Why you should no longer neglect your trivet

It doesn't shine like silverware, nor does it rise in bouquet like a centerpiece. And yet, the trivet is the silent bodyguard that absorbs heat to preserve the nobility of wood, marble or waxed linen. It's easy to forget, but without it, the table would bear the scars of our most gourmet meals.

Its history goes hand in hand with that of furniture

As long as we eat on trestles covered with thick planks, precaution is of little importance. But when the table became a piece of ceremonial furniture, as early as the XVIIᵉ century, protection became essential. The arts of the table become codified, services multiply, and, with them, arises the need to interpose a mediator between fire and varnish. In the XVIIIᵉ century, at a time of banquets "à la française", when dishes simultaneously unfold like a gastronomic geography map, trivets become more refined. In openwork silver, chiselled metal or delicate earthenware, they no longer simply protected the dish: they also helped to set the scene. Already, the useful is flirting with the pleasurable.

Don't confuse torch and light

A trivet is not a centerpiece, even if it can sometimes overshadow one. The former protects, the latter parades. One receives the burning weight of a casserole, the other a bouquet or bowl of fruit. The trivet works, the centerpiece enthrones. Of course, the boundaries can become blurred. A large glazed ceramic tray, a ribbed marble disc or a piece of carved wood can play the balancing act between function and ornament. But their primary vocation differs: one absorbs heat, the other catches the eye.

From cast iron to cork, boiling materials

Each material has its own relationship with fire. Cast iron and steel, heirs to the industrial XIXᵉ century, withstand temperatures in excess of 300°C without flinching. Marble and natural stone easily withstand 200°C, while diffusing heat slowly. Ceramics and earthenware, depending on their firing, generally tolerate between 200 and 250°C. Cork, the champion of lightness, can withstand 120 to 150°C: perfect for a serving dish, less so for a hot plate. Depending on its type and thickness, solid wood can withstand temperatures of around 150°C, but is less resistant to thermal shock. Food-grade silicone, today's star performer, often withstands temperatures of up to 220°C, or even 250°C.
Today, trivets have earned their decorative stripes. In speckled terrazzo, woven bamboo, natural rope or laser-cut steel, they no longer hide in a drawer. It dialogues with the tableware, punctuates the tablecloth, structures the table. An object of transition, it is also a metaphor: it reminds us that all flamboyance needs support. Beneath the singing casserole and the crackling gratin, it remains faithful to its post. Discreet, but essential. Like those supporting roles without which no great meal could stand upright.

1. The Mediterranean. Table mat, azulejo blue, natural stoneware, hand-painted, 19 cm diameter. Céladon, 34 €.
2. Le flexible. Flower-shaped trivet, flexible and heat-resistant, in silicone, 20 cm diameter. Le Creuset, 24 €.
3. Durable. Fagot trivet, oiled solid oak, 2.5 cm thick. Reine Mère, €27.
4. The design. Frisk centerpiece by Constance Guisset, steel, 32 cm long, available in 37 colors. Matière Grise, 82 €.
5. Upcycled. D22 trivet, in climbing rope, 22 cm diameter. Redeem Equipment, 29 €.
6. Solid. Cast-iron trivet, 20 cm diameter. Manufrance, €34.90.
7. Expandable. Space trivet, stainless steel, easy folding, 23 cm long. Joseph Joseph, €44.99.
8. Committed. Plain pastille, 100% felt, 12 to 38 cm diameter. Mushkane, 21 €.
9. The marine spirit. Vague trivet, natural cork, waterproof, non-slip. Woodstache, €25.