Finger tongs for the gastronomically gauche
I don't care. Perhaps the snooty gastronomist — twitching a lip that bristles with a line of a single hair follicles each parallel to its oily brothers — would consider such a thing an eye-roll-worth faux pax, punchably gauche, but I find salad tongs to be ineffectual tools, especially when trying to grappled with an orboid cherry tomato, which I inevitably and accidentally either propel across the room to bounce around like a crazy ball or else burst like a squeezed, bloodshot eyeball.
So these wearable rubber tong gloves? I think they are awesome. Perhaps it is a bit hoi polloi to — as in this picture — serve your guests a handful of greasy bacon, but the hand is the finest culinary utensil, at least in parts of the world where toilet paper and fresh water are ubiquitous. $18.95.
Finger tongs [Fusion Brands via book of joe]
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Or... wash your hands. Another use for the hand, especially apropos here: Link
Washing your hands doesn't allow you to snatch hot food out of the skillet or to turn things over which need turning. These are meant to allow you to handle hot food.
The solution to the cherry tomato/tong problem is to not use cherry tomatoes in salads. I mean, even if you successfully get them on your salad plate you have only delayed the inevitable because now you have to try to spear them with your fork without them squirting off your plate towards a new life of freedom. Just use normal tomatoes and then cut them up. They're way easier to eat, and if you chose your varieties well, they're better tasting. I'm so sick of cherry and grape tomatoes being everywhere, especially on salad bars. Sure, you don't have to cut them up, but the person eating the salad pays for it with the inconvenience.
If you have that much difficulty spearing a cherry tomato... use a spoon.
As a long time cook/chef, here's a little cherry tomato tip, cut them in half first, before cooking or plating. You're welcome. :D
Most people I know who work around hot stuff are able to reach into a frying pan and flip most stuff.
Move quick, grip lightly, cool fingers on beer bottle, drink, repeat.
I'd have to disagree about cherry tomatoes. Fresh picked and still warm from the sun, they're awesome. Grilled and tossed into pasta? Perfect. Again, it's all about the variety and ripeness.
It's also a lot easier to get good cherry/grape tomatoes in the winter, IMO.
I've never understood this concept that toilet paper is somehow superior to a bidet. I think I saw the phrase "peanut butter on a carpet" used to describe it once. you can get most of it off, but you're not going to get it all. And worst case you'll probably get some on your hands as well. Bidet just makes more sense. But my apartment doesn't have room for one.
As for the finger tongs... hmm. I have textured silicon oven mitts, i've used them for this sort of thing a few times.
Just use chopsticks!!!!!