Potatong! Combining 'potato' and 'tong' into one tidy word, this is one of the silliest Japanese inventions that I have encountered in a long time. Shaped like chopsticks, these plastic tongs enable the removal of a single chip from its bag without getting grease on the fingers. It is hard to imagine that someone spent their working hours creating such a device. Manufactured by Suncraft, a Gifu Prefecture company that fabricates spoons, spatulas and other plastic kitchen tools, these tongs are not a joke.
I chanced upon Potatong at the Interiors and Life Style Fair. When I expressed incredulity, the sales representative presented a selection of colors and offered me a set of tongs to take home and try for myself. I must say that all of the colors were nice and vivid -- any of them would be a perfect compliment to a pale slice of deep-fried potato. The ridged tips designed to eliminate accidental chip droppings are another nice feature. Since we are not really chip consumers, we are not likely to test out our tongs anytime soon. In the meantime, Potatong will enjoy a place of honor amid the collection of designed goods that is growing steadily around the periphery of my desk.
