Cooking appliance

Abstract

A cooking appliance for producing flatbreads or other foodstuffs including a first heating assembly and a second heating assembly. The first heating assembly includes a first cooking surface, and the second heating assembly includes a second cooking surface. The first cooking surface has a spiral groove configured to form a spiral pattern in the foodstuff.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooking appliance comprising:
 a first heating assembly having a first cooking surface; and   a second heating assembly having a second cooking surface, the second heating assembly being operatively connected to the first heating assembly,   wherein the first cooking surface has a spiral groove.   
     
     
         2 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the spiral groove is defined by a concave surface in cross-section. 
     
     
         3 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 2 , wherein the concave surface is curved and opens toward the second cooking surface when the first cooking surface opposes the second cooking surface in an operative position. 
     
     
         4 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the second cooking surface is substantially flat. 
     
     
         5 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 4 , wherein the second cooking surface is enclosed by a raised edge that extends upwardly from the second cooking surface, the raised edge being configured to contain foodstuffs therewithin. 
     
     
         6 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first cooking surface and the second cooking surface is substantially circular. 
     
     
         7 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first cooking surface and the second cooking surface includes a non-stick surface. 
     
     
         8 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first cooking surface and the second cooking surface is removable. 
     
     
         9 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the first cooking surface is translatable relative to the second cooking surface. 
     
     
         10 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the first heating assembly is operatively connected to the second heating assembly by a hinge mechanism, and
 wherein the first cooking surface is locatable in at least three operative positions relative to the second cooking surface.   
     
     
         11 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the first cooking surface and the second cooking surface are translatable relative to each other such that the first cooking surface cooperates with the second cooking surface for cooking a foodstuff therebetween;
 wherein the second cooking surface has a substantially flat surface configured for evenly spreading the foodstuff over the second cooking surface; and   wherein the spiral groove of the first cooking surface is configured to produce a spiral pattern in the foodstuff that simulates the swirl formation from a ladle.   
     
     
         12 . A cooking appliance comprising:
 a first heating assembly having a first cooking plate, the first cooking plate having a spiral groove; and   a second heating assembly having a second cooking plate;   wherein the first cooking plate and the second cooking plate are movable relative to each other between an open position, in which the respective cooking plates are separated for enabling access to foodstuff between the respective cooking plates, and a closed position, in which the respective cooking plates cooperate with each other to prepare the foodstuff therebetween; and   wherein the spiral groove is exposed to the foodstuff in the closed position for forming a spiral pattern in the foodstuff when the foodstuff is being prepared.   
     
     
         13 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 12 , wherein the spiral groove has a cross-section defined by a curved concave recess in the first cooking plate. 
     
     
         14 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 12 , wherein the spiral groove has a spiral axis located in the center of the first cooking plate. 
     
     
         15 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 12 , wherein the second cooking plate includes a raised edge extending upwardly from a cooking surface of the second cooking plate, the raised edge enclosing the cooking surface of the second cooking plate and being adapted to contain the foodstuff therewithin. 
     
     
         16 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 15 , wherein the raised edge is adapted to be in an abutting relationship with the upper cooking plate when in the closed position. 
     
     
         17 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 12 , wherein the first cooking plate and the second cooking plate are generally the same size and shape as each other, the first and second cooking plates being substantially circular and having a radius of between about 8 inches to 14 inches. 
     
     
         18 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 12 , wherein the first cooking plate and/or the second cooking plate are interchangeable. 
     
     
         19 . A cooking appliance for making a foodstuff that has the appearance of being homemade with a ladle, the cooking appliance comprising:
 a first cooking plate having a first cooking surface; and   a second cooking plate having a second cooking surface;   wherein the first cooking surface and the second cooking surface are movable relative to each other such that the first cooking surface cooperates with the second cooking surface for cooking the foodstuff between the respective cooking surfaces; and   wherein the first cooking surface has a spiral groove configured to form a spiral pattern in the foodstuff, the spiral pattern simulating a swirl formation formed by the ladle and giving the foodstuff the appearance of being homemade.