Last week I wrote about the best BBQ thermometer, and a reader requested a recommendation for an instant read thermometer.  Now, the big lie about instant read thermometers is that most of them don’t read instantly.  You have to stand there, with the oven door open or your fingers getting singed while the pointer or digital display slowly reaches a final reading.  The Thermapen is the closest thing you’ll find to instant.  Within seconds (they say five but usually less than two) of positioning its super-thin probe in whatever you’re checking, the temperature displays on the easy-to-read digital read out.  The tiny probe won’t make big holes in baked goods, and doesn’t need to be stuck in far, so it’s suitable for thin meats and seafood.  Cooks Illustrated named it best, as did the Baker’s Catalog.  Order it in a variety of colors for $85 from Thermoworks.com, or in Red but with free shipping from the Baker’s Catalog.