Patent ID: 7549227

Claim:
In combination: a kitchen utensil for removing a central hard portion from an outer soft portion of a food item, the utensil including, a holding portion for holding the food item in a placing position for removal of the hard portion, and a plunger drivable from a first side of the placing position through the soft portion and into contact with the hard portion to expel the hard portion from the soft portion while the food item is in the placing position; a shield member removably securable with the kitchen utensil proximate a second side of the placing position generally opposite from the first side and extending away from the placing position to control debris resulting from removal of the hard portion, the shield member being releasably securable with the kitchen utensil in a use configuration for use in removal of the hard portion, and the shield member being storable with the kitchen utensil in a storage configuration when the kitchen utensil is not in use; a shield retainer for storing the shield member in the storage configuration; a plunger handle extending from the plunger; a holder handle coupled to the holding portion; and structure pivotally interconnecting the plunger handle and the holder handle to permit the plunger to move towards and away from the holding portion to drive the plunger into the food item, whereby in the storage configuration the shield member is positioned between the shield retainer and the holding portion, and the plunger handle and the holder handle are pivoted toward each other so that the plunger extends through the shield member to retain the shield member with the kitchen utensil.