteed but from no less than 30-40 cuttings thus far, I have never had one fail.

This one is easy to ID. The seeds will become like velcroix and stick on all your clothes. It becomes the unpleasant plant when you find it stuck on all your clothes and in t=your pets hair. It a bane. In mass, there is a short period where it makes a nice white spelled effect but then you start to swear at it.