"Trivet" originates from Late Middle English's borrowing of the Latin word tripes, or triped (tri- "three-legged" + pes, ped- "foot"). Traditionally, trivets are metal tripods that hold cooking pots above open flames - a design that ensures a steady surface for preparing food on uneven grounds. Metals were the first medium of constructing trivets, but that design has changed tremendously over the decades. Now trivets are commonly made from something as simple as a folded towel or an extra piece of tile. They may also be as complicated as intricately woven cast iron or as creative as wine corks wedged into a wooden frame!
Just as the design was revised, so too was the purpose of trivets altered. Trivets were previously used in the process of cooking (suspending cooking pots over a fire), but now they are mainly used after cooking is complete (protecting surfaces and hands from the bottoms of scalding pans). Because today's ovens come fully equipped with metal racks to place dishes on, three-legged trivets are certainly outdated in 21st century cooking. However, outdoor grills are a close relative to the original trivet.
With large families, multiple students, and frequent visitors inhabiting Farm House year-round, cooking and dining was costly and demanding. Mary Welch, wife of Iowa State University's first president, Adonijah Welch, was instrumental in developing efficient cooking procedures. These are noted in Mrs. Welch's Cookbook, which you can see on display at Farm House Museum! Many modern cookbooks, food network programs, and culinary blogs have been influenced by the "Waste Not, Want Not" wisdom.
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