Roasting and glazing apparatus

Abstract

A roasting and glazing apparatus comprising a nut roaster housing, a roaster bowl within the nut roaster housing, an agitator rotatably mounted within the roaster bowl and including at least two blades to mix a mixture of nuts and sugar during roasting, a heater within the housing for heating the roaster bowl, and a cover mounted on the roaster bowl, sized to cover the roaster bowl, and including a water reservoir that includes at least one metering hole to allow water placed within the reservoir during glazing to flow into the roaster bowl at a predetermined, measured rate of flow. The measured flow results in well coated glazed nuts and prevents the formation of a large burst of steam, thus protecting the operator against being scalded during glazing of the roasted nuts, as well as providing other benefits.

1 . A nut roasting and glazing apparatus, comprising:
 a roaster housing;   a roaster bowl disposed within the roaster housing;   an agitator rotatably mounted within the roaster bowl and including at least two blades adapted to mix a mixture of nuts and sugar during a roasting or glazing operation of the roasting and glazing apparatus;   a heater controlled to heat the roaster bowl during the roasting or glazing operation;   a cover removably mounted on the roaster bowl and sized to at least partially cover the roaster bowl, the cover including a top surface and a side surface extending downward from the top surface, the cover further including a reservoir disposed within the top surface of the cover, the reservoir having at least one metering hole adapted to cause water disposed within the reservoir to flow into the roaster bowl at a predetermined rate of flow,   the cover including a rolled edge extending downward from a bottom of the side surface of the cover and wherein the rolled edge extends around a perimeter of the cover but not fully around the perimeter, such that a gap is formed where the rolled edge does not extend around the perimeter of the cover,   the roaster bowl including a channel extending at least partially, but not fully, around a top surface of the roaster bowl and sized to receive the rolled edge of the cover when mounted on the roaster bowl,   the bottom of the rolled edge of the cover being supported within the channel of the roaster bowl; and   an aperture disposed at a location of the gap and in which the aperture is disposed between the roaster bowl and the cover at a location immediately below that portion of the side surface of the cover from which the rolled edge does not extend,   the aperture configured to operate as a vent during portions of the roasting or glazing operations, the aperture configured to enable steam disposed within the roaster bowl to escape by directing the steam sideways until the steam reaches the perimeter of the cover.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The nut roasting and glazing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the vent extends between the roaster bowl and the cover for a distance corresponding to at least 15% of a perimeter of the bottom of the side surface of the cover. 
     
     
         4 . The nut roasting and glazing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined rate of flow corresponds to a flow of 3 ounces of water over a period of at least 10 seconds. 
     
     
         5 . The nut roasting and glazing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined rate of flow corresponds to a flow of 3 ounces of water over a period of between 30 and 35 seconds. 
     
     
         6 . The nut roasting and glazing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir within the top surface of the cover includes at least first and second metering holes, the first metering hole disposed at a first end of the reservoir and the second metering hole disposed at a second end of the reservoir. 
     
     
         7 . The nut roasting and glazing apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second metering holes are disposed on opposite ends of the reservoir; the reservoir including a third metering hole, the third metering hole disposed substantially mid-way between the first and second metering holes within the reservoir. 
     
     
         8 . The nut roasting and glazing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir is disposed at a location of the cover substantially diametrically opposed to the location of the vent. 
     
     
         9 . The nut roasting and glazing apparatus of  claim 8 , further including a handle coupled to and extending upwards from a center of the cover, the handle disposed substantially mid-way between the reservoir and the vent. 
     
     
         10 . The nut roasting and glazing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the roaster bowl includes a pouring lip extending partially around an upper perimeter of the roaster bowl. 
     
     
         11 . The nut roasting and glazing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the vent is disposed immediately above at least a portion of the pouring lip of the roaster bowl. 
     
     
         12 . The nut roasting and glazing apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising a cantilever arm coupled to the roaster bowl and adapted to raise the roaster bowl to a position sufficiently high to cause roasted nuts within the roaster bowl to pour over the pouring lip and out of the roaster bowl. 
     
     
         13 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The nut roasting and glazing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein that portion of the roaster bowl that does not include the channel is configured to not receive the rolled edge of the cover when mounted so that the cover, when mounted on the roaster bowl, is positioned at a set orientation relative to the roaster bowl. 
     
     
         23 . The nut roasting and glazing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the roaster bowl is rotatably coupled to the roaster housing via a rotatable lever arm shaft;   the nut roasting and glazing apparatus comprising a cantilever arm disposed external to the roaster housing and coupled to the lever arm shaft, the cantilever arm structured to raise and tilt the roaster bowl, relative to the roaster housing, to a position sufficiently high and orientation to cause roasted nuts within the roaster bowl to pour out.