When sung like this, an unstoppable tragedy is about to unfold in the kitchen chanson. In real life, however, the extendable trivet provides a remedy: it can be adjusted in size to fit the cookware on it. With a base area of up to 35 × 19 centimetres, ours provides a solid surface for even the largest pans and large roasters, as well as the tray with freshly baked cake or homemade pizza coming out of the oven. Heat-resistant and very robust, as it is made of stainless steel, it won't buckle under even the largest pot of soup, cuts a fine figure on the laid table while it is still waiting to be used, and scores points behind the scenes because it "lives on a narrow foot" when folded up and is perfectly happy with a shady spot in the kitchen drawer.

The tricky thing about a scissor-grid trivet is of course the joint - or rather the joints, of which there are seven in our trivet. A joint like this should move smoothly, be wear-resistant and not wear out. Like a pair of scissors, it enables the movable connection of two legs that can be closed or opened wide to an "X". The combination of two or three joints on one leg creates the accordion-like grid, which can be pulled apart or pushed together as required. On the upper side, only the round tip of the pin can be seen, which ensures that it stays together. On the underside, the pin is cleverly designed as a foot. This means that the trivet stands securely on its seven feet at a proven distance from the base. Wherever you place it, it protects the wood of the worktop or tabletop, the linen of the fine dining table and the ceramic tiles of the balcony table from the heat of the pan, pot and casserole dish.

Taken together, the scissor grid that makes this trivet so extremely versatile is a timelessly practical mechanism. However, its manufacture requires a great deal of experience. To ensure that every joint "fits" - i.e. is easily movable and remains so - the individual metal parts must be finely coordinated. Using metal, especially silver, gold, pewter and stainless steel, to produce useful and aesthetically pleasing items for the table is a task for the fine blacksmith, known in France as an "orfèvre". In Escoutoux near Thiers, in the heart of a region that still keeps its metalworking tradition alive, we have found a family business that is now in its third generation of producing cutlery and utensils for the kitchen, table and tableware under the name Roger Orfèvre. After founding grandfather Roger Sozedde and two of his sons, the siblings Élise, Rémi and Thibault Sozedde are now in charge of the manufactory. Production has changed considerably in over a hundred years, but the Sozedde family has remained true to its principle of combining modern manufacturing techniques with handcrafted finishing. The result is reliable everyday companions "made in France" which, like this trivet, combine solid mechanics with smart, fresh shapes and colors.