We are talking about one of the most common and indispensable kitchen tools: the rubber or silicone spatula, more commonly known in English as a “rubber spatula” or simply a “scraper”.
The rubber spatula consists of a long handle, usually made of wood, steel, or rigid plastic, and a flat, soft, flexible tip, today almost always made of food-grade silicone, while in the past it was made of natural rubber.
Its function is simple but essential: gathering batters, creams, and soft preparations without damaging surfaces and without waste.
The flexibility of the material allows it to follow the curved sides of bowls and pans with great precision, something that other utensils cannot achieve with the same effectiveness.
The Italian term “leccapentole” literally means “pot-licker” and arose in a spontaneous, popular way, because of the tool’s ability to clean bowls and pans right down to the very last drop, just like a tongue would do.
The name “Marisa”, by contrast, has a more curious and less immediate origin.
There is no absolute certainty about the origin of the name “Marisa”.
Over time, several theories have emerged, some more evocative, others better documented.
One early version, widely circulated but unsupported by solid historical evidence, traces the name back to a supposed court pastry chef called Maryse Monpetit, who is said to have lived at the court of Francesco I di Francia in the sixteenth century.
According to this account, she would have invented a spatula to make working with dough easier.
However, there are no reliable sources that confirm either her existence or the invention attributed to her.
The version that is now considered the most credible is linked instead to French industrial history between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
At the end of the nineteenth century, the company De Buyer, specialised in the manufacture of kitchen utensils, began marketing a rubber spatula that was particularly effective at scraping the bottoms and sides of pans.
The product was registered under the name “Maryse”, which became a true commercial brand.
From brand name to common noun
With the passing of time, as often happens, the brand name “Maryse” came to be used to indicate the object itself, even beyond the original manufacturer.
In France the term “Maryse” is still very widely used today, while in Italy it became “Marisa”, alongside the more descriptive “leccapentole” (“pot licker”).
Thus, a simple kitchen utensil has carried with it a small history made of legend, industry, and popular language.
A perfect example of how even the humblest objects can possess a surprisingly rich cultural identity.