U.S. patent application number 10/082306 was filed with the patent office on 2002-06-27 for book-shaped device for holding a cuisine-specific collection of herbs and spices and business method for providing cuisine-specific herbs and spices.
Invention is credited to Beard Kelley, Sherrill L., Kelley, Richard D..
Application Number | 20020079240 10/082306 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23856719 |
Filed Date | 2002-06-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020079240 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Beard Kelley, Sherrill L. ;
et al. |
June 27, 2002 |
Book-shaped device for holding a cuisine-specific collection of
herbs and spices and business method for providing cuisine-specific
herbs and spices
Abstract
A spice-holding device includes a rectangular book-shaped
container having a top, bottom, back cover, front cover, a binding
end and an opening end defining an interior volume. The interior
volume is partitioned into a plurality of compartments for holding
predetermined quantities of preselected spices. The front cover is
pivotally attached to the book-shaped container along the binding
end so that the front cover is pivotable between an open position
exposing the spice-holding compartments in the interior volume and
a closed position covering the spices for storage and so that the
spice-holding device is self-supporting when holding the spices and
placed on its bottom. A method of business for distributing
selected spices in a cuisine specific book shaped storage device. A
method that includes selecting a specific cuisine, collecting
spices useful for preparing the selected specific cuisine and
making a book-shaped spice-holding device, including a plurality of
compartments for holding small quantities of the selected
cuisine-specific spices. The book-shaped spice-holding device is
labeled with a cuisine indicator corresponding to the selected,
specific cuisine for which the collected spices are useful.
Inventors: |
Beard Kelley, Sherrill L.;
(Shreveport, LA) ; Kelley, Richard D.;
(Shreveport, LA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HAYNES AND BOONE, LLP
1000 LOUISIANA
SUITE 4300
HOUSTON
TX
77002
US
|
Family ID: |
23856719 |
Appl. No.: |
10/082306 |
Filed: |
February 25, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10082306 |
Feb 25, 2002 |
|
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|
09467689 |
Dec 21, 1999 |
|
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6349820 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/232 ;
206/459.5; 206/472; 434/127 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J 47/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/232 ;
206/459.5; 206/472; 434/127 |
International
Class: |
B65D 069/00; B65D
085/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A spice-holding device comprising: a) a rectangular book-shaped
container having a top, a bottom, a back cover, a front cover, a
binding end and an opening end defining an interior volume; b) said
interior volume partitioned into a plurality of compartments
holding predetermined quantities of preselected spices; and c) said
front cover pivotally attached to said book-shaped container along
said binding end so that said front cover is pivotable between an
open position exposing said spice-holding compartments in said
interior volume for access to said spices held within said
compartment and a closed position covering the spices for storage
and so that said spice-holding device is self-supporting when
placed on its bottom.
2. A spice-holding device comprising: a) a rectangular book-shaped
container having a top, a bottom, a back cover, a front cover, a
binding end and an opening end defining an interior volume; b) said
interior volume partitioned into a plurality of compartments for
holding a predetermined quantity of preselected spices; c) wherein
said predetermined quantities of preselected spices comprise
cuisine-specific spices preselected on the basis of a particular
cuisine; and d) said front cover pivotally attached to said
book-shaped container along said binding end so that said front
cover is pivotable between an open position exposing said
spice-holding compartments in said interior volume for removable
access to said spices held within said compartment and a closed
position covering the spices for storage, and so that said
spice-holding device is self-supporting when holding said spices
within said compartments and placed on its bottom.
3. A spice-holding device as in claim 1 wherein said cover
comprises a label field imprinted with a specific cuisine
identifier corresponding to said cuisine of the preselected
spices.
4. A spice-holding device as in claim 2 further comprising a recipe
holder on the inside cover for holding cuisine-specific recipes
corresponding to said cuisine of said preselected spices held in
said plurality of compartments.
5. A spice-holding device as in claim 4 wherein said preselected
spices are selected according to said cuisine and, further,
according to said printed recipes so that said printed recipes can
be prepared using said spices selected and held in said plurality
of compartments.
6. A plurality of cuisine-specific [special] spice-holding devices
forming a set of spice-holding devices, each one of said plurality
of spice-holding devices in said set comprising: a) a rectangular
book-shaped container having a top, bottom, back cover, front
cover, binding end and opening end defining an interior volume and
so that said device is self-supporting when placed on its bottom;
b) said interior volume of each spice-holding device partitioned
into a plurality of compartments, said compartments holding
predetermined quantities of preselected spices; c) said cover
pivotally attached to said book-shaped container along said binding
end so that said front cover pivots between an open position
exposing said spice-holding compartments for removable access to
spices held within said compartments and a closed position covering
said compartments; and d) wherein each spice-holding device of said
plurality of spice-holding devices is designated for a different,
preselected cuisine and said preselected spices are selected for
each separate spice-holding device according to said designated
preselected cuisine.
7. A plurality of cuisine-specific spice-holding devices forming a
set of spice-holding devices as in claim 6, further comprising a
recipe-holding device secured to the inside front cover of each of
said plurality of spice-holding devices, and a preselected
cuisine-specific printed recipe held in said recipe holding device
and corresponding to said designated different cuisines for each of
said plurality of spice-holding devices.
8. A set of spice-holding devices as in claim 7 wherein said
different cuisines by which each of said plurality of spice-holding
devices is designated, are selected from among American, American
North, American Southern, Basic, Cajun, Children's cuisine, French,
German, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mediterranean, Mexican,
Thai, and Vietnamese.
9. A device for holding a preselected collection of small
quantities of different spices comprising: a) a container having a
predetermined, regular geometric-shaped back cover and front cover,
a plurality of perimeter panels capable of vertically supporting
the container, including a binding end and an opening end, said
back cover permanently affixed to said plurality of perimeter
panels and said front cover pivotally attached along said binding
end panel, said front cover having a closed position substantially
parallel to said back cover and an open position pivoted away from
said plurality of perimeter panels other than said binding end
panel to which it is pivotally attached, each said perimeter panel
interconnected at corners to others of said panels, thereby
defining a threedimensional, regular geometric-shaped interior
volume and further comprising a multiplicity of interconnected
partitions within said volume arranged to define a plurality of
compartments, each compartment holding a predetermined small
packaged quantity of one of a plurality of preselected spices; b)
each one of said plurality of preselected spices, preselected on
the basis of a predetermined, specific cuisine for which said
spices are appropriate ingredients; and c) an area of printed
symbols on said front cover of said spice-holding device
identifying said predetermined specific cuisine.
10. A method of business for distributing selected spices for
convenient storage and use with cuisine-specific recipes comprising
the steps of: a) selecting a specific cuisine; b) collecting spices
useful for preparing said selected specific cuisine; c) making a
book-shaped spice-holding device, including a plurality of
compartments for holding small quantities of said selected
cuisine-specific spices; d) labeling the book-shaped spice-holding
device with a cuisine indicator word, phrase or symbol
corresponding to said selected, specific cuisine for which said
collected spices are useful; e) packaging quantities of said
selected and collected spices and placing said packaged spices in
said plurality of compartments of said labeled book-shaped
spice-holding device; and f) distributing said cuisine-specific,
selected and collected spices placed in said labeled, book-shaped,
spice-holding device.
11. A method as in claim 10 further comprising the steps of: a)
collecting a plurality of written, cuisine-specific recipes
corresponding to the type of cuisine labeled on the spice-holding
device; b) placing said written cuisine-specific recipes in said
spice-holding device for subsequent access and use to prepare said
specific cuisine using said spices provided in the spice-holding
device.
12. A method of distributing spices as in claim 10, further
comprising the steps of: a) packaging additional quantities of
cuisine-specific spices periodically after said specific spices are
distributed in said book-shaped, spice-holding device, said
packages sized for fitting into said compartments within said
spice-holding device; and b) providing said packages of spices for
replacement of used, depleted, stale or old spices so that said
spice-holding device can be used repeatedly and additional
cuisine-specific spices are thereby distributed.
13. A spice-holding device comprising: a) a rectangular book-shaped
container having a top, a bottom, a back cover, a front cover, a
binding end and an opening end defining an interior volume; b) said
interior volume partitioned into a plurality of compartments for
holding predetermined quantities of preselected spices, wherein
said compartments are individually labeled to identify the
particular spice to be held in each of said compartments; and c)
said front cover pivotally attached to said book-shaped container
along said binding end so that said front cover is pivotable
between an open position exposing said spice-holding compartments
in said interior volume for access to said spices when held within
said compartment and a closed position covering the spices for
storage and constructed so that said spice-holding device is
self-supporting when holding spices in said compartments and placed
on its bottom.
14. A spice-holding device as in claim 13 wherein said
predetermined quantities of preselected spices comprise
cuisine-specific spices preselected on the basis of a particular
cuisine.
15. A spice-holding device as in claim 14 wherein said cover
comprises a label field imprinted with a specific cuisine
identifier corresponding to said cuisine of the preselected
spices.
16. A spice-holding device as in claim 15 further comprising a
recipe holder secured to the inside cover for holding
cuisine-specific recipes corresponding to said cuisine of said
preselected spices held in said plurality of compartments.
17. A spice-holding device as in claim 16 wherein said preselected
spices are selected according to said cuisine and said printed
recipes so that said printed recipes can be prepared using said
spices selected and held in said plurality of compartments.
Description
[0001] This application is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser.
No. 09/1467,689, filed on Dec. 21, 1999.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a device for holding a
collection of small quantities of spices for a specific cuisine and
to a method of providing and marketing cuisine-specific spices, and
particular to a self-supporting, spice-holding device in the shape
of a book and to a method of marketing spices in a cuisine-specific
book shaped holding device and more particular to a plurality of
book-shaped spice-holding devices, each of the plurality of holding
devices containing small, replaceable quantities of spices and
ingredients for use in the preparation of recipes identified within
a specific type of cuisine and to a method of doing business
including marketing one or more or a combination of several
cuisine-specific spice holders with cuisine-specific recipes and
also to marketing replacement packages of cuisine-specific spices,
herbs and ingredients.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Prior spice-holding devices have included fixed shelf
cupboards for holding self-supporting containers of spices of the
users choosing. Previous spice-holding devices have included
slidable drawers or compartments in which spices may be filled
and/or from which spices may be dispensed. None of the prior
devices have provided a book-shaped self-supporting spice-holding
device into which small quantities of cuisine-specific spices are
provided.
[0004] Also, in the past, spices have been sold in separate
containers having separate spices, each spice or herb selected by
the user according to the user's desires. Also in the past, certain
combinations of spices and ingredients have been premixed in single
packages for creating a specific recipe as, for example, a powdered
soup mix, a chili mix, taco mixes, spaghetti sauce mixes, gravy
mixes, sauce mixes and the like. Such premixed spice and ingredient
combinations most typically are intended for purposes of a single
recipe and a single meal preparation. Those premixed spices do not
normally provide for convenient modification of the recipe. Such
mixes have not been provided in a self-supporting book. Previously,
it was not known to collect individual spices that are associated
with a particular group of recipes within a type of food
preparation or a cuisine, place them in small quantities into a
holding device shaped like a book or in one of a group of "volumes"
or a set of various cuisine-specific holding devices and to market
the spices together with cuisine-specific recipes and further to
market replacement packages of spices to refill depleted, old or
stale quantities of the cuisine-specific spices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention provides a self-supporting book-shaped
spice-holding device. The spice-holding "book" is internally
partitioned for holding small quantities of a variety of selected
herbs and spices for use in preselected, cuisine-specific recipes.
The invention further comprises a collection of spice-holding
books, each book uniquely constructed to contain small quantities
of a variety of selected cuisine-specific herbs and spices. Each
book device for holding spices constructed to support itself when
placed on a shelf, in a cupboard or on a countertop. Each
spice-holding book is separately labeled for the preselected type
of cuisine. The spices, herbs and ingredients held in an individual
spice-holding device corresponds to the designated type of cuisine
and is called for by any of a number of cuisine-specific recipes
provided in a pamphlet also held in the book-shaped spice, herb and
ingredient-holding device.
[0006] In the preferred embodiment, a collection of individual
"books" contain small quantities of a variety of herbs, spices
and/or other ingredients that are useful in preparing a particular
type of cuisine. The type of cuisine is designated on the outside
of the book on the cover and/or on the binding as a particular
theme, such as "The American Pantry," "The American Southern
Pantry," "The Basic Pantry," "The Cajun Pantry," "The Children's
Pantry," "The Chinese Pantry," "The Greek Pantry, " "The Indian
Pantry," "The Italian Pantry," "The Korean Pantry," "The Mexican
Pantry," "The Thai Pantry," "The Vietnamese Pantry," and "Your
Pantry" for spices specifically collected according to an
individual's own personal recipes. For example, "The Italian
Pantry" may have spices such as oregano, basil, garlic, etc. Also
for example, "The Mexican Pantry" may have chili powder, red
pepper, garlic, and so on.
[0007] The Applicant has further created a unique and useful method
of doing business including collecting, packaging and providing a
variety of selected cuisine-specific spices and herbs in an
openable book-like structure for holding small quantities of spices
and herbs specifically selected for a designated cuisine. The
"books" are labeled to facilitate convenient access to a "library"
of a variety of different cuisines. Further, the method of doing
business, according to other aspects of this invention, may include
the additional step of providing replacement small quantities for
refilling the depleted quantities of the separate selected spices.
Packages of replacement quantities are sized and shaped for
placement in the appropriately labeled, spice-holding device,
having individual spice-holding compartments in the book-like
structure. A complete set of "volumes" or a complete "library" of
cuisine-specific spice-holding devices may also be provided.
Further, each cuisine-specific spice-holding device is provided
with a holder for a cuisine-specific recipe booklet or a set of
recipe cards or sheets. A recipe display structure within the
spice-holding device is provided for displaying a recipe booklet,
card or sheet exposed to view for reading when the cover of the
spice-holding device is open on a countertop in a kitchen or on a
shelf in the food preparation area. The user has convenient access
to the small quantities of spices for preparation of a readable,
displayed recipe, preselected and organized according to the
specific cuisine.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The foregoing objects, advantages, and features, as well as
other objects and advantages, will become more apparent with
reference to the description, claims and drawings below, in which
like numerals represent like elements and in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exterior of a
spice-holding device shaped like a book according to one embodiment
of the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is another exterior perspective of a spice-holding
device according to the present invention in which the designated
cuisine is labeled on the exterior of the book-shaped device
distinct from the specific cuisine designated by the label on the
book in FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a open spice-holding device
according to the embodiment of FIG. 1 in which a partitioned
interior structure of the book-shaped spice-holding device may be
more fully understood;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a schematic depiction of a collection or set of a
variety or a plurality of "volumes" of specifically selected,
different, cuisine-specific spice-holding devices conveniently
arranged for storage like books on a shelf, according to one aspect
of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic depiction of a device,
self-supported in use and others self-supported stored on a
shelf;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a schematic flow diagram of a method of doing
business for providing predetermined quantities of selected spices
in book-shaped spice-holding devices and pre-sized packages of
fresh herbs and spices to replenish depleted quantities or to
replace old or stale spices with fresh spices;
[0015] FIG. 7 is an open perspective view of another embodiment of
a spice-holding device, according to an alternative design of the
present invention in which the book-shaped construction includes a
cover hinged to a compartmentalized rectangular box-shaped
container;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a schematic open view of a spice-holding device,
according to another embodiment of the present invention, that is
convenient to use and economical to produce, in which the
book-shaped construction is a vacuum-formed plastic structure and
further demonstrating a recipe-holding structure, according to one
alternative aspect of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 9 is a detailed, enlarged partial cross-sectional view
of a recipe-holding clip, according to the embodiment depicted in
FIG. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] FIGS. 1 and 2 show front perspective views of the exterior
of spice-holding devices 10a and 10b constructed and having a
book-like structure. The construction includes a container 12,
preferably a rectangular box shaped container corresponding to the
shape of a book with a cover 14. The container is defined by a top
16, end 18, a binding end 20, a bottom 22 and a back 24. Cover 14
is preferably attached along the binding end 20 along a pivot
connection 28 so that the cover 14 may be opened and closed at
opening 26. The front 30 of cover 14 is preferably provided with at
least one print field, including a cuisine descriptor print field
34 at which the specific type of cuisine for which the enclosed
collection of herbs and spices, or other ingredients are
appropriately indicated with print or an attached label.
Cuisine-specific recipes can also be included according to the
specific cuisine. Also additional print fields such as a trademark
field 32 and a source information print field 36 may be provided,
all arranged preferably similar to covers of printed books, thereby
mimicking a printed book. There is also a print descriptor field 38
along the binding also for designating a specific cuisine. In the
embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, additional details are shown.
FIG. 1 depicts a spice-holding container specifically designated
for "The Mexican Pantry," both in descriptor field 34 and also in
binding descriptor field 38. A trademark for a particular supplier
of the spice-holding container is set forth, as for example,
"SpiceKits.TM." in trademark field 32.
[0019] In FIG. 2, the descriptor "The Italian Pantry," is provided
in the descriptor field 34b, thereby indicating that spices, herbs
and ingredients specifically useful for cooking Italian cuisine are
enclosed within the spice-holding device 10b. Similarly, "The
Italian Pantry" is also indicated as the printed cuisine descriptor
in binding descriptor field 38b. In each case, the additional
information in fields 36 and 36b, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, set forth an
indicator of "authorship," for example, "From Sherrill's Kitchen"
that can be useful for purposes of trademark and/or trade dress
source of origin indicator for the unique spice-holding device. The
"authorship" print field 36 further facilitates mimicking a "book"
with a spice-holding device 10.
[0020] FIG. 3 depicts a schematic perspective view of the
spice-holding device 10b of FIG. 2 showing container 12 divided
into a plurality of compartments 40. In this particular embodiment
there are sixteen separate compartments 40a-p for holding sixteen
separate herbs, spices or ingredients specifically designed for
Italian recipes. The total number of compartments 40 and spices
held therein may be varied without departing from the invention as
claimed. Also, the opened cover 14 has a removably secured recipe
book and in this case, an Italian recipe book corresponding to "The
Italian Pantry" as designed on the front of the cover at field 34b
as well as on the binding of the spice-holding device at field 38b.
The recipe book 44 may be secured with a holding device 46, such as
a strap, an elastic band, or an envelope into which the recipe book
44 may be removably secured. As an alternative to a recipe booklet
44 recipe sheets or cards 45, selected and collected to match the
specifically indicated cuisine may be provided in the
cuisine-specific spice holder. Also depicted are resilient supports
or clips 48 and 50 secured to inside cover 42 for holding the
recipe book 44, or alternatively, for holding recipe cards 45, in a
opened, displayed position so that a user may view the recipe at
the same time that the compartments 40a-p, and the cuisine-specific
spices held therein, may be accessed.
[0021] By way of example for FIGS. 2 and 3, in which the
spice-holding device 10b is designated as "The Italian Pantry," the
recipe booklet 44 may include Italian recipes and the spice-holding
compartments 40a-p are filled with individual containers holding
quantities of spices selected to be specifically useful for cooking
Italian cuisine. In particular, the spices are selected to be
useful for the Italian recipes set forth in booklet 44 (or,
alternatively in recipe cards or sheets 45) provided with the
spice-holding device 10b. For example, the following spices may be
selected and then collected and packaged as being Italian
cuisine-specific for filling compartments 40a-p of spice-holding
device 10b as follows: basil, bay leaf, cayenne, cinnamon, fennel,
garlic powder, marjoram, nutmeg, oregano, red pepper flakes,
rosemary, saffron, sage, tarragon, thyme and white pepper.
[0022] As will be explained more fully below, the spices, herbs or
ingredients are selected primarily according to the specific
cuisine. Also, preferably, the quantities and package sizes are
selected according to the expected quantities to be used. A
plurality of compartment sizes are provided in the cuisine-specific
spice-holding device so that different package sizes of commonly
used herbs and spices for that cuisine are easily held in
approximately sized compartments. Thus, the invention provides
packaged quantities commensurate with the quantities likely to be
used for recipes among that cuisine. Thus, for example, in "The
Italian Pantry" spice-holding device 10b, the quantity of garlic
powder and oregano advantageously will be large compared to the
quantities of nutmeg or thyme.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a plurality of
spice-holding devices, constructed in the shape of books, to
provide a set of "volumes" or a "library" of spice-holding devices
10a-h in which 10a, for example, may be "The Mexican Pantry," as in
FIG. 1, 10b would be "The Italian Pantry," as in FIG. 2, 10c might
be "The Mediterranean Pantry," featuring herbs and spices for use
in preparing Mediterranean cuisine. Additional spice-holding
devices could also be provided in the set. For example, 10d may be
"A Child's Pantry," containing ingredients associated with foods
children love to eat or recipes suitable for a child to cook or
prepare, 10e may be "The Cajun Pantry," with the herbs and spices
selected to provide ingredients for cooking Cajun cuisine. Also,
10g might be "The Basic Pantry," for types of herbs and spices that
might be selected as being basic or common cuisine, and 10h may be
a spice-holding device that is provided to allow the user to select
and fill the device with herbs and spices useful in their own
personal favorites or family recipes. The specific cuisine might be
appropriately designated as "Your Pantry" or "My Pantry" and might
even be individually customized as "Bill's Pantry," "Jane's Pantry"
or "The Jones' Pantry."
[0024] FIG. 5 depicts a spice-holding device 10c opened on a
counter in a kitchen (the kitchen shown in phantom lines for
demonstration purposes only) with the remainder of the set 52 shown
positioned on a shelf 58 conveniently stored as one might store
other recipe books. The inventive spice holders provide both the
recipes and the spices to prepare them for specific cuisines. It
will be understood that the spice-holding devices in the form of a
book-like structure might also be stored within a cabinet such as
cabinet 60 or otherwise self-supported on the counter 56 or
elsewhere, depending upon personal preferences and the arrangement
of an individual's kitchen. A convenient and unique aspect of the
spice-holding devices is that they are self-supporting, both in
storage, as shown on storage shelf 58, and also they are
self-supporting on the countertop, or other food preparation
surface, for use in a opened position, simultaneously providing
access to spice compartments 40 and also displaying a recipe
booklet 44 held open by display support clips 48 and 50.
[0025] FIG. 6 is a schematic flow diagram of a method of doing
business for providing predetermined quantities of selected spices
in spice-holding, book-shaped devices and for providing pre-sized
packages of fresh herbs and spices to replenish depleted quantities
or to replace old or stale spices with fresh spices. It is seen
that this method of doing business includes the step of
establishing cuisine-specific spice lists schematically depicted as
step 64 in the process flow chart FIG. 6. Examples of some of the
specific cuisines that could be selected may include "The Basic
Pantry," "The Cajun Pantry," "The Child's Pantry," "The Indian
Pantry," "The Italian Pantry," "The Mexican Pantry" and "The
Mediterranean Pantry." Step 64 schematically indicates a step of
establishing a list of cuisine-specific spices that is to be
performed for each of the selected cuisines to be indicated
according to the invention. By way of examples only, step 61, for
establishing a cuisine, step 64, for selecting cuisine-specific
spices and step 68, for collecting the spices, may be accomplished
using the cuisine and cuisine-specific spice lists as follows:
[0026] "The Basic Pantry" spice list might be established to
include basil, bay leaf, chili powder, cayenne, cumin, curry,
garlic salt, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, salt, tarragon,
thyme, cinnamon and black pepper.
[0027] The list of cuisine-specific spices for "The Cajun Pantry"
may include basil, bay leaf, cayenne, chili powder, cinnamon,
garlic powder, gumbo file, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, red pepper
flakes, rosemary, sage, sea salt, thyme and white pepper.
[0028] The list for "The Child's Pantry" might, for example,
include baking powder, baking soda, basil, black pepper, cake
sprinkles, cinnamon, cumin, food coloring, nutmeg, oregano, red
pepper flakes and salt.
[0029] The list of spices established for "The Indian Pantry" may
include, for example, allspice, anise, cardamon, cayenne, cinnamon,
ground cloves, coriander, cumin, curry, garam masala, garlic
powder, ginger, mustard seed, nutmeg, red pepper flakes and
turmeric.
[0030] An example of a list of cuisine-specific spices that might
be established for "The Italian Pantry" could include basil, bay
leaf, cayenne, cinnamon, fennel, garlic powder, marjoram, nutmeg,
oregano, red pepper flakes, rosemary, saffron, sage, tarragon,
thyme and white pepper.
[0031] As example of a list of cuisine-specific spices that might
be established for "The Mexican Pantry" could include anise, bay
leaf, cayenne, chili powder, ground cloves, coriander, garlic
powder, marjoram, mint, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, red pepper
flakes, thyme, cinnamon, ancho and black peppercorns.
[0032] Establishing the list of cuisine-specific spices for "The
Mediterranean Pantry" might include establishing a list including
basil, bay leaf, black peppercorns, chervil, cumin, fennel, ginger,
marjoram, mint, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes,
rosemary, saffron, sage and thyme.
[0033] While the foregoing are given as examples for performing the
certain steps of the invention, it will be understood that other
spices, according to a particular set of recipes considered to be
categorized within one of any number of specified cuisines, might
also be included as an additional herb or spice or as alternatives
to any one of the foregoing examples of spices for establishing
lists. It will further be understood that other types of cuisine,
such as German food, Polish food, Chinese food, Japanese food, Thai
food, Korean food, Vietnamese food, American Southern cooking, or
possibly the specific cuisines might be categorized, not according
to ethnicity or region of origin, but rather according to the type
of dish, such as "The Dessert Pantry," "The Hors D'oeuvre Pantry,"
"Main Dishes," "Side Dishes," "Finger Food" or other logical
categorizations for which such cuisine-specific herbs, spices and
ingredients might be selected, listed, collected and usefully and
beneficially provided in a single spice-holding device constructed
in a book-like, self-supporting structure. For such other types of
cuisine, the establishment of the cuisine in a step 61,
establishing cuisine-specific spice lists in step 64, and
collecting the cuisine-specific spices in step 68, will be
advantageously performed according to the invention.
[0034] Steps 61 and 64 may be further beneficially facilitated by
collecting cuisine-specific recipes in a step 63 and referring to
such cuisine-specific recipes for establishing the cuisine-specific
spice list in step 64. A step 68 indicates the collection of
selected herbs and spices corresponding to the cuisine-specific
spice list. Step 60 depicts a step for making the spice-holding
device. In various embodiments, as depicted, the spice-holding
device will have a predetermined number of compartments that might
be as few as 5-10 and might be as many as 20-30 or more.
Preferably, the number of compartments will be in a range of
between 10-20. The book-like spice holder 10 may advantageously be
constructed of a size corresponding to what might be considered
within a range of sizes for normal hard back books as, for example,
a rectangular spice-holding device might be between about 5"-12"
wide and between about 7"-14" tall, and between about 3/4"-21/2"
deep to correspond to a "typical" book size and shape. It has been
found, for example, that a spice-holding device having a width of
between about 7"-8", a height of between about 8"-10" and a depth
of between about 1"-2" can be conveniently partitioned to include
between about 14-18 compartments, having a variety of sizes.
Advantageously, the variety of compartment sizes are designed for
holding quantities of spices corresponding to different usages,
depending upon the specific cuisine for which the spice-holding
device is to be designated. According to a further optional aspect
of the invention, each compartment of a cuisine-specific
spice-holding device may be constructed and appropriately
designated with a print or a label for the particular herb or spice
to be held in that compartment.
[0035] Another aspect of the method of doing business is the
packaging of selected herbs and spices schematically depicted as
step 68 in FIG. 6. The herbs and spices are packaged, preferably
according to the variety of sizes of compartments, that correspond
to the compartment sizes of the spice-holding device 10. The
spice-holding devices 10 are filled with the packaged selected
herbs and spices, with larger packages placed in larger
compartments and with smaller packages placed in smaller
compartments, according to expected usage, as determined from the
collected recipes or otherwise according to the characteristic
usage or strength of flavoring of a particular herb or spice. The
spice-holding devices are filled and marked with the appropriate
specific cuisine designation in steps 70, 72 or 74, as
representative examples of the process. Additional designated
specific cuisines will require additional steps (not shown) that
are equivalent to steps 70, 72 and 74 of filling container
compartments with selected and packaged herbs and spices and
appropriately labeling the filled spice-holding devices with the
specific cuisine for which the selected herbs and spices have been
provided. Another step of the process includes providing, as by
selling, each specific cuisine-specific spice-holding device as
schematically represented by steps 80, 82 or 84. The step of
selling, of course, entails the corresponding receipt of value to
the seller, schematically represented as reverse flow "$" at 86, 88
or 90.
[0036] An enhancement of the method of providing spices under the
unique process according to another aspect of the present invention
further includes the concept that an individual user will use herbs
and spices. The depleted herbs and spices will need to be replaced.
Various herbs and spices may be depleted faster than others. Also,
over time, certain herbs and spices might become stale or lose
their potency, such that replacement of various selected individual
herbs or spices might be appropriate. The time period for
replacement might be recommended or "programmed" at specific time
intervals according to the type of spice that has been packaged.
This natural process of use, depletion, deterioration or programmed
replacement gives rise to the inventive process step of selling the
prepackaged selected individual quantities of herbs and spices for
each of the cuisine-specific spice-holding containers. Thus, the
natural consequence of the occurrence of use, depletion,
deterioration or programmed replacement, as schematically depicted
at 92, 94 or 96, results in the beneficial method of doing business
process steps of collecting packaged herbs and spices, as in step
68 and of providing such packaged herbs and spices, for resale at
steps 98, 100 or 102, depending upon the cuisine. This results in
revenue or reverse flow "$," to the provider of the spices
schematically depicted at 104, 106 or 108. Thus revenue is
generated not only in the sale of cuisine-specific spice-holding
containers, i.e., the manufacturing process at 60 and sales steps
of 80, 82 or 84, but also the packaging process 68 further
generates revenue 104, 106 or 108 at selling steps 98, 100 or 102,
so that the combined revenues from the spice-holding containers
schematically represented at 110 and the revenue from packaging and
sales of replacement spices schematically represented at 112 are
collected by the operator of the business process at step 114. With
this inventive method of doing business, the consumer
advantageously obtains convenient and freshly replaceable
cuisine-specific spices in an easily stored and reusable,
cuisine-specific spice-holding device. The provider of the process
advantageously obtains initial revenue and ongoing revenue for
providing cuisine-specific spice-holding devices, spices and
recipes.
[0037] FIG. 7 is an alternative embodiment of a spice-holding
device 10e according to the present invention and, in particular,
for purposes of demonstration only, a Cajun cuisine spice holder is
depicted. The construction includes a cover 14 hinged to the
container 12 at hinges 120a, b and c. The book-like spice holder
10e of FIG. 7 may, for example, be comprised of a cardboard or
wooden container 12 and a thin, cardboard or wooden cover 14
appropriately connected with hinges 120a-c made of plastic, metal
or other suitable materials. Alternatively, the structure of
container 12e and cover 14e might be plastic or even a lightweight
metal with appropriate hinge construction of plastic or metal. In
this embodiment, an alternative recipe-holding structure comprising
a flexible or elastic strap 122 is also depicted that could serve
both to hold the recipe booklet or recipe sheets or cards in place
for storage and also to hold the recipe booklet open in a
self-supported manner for reading the recipe. The flexible strap
122, might advantageously be either transparent or sufficiently
thin so that the recipe booklet might be moved appropriately for
reading all the instructions and ingredients.
[0038] In another alternative preferred embodiment, a spice-holding
device 10g according to FIG. 8 might be a vacuum-formed plastic
closable structure in which the partitioned compartments 40 are
formed within a container portion 12g, as with a hollow, molded
projection 124 projecting and integrally formed with a back cover
24g. The front cover 14g is constructed of a cover plate 128,
preferably having an engagement ridge 130 formed and sized for
engaging the exterior of molded projection 124 to hold the
structure in a closed position when ridge 130 is moved toward and
pressed around projection 124. The binding edge 20 may also be a
suitably rigid yet resiliently flexible plastic material forming a
hinge 132 or two hinges, as with hinge creases 132 and 134,
indented or molded thereinto. Such an integrally formed
spice-holding device provides convenient and durable opening and
closing of the spice-holding device 10g. The technology for forming
these types of vacuum-formed closure devices for other uses has
been known particularly in connection with video and audio tape
cassette holding devices. However, the present invention for
holding cuisine-specific spices will uniquely entail certain
modifications, including the formation of a plurality of individual
compartments and also desirably and advantageously providing a
deeper structure than might typically be considered appropriate for
holding video tapes and cassettes, which structures typically
require depths of only approximating less than 3/4". The
spice-holding compartments will advantageously be in the range of
about 3/4"-21/2" deep. Also, depicted in FIG. 8 are attached recipe
book display support clips 48 and 50.
[0039] FIG. 9 shows a partial cutaway cross-section of the attached
clip 48. The clips 48 and 50 might be flexible, metallic items,
such as thin, spring steel secured with a fastener 136. The
fastener 136 might be a plastic, welded attachment device or a
plastic or metal rivet or threaded fastener. Similarly, clips 48
and 50 might be constructed of a resilient plastic material that
might be fused or welded directly at points 136 and 138 to the
plastic structure of the vacuum-formed embodiment of the
spice-holding device 10g. While the details of clips 48 and 50 are
shown in FIG. 9 in combination with the vacuum-formed embodiment of
spice holder 10g it will be understood that similar recipe display
clips also may be appropriately attached to other describe
structures for spice-holding devices 10.
[0040] Other alterations and modifications of the invention will
likewise become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon
reading the present disclosure, and it is intended that the scope
of the invention disclosed herein be limited only by the broadest
interpretation of the appended claims to which the inventors are
legally entitled.
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