What are the small forks for? Cutlery and the order of their serving

As you can easily guess from the name, the dessert fork is designed to be eaten with desserts. This device is not mandatory for daily use, at home you can completely do without it, using a spoon or even your hands. But if you have to attend a solemn event, where dessert will be served among other dishes, you should learn how to use this cutlery.

dessert fork needed in order to avoid unpleasant embarrassments with flowing fruit juice, crumbling crumbs and cream falling off the cake. as it is much more widespread, but there are a number of dishes that need to be eaten with a fork.

How to distinguish a dessert fork from others?

If you are afraid of getting lost in a restaurant, prepare for the event in advance. During long multi-ingredient meals, several forks may be on your table. There are four main varieties. Do not worry, they are different, they can be easily distinguished from each other.

• The table fork has a traditional shape, a slight or medium deflection, large sizes and 4 teeth. It is intended for main dishes and is used in company with a knife.
• The fish fork is smaller and narrower, with 3 or 4 prongs. This device can be paired or used with a fish knife. It depends on the type of fish and the format of the event. Some dishes are more convenient to eat with two forks.
• Salad is like a small spoon with teeth. It has a curved shape, making it easy to scoop up lettuce.
• Well, a dessert fork will be served to you when a dessert or a large fruit appears on the table, which needs to be cut into pieces. Most of these forks have 3 prongs, but there are also products with two or four.

The dessert fork you see in this article can be used for most desserts.

Buffet fork for baking

At some events, which take place in the buffet format, not quite ordinary devices are also served. They are a kind of dessert forks, the rightmost prong of which is sharpened and elongated. This is done so that you can cut off pieces of a pie or cake while holding a saucer in your hands. After all, it is impossible to use a knife in such a situation. Remember: this device can only be used when the plate is not on the table. If you can sit down and put it down, take a knife.

fruit fork

Another common type of dessert fork is equipped with only two cloves. They are pretty sharp. Such a fork is intended for fruits and berries. Cakes and cakes are not eaten with it. If a classic dessert fork with three prongs can be served at a table that has both fruits and pastries, then a two-pronged berry fork acts as an additional device. She does not play solo parts at feasts with many dishes.

Serving rules

This device is placed behind the plate, towards the center of the table. Behind her put a dessert spoon. The fork handle is always pointing to the left. The dessert knife can be placed between the fork and the plate or on the dessert saucer to the left of the main plate.

It is acceptable to hold the fork in the right hand, but the vast majority of dishes for which it is intended cannot be eaten neatly without a knife. Therefore, when using both utensils, hold them in the same way as cutlery: the knife in the right hand and the fork in the left. An exception may be perhaps a soufflé, a cocktail salad from small pieces fruits and cream, desserts from soft cheese in creamers. For these air delicate dishes dessert fork can be used independently. You already know where this device lies and how to recognize it among other plugs. It remains to remember what dishes they eat.

What is eaten with a dessert fork

Biscuit, puff, sand cakes and cakes crumble very much, so you should not bite off the treat. Cut a little with a knife, eat with a fork. Watermelons, pineapples and melons are cut into large pieces when served portioned pieces, put one at a time on a plate. Slices are cut from a piece, also one at a time. The pits of the watermelon are removed on a plate with a fork and knife. The dessert fork should be in the left hand, don't forget that. Do the same with grapes. Berries need to be cut in half, remove the seeds, and put the halves on a fork. Small berries without bones are not eaten with a fork.

Informal atmosphere

It is not always necessary to observe strict ceremonial. For example, if you are going on a picnic with close friends or family members, and pies and watermelons will be served on it, dessert forks, spoons and knives can be omitted. It is permissible to eat a treat, taking it in your hand and biting off small pieces. In this case, do not cut the treats too large to be comfortable to hold in your hand.

It is impossible to imagine how to do without cutlery at the table. Cutlery, snack bars, dessert - how do they differ? A variety of materials: silverware, cupronickel, stainless steel, how to decide?

This article is intended for persons over 18 years of age.

Are you over 18 already?

Family silverware: what is it?

Before the advent of modern stainless steel, silver cutlery was in use, so these sets were called that - silverware. The phrase “family silverware” has also been heard, but what does it mean? When a girl got married, she received a set of cutlery as a dowry from her mother and grandmother. Each of the items had an engraving - the initials of the name and maiden name in the female line, which is why the silver was called "family". This set of cutlery was of great value, was the personal property of the wife and did not participate in the division of property in the event of a divorce.

Despite the fact that new, more practical and corrosion-resistant materials have appeared, the name "silverware" has survived, and speaking of it, we mean any set of cutlery, no matter what metal it is made of.

Cutlery: what is what?

Forks, knives, spoons, spatulas, tongs (and this is not the whole list) — what tools for eating you will not find on the table! Let's figure out what's what.

The entire range of cutlery can be conditionally divided into two groups:

1. Individual table set (those devices that are served personally for each guest at his seat).
2. General/auxiliary cutlery (they are used for serving dishes).

Having taken our place at the table, we can see several cutlery near the plate at once: a spoon in the company of a fork and a knife (or even more than one pair). What to do with them? What device to start with and what to eat? Let's go in order.

spoons

Tablespoon

Each housewife has more than one soup recipe on the menu list. And if she lived during the Victorian era, she would also have to have in her arsenal several types of spoons for each of the dishes, from the usual soup to soup puree or broth.

Long oval tablespoons were meant for "something in them" soups, more specifically soups with vegetables, diced or julienned vegetables, rice, or meat. For mashed soups and broths there was a large round spoon (for broth a little less), and the soup should be sipped from it from the side edge. These days, for all kinds of soups, we use one tablespoon. oval shape- this is the main cutlery for first courses.

Dessert spoon

The modern set of cutlery has been so reduced that you will not find a dessert spoon in it. As a rule, we have the so-called universal spoon, where you can eat soups and desserts, and a tea room, which is designed for both tea and coffee. Nevertheless, in many homes you can find a dessert spoon. Its length is approximately 17 cm - less than a tablespoon, but more than a teaspoon. It is this intermediate size that gives it an advantage, for example, when porridge is served at the table. Agree, eating porridge with a teaspoon is too long, and scooping up a tablespoon is too much!

Tea spoon

A teaspoon is another must-have dinnerware set. And no wonder, because it is used not only during tea drinking, but also for breakfast, desserts, coffee, or just to pour sugar. But initially this spoon was invented in order to stir cream or sugar in a cup and remove tea leaves.

coffee spoon

The purpose of a coffee spoon is obvious, and it differs from a teaspoon only in a smaller size. Indeed, it is quite difficult to fit a teaspoon in a small cup for strong espresso! By the way, you do not need to have coffee spoons in a standard dinner set, any other small spoons will do. But if you and your guests love this Reviver, then buying a set of coffee spoons will not hurt.

tea spoon ice

You will be surprised, but this spoon is the longest on the table, from 17 to 25 cm. And it acquired such a length due to the height of the glass into which iced tea is poured. The head of this spoon is smaller than a teaspoon, but with the help of a long handle you can easily reach the bottom of the glass and stir the sugar. By the way, it is very convenient to eat desserts from tall glasses with such a spoon.

Forks

Table fork

The dinner fork is the largest fork 19-20 cm length. In the Victorian era, each type of main course had its own fork. But these days we only use one for the main hot dishes: roast, poultry or game with a side dish. Also, this fork can be present at breakfast.

The table fork is the most important of the forks and should be in the set of cutlery for every housewife.

salad fork

Salad forks have been popular for over a hundred years. And this is not surprising, because salads have become an obligatory part of the menu.

The salad fork is smaller than the dining fork, about 15 cm long. The location of this fork in the serving depends on when the salads are served. The salad fork lies to the left of the dining room, which means that salads will be served before the main course, as is customary in American etiquette. Europeans serve salad at the end of the meal, so the salad fork is placed closer to the plate. Decide for yourself which option is more convenient for you!

By the way, a salad fork can be used as a breakfast fork or as a dessert fork.

fish fork

This fork is quite easy to recognize: its outer tines are thicker than the inner ones, and there is a special notch or recess between the central tines. The shape of the fork has been adapted to make it easier to cut soft fish meat and remove bones. fish fork approx. 17-18 cm in length. If you don't have a fish fork, feel free to use the canteen.

seafood fork

small fork unusual shape in the form of a trident - this is a fork for seafood. It is very easy to remember, children's associations with the t tooth of the ruler of the seas and oceans immediately come to mind. This fork is approx. 12-14 cm long and has three teeth curved towards the center.

Trident fork - though versatile, but Not the only cutlery for seafood. For example, for oysters and mussels, a three-pronged fork is also used, but With more powerful left prong (for easy separation of the mollusk from oyster place). A for crabs, crayfish and shrimp, an elongated fork with two teeth (usually in set with tongs).

If you decide to serve Seafood Cocktail, but your dinner set does not have such forks, then just replace them with salad ones.

dessert fork

Forks for baking, pie, cake, pastries are all varieties of dessert forks. Yes, yes, we remember that in the Victorian era, literally every dish had its own cutlery, but these days there is no such need. A standard dessert fork is about 15 m long and has short tines. She is very comfortable eating cake. Even if you are used to eating pastries with a teaspoon, be sure to try it with a fork, you will feel the difference! And yes, the dessert fork can easily be replaced with a salad fork.

Knives

Table-knife

This knife is an indispensable item in the dining set, not a single meal can do without it. The length of the table knife is about 23 cm, and its place is always to the right of the plate. Most convenient way is the use of a utility knife. It is a little shorter - about 22 cm, but it alone can easily replace table and salad knives.

fish knife

By and large, this knife bears little resemblance to a knife in general: it has a rounded shape and it does not have a blade. This knife does not need to cut the fish, because the fillet is soft enough, and it can be cut with a fork. IN this case the knife acts as a spatula and separates fish fillet away from the bones, thereby helping the fork to reach the bones. A fish knife is an optional item, so you can safely use a table knife for fish dishes.

steak knife

We are accustomed to the fact that table knives have blunt rounded blades. But there is one sharp table knife - for a steak. Such a knife began to be actively used after the Second World War. A rare manufacturer has sharp knives in its assortment, so ordinary cutlery can be used instead. But in this case, try to exclude steaks from the menu.

salad knife

During the Victorian era, salad knives were often used, but then they had a special difference from other cutlery - their blade was silver. And the whole point is that lemon juice and vinegar, used for dressing salads, spoiled and corroded all metals, with the exception of silver. But after 1911, when the invention was patented in the USA of stainless steel, special knife for salad began to appear on the tables less and less, and a utility knife began to be used instead. Although it's not uncommon these days to see a salad knife, it's usually paired with a salad fork.

dessert knife

This knife is served with a dessert fork. Its length is approximately equal to the diameter of a dessert plate, and its shape is narrower and more pointed than a salad knife. A dessert knife is used when serving cheese, fruit and such desserts when one fork simply cannot do it.

butter knife

The smallest of all knives, about 16 cm, is the butter knife. If you like to serve bread and butter to the table, then be sure to have such knives in your arsenal, and personally for each guest. Moreover, there should be one more knife in the butter dish - to cut off the butter: it is with it that a piece of butter is cut off from a common piece and placed on bread, and the further process takes place with the help of a personal butter knife.

What cutlery is made of: an overview of materials

With an assortment of cutlery, we figured it out. But one, perhaps the most important question remains: what are they made of? Just as in the case of dishes, the cost of cutlery directly depends on what material they are made of. So, let's figure it out.

Silver

One of the most expensive cutlery sets will be a set of silver, this is obvious. But even here you will see a decent range of prices and will surely be surprised. Although, it would seem, silver and silver in Africa! But we must understand that one hundred percent silver in itself is too soft and therefore impractical to use. For this reason, impurities are always added to pure silver in order to achieve the necessary hardness of the material.

Silver of the highest standard - 925 - is a mixture of pure silver with copper in a ratio of 92.5 to 7.5. As a rule, cutlery made of such an alloy has a hallmark and a crown symbol. Their price is appropriate: for example, for a set of cutlery for 6 persons made of 925 silver (produced by Kubachi, Russia) you will have to pay about 100,000 rubles, and the same set of the Arthur Price of England brand will cost about 700,000 rubles.

The usual silver alloy contains a lower content of pure silver, the most common sample is 875. Accordingly, the price of such a set will be lower.

Silverware belongs to family values ​​and is passed down from generation to generation. We often go to jewelry stores to buy silver cutlery, but it is better to buy this kind of things in specialized stores utensils. You have the right to ask the seller for a quality certificate to make sure that there are no heavy metals in the alloy. And remember, silverware can only have gold plating. If the silver is covered with varnish, enamel or blackening, then this is already a souvenir product, it is forbidden to use it for food.

Cutlery with gilding

If you think that there is nothing more expensive than the finest silverware, then you are mistaken. Gold-plated table sets come to the fore. They are made of silver or steel using special technologies, and gold plating is applied to the entire surface of objects or partially (for example, only on handles).

The cost of cutlery with gilding for many will be prohibitive. For example, a set for 6 persons of the Arthur Price of England brand (composition: 925 sterling silver and 24 carat gold plating) will cost more than 1,000,000 rubles, and a set of Empire Flame All Gold brand Clive Christian for 12 persons (composition: high-tech steel and coating with 24 carat gold) will come out in the amount of about 1,800,000 rubles.

If these prices scare you, but gold-plated cutlery is your dream, then you can find cheaper sets of the same brands, but with less gold plating. For example, the same brand Clive Christian offers Empire Flame gilded cutlery for 12 people - 125 items (matte polished steel and 24 carat gold decoration) at a price of 450,000 rubles. Another worthy option is the Alt-Chippendale collection from the Robbe & Berking brand (silver plating 60 microns, gilding thickness 24 carats, made in Germany), a set for 12 persons (69 items) will cost 530,000 rubles.

Melchior and nickel silver

Another group of cutlery belonging to the luxury class is cupronickel and nickel silver.

Melchior is an alloy of nickel, copper and manganese. Nickel silver is slightly softer than cupronickel, since zinc is present in its composition, and alloy devices receive the MNC marking (copper / nickel / zinc). Nowadays, you can hardly find cupronickel cutlery, unless these are things that you inherited from your grandmother. But nickel silver appears on store windows, but not in pure form: products with MNC embossing are coated with silver, gold or blackened. The Royal Buckingham brand offers a set of Empire cutlery (composition: nickel silver with 20 micron silvering and mirror polishing) for 6 persons (42 items) for 110,000 rubles.

Stainless steel

The most popular, affordable and easy-to-clean cutlery is made from well-known stainless steel. The main component of the alloy, which protects against rust and corrosion, is chromium. Accordingly, the higher the percentage of chromium in the alloy, the better (12-17%). In addition, chrome steel cutlery does not absorb odors.

It happens that in addition to chromium, nickel is also added to the alloy. (8,5-10%). The nickel content in the composition enhances the anti-corrosion properties and makes it resistant even to very concentrated acids. The color of chromium-nickel steel is also slightly different from regular stainless steel: a warm creamy shade against a bluish one.

Hint: if you see the 18/10 marking when buying stainless steel cutlery, then you need to understand that the composition contains 18% chromium and 10% nickel.

The stores offer a huge range of stainless steel cutlery - any size, modification and design, choose according to your taste. As an example, here are some popular brands: Eternum (Belgium), Apollo (England), Rondell (Germany), Herdmar (Portugal), Pintinox (Italy), Mayer&Boch (China).

A set of silverware of the highest standard for serving a meal costs a lot of money, therefore, as you now understand, silverware is more often just a phrase preserved from the depths of centuries, which today has nothing to do with the real composition of the alloy from which the cutlery set is made.

Nevertheless, silver can be found on the tables, but more often singly - for the distribution of certain dishes. But there is an alternative: you can easily find more affordable worthy sets not made of precious metals, but made of stainless steel, which are also resistant to corrosion and more practical to maintain.

A variety of styles, shapes and designs - you can find all this in stores and choose any set of cutlery to your liking!

You finally made time to visit good restaurant. For a long time they made up their image - beautiful dress and shoes, painstakingly performed makeup and styling. Beauty! Here you are already at the table, you have made an order and everything goes better than ever, if not for one but ... There are a LOT of different forks, spoons, knives and some other completely incomprehensible gizmos!

A slight panic sets in. Why so many?! What fork is for what? Why is it so difficult??? You can, of course, discard shyness and try everything out from the waiter. And you can prepare in advance and show off your good manners. This article will help you feel confident at possible banquets, receptions, restaurants and guests.

It is customary to classify cutlery into two groups: basic (individual) And auxiliary (collective). The appliances included in the main group (individual) are used directly for eating, and those belonging to the second group (collective) are used to lay out dishes. In our article, we will talk specifically about the appliances that are used at the table for eating, and not for cooking, so we will leave aside ladles, skimmers, and various stirring spoons.

The main devices are divided into subgroups according to their purpose: canteens, fish, snack bars, dessert, fruit(I think from the names it is clear what the group is for).

The usual base is only 24 devices. (knives, spoons, forks, and teaspoons - 6 each). It seems to be nothing complicated, however, in addition to the standard basic set, as I mentioned above, many specialized cutlery, the purpose of which is difficult to understand, relying only on their appearance.

Cutlery

See for yourself what kind of cutlery you can meet ( pictures enlarge when clicked):

1 - coffee spoon
2 - teaspoon
3 - dessert spoon
4 - table spoon
5 - large pastry tongs for laying out baked goods
6 - cooking spoon mixed drinks(cocktail spoon)
7 - tongs for asparagus
8 - ice tongs
9 - small pastry tongs for laying out sugar, assorted chocolate
10 - cigar pruner (suddenly you decide to pamper your spouse with a chic cigar)
11 - lemon fork
12 - serving fork (a small fork with two strong teeth, for example, for cold meat cut into slices)
13 - cocotte fork (for julienne)
14 and 15 - shovel-shaped blunt knife for fish second dishes and a fish fork with a recess for separating the bones
16 and 17 - dessert knife and fork
18 and 19 - dessert knife and fork
20 and 21 - knife and fork diner
22 and 23 - knife and fork diner
24 - pouring spoon
25 and 26 - table knife and fork for second courses (except fish)
27 - confectionery spatula for laying out pastries and cakes
28 - spatula pate
29 - oblong fish spatula for laying out cold and hot fish dishes
30 - spatula for caviar
31 - ice cream spoon in the form of a spatula with slightly curved edges

32 - a grapefruit knife with a serrated and pointed blade
33 - cheese knife
34 - lobster set
35 - pizza cutter
36 - set for cutting meat - large sharp knife and a two-pronged fork (for slicing roasts and poultry)
37 - squeezer - for squeezing a lemon
38 - tongs for lump sugar.
39 - ice cream scoop
40 - sugar spoon (small deep)
41 - spoon and fork for mixing and laying out salad (the fork has three wide cloves, and the spoon can be with a slot in the middle or with a clove)
42 - salad tongs
43 - spaghetti tongs
44 - spaghetti fork

In addition to the knife, fork and fish spatula shown in the first picture, you can get some special options for their execution:

45 - spatula for serving fish dishes, but already with slots
46 - options for a two-pronged fork for serving herring
47 - chill set for drinking hot fish snacks, unlike standard fish cutlery, here the knife does not look like a spatula, it is just straight, the fork has not four teeth, but three and they are wide
48 - fork for unfolding sardines and sprats, may be without the upper "jumper"

IN last time we got acquainted with how the fork firmly took its place at our table. Now we have to get acquainted with the diversity and diversity of this device. Listing all types of forks is a long and thankless task, since there are at least several dozen of them. We will talk about the most unusual of them.

fork for asparagus beans (Eng. Asparagus fork) - used to transfer several bean pods from common dish to your plate. It is made from a single piece of metal, which is bent in the form of the Latin letter U. Early versions were made from two separate handles connected like scissors. The ends are made in the form of blades or discs.

(Eng. Carving fork) - the main difference from a regular fork is the size: such a fork is much larger and longer, has two long and narrow cloves. Used to string and hold a piece of meat to be cut. Due to its size, the meat is easily held on the board and thus the cutting process is easy and without mess on the table. Usually sold in one set with a knife for cutting meat.

(eng. Cheese fork) - used if hard cheese served on the table in one piece. It is not difficult to guess that before serving on a dish, it has to be cut into slices.

- has five teeth and a wide base, serves to not disturb the integrity and aesthetic appearance of the fish while it moves towards your mouth.

(Eng. Pastry fork or fork) - designed to eat pastries with one hand, while the other holds a plate. Contains 3 or 4 teeth. The outer (inner) prong is wider and combines a knife and a clove. This cutlery was introduced to England during the Victorian era.

(eng. Calamete fork) - developed in Japan specifically for eating pasta. It features an additional, short clove to grip the noodles and a wavy rib at the opposite end of the fork to easily hold the pasta on the fork.

Sporf- a general term meaning a cutlery that combines a spoon, fork and knife. It was invented in the 40s by William MacArthur from Australia. At first, the device was called Spleyd (Splayd). The only company that sells these cutlery in the world is Cambur Industries Pty Ltd from Australia.

Spork- a cutlery that combines a spoon and a fork. A patent for this device was obtained in 1874 in the United States in the name of Samuel L. Francis. The very name of such a device was coined only 25 years later.

(eng. Pizza fork) is a fork and a pizza knife rolled into one. Invented quite recently, only in 2007, but has already managed to become the "Gadget of the Week" on the website Stupidiotic.com.

(eng. finger fork) - for pricking all sorts of sweets and pastries.

fork-opener for bottles (eng. Fork Bottle Opener) - one cutlery that combines the properties of several.

In this article, you will learn about what types of cutlery exist, their advantages and disadvantages, the pros and cons of the material from which they are composed. Also, we will talk about the care of cutlery, and how to properly lay out cutlery and much more.

There is a large variety of cutlery, which consist of different material, they can be: wooden, aluminum, stainless steel, plastic, cupronickel or silver.

Cutlery serves to handle dishes, food at the table. Often the usual, standard cutlery that you see in the picture: a spoon, a fork and a knife - they are used for first and second courses, as well as for the process of laying out dishes if there are no serving utensils.

In addition, there are specialized cutlery for different dishes- snacks, fish, dessert, fruit, etc.

Snack set consists of a fork and a knife- shown in the picture on the right. Compared to a regular, standard canteen, it has a smaller size and is included in serving hot snacks such as pancakes, meat snacks etc.

fish appliance shown in the figure on the left. Suitable for cutting fish dishes. the fish fork has four short prongs and a recess for separating fish bones, and a fish knife is a short, wide blade. Ordinary table forks are also often used for fish dishes.

Dessert types of cutlery

The dessert device includes a spoon, a fork and a knife of small sizes. Often dessert devices have an original, unusual design that emphasizes their elegance. A dessert fork is needed for sweet dishes, pies, charlottes, etc. Dessert spoon eat dishes with a loose consistency - mousses, puddings, fruits in syrup, etc.

For fresh fruit- pineapples, apples, pears, watermelons, melons - a fruit device is used, including a fork and a knife. Canned fruits can be eaten with one fork.

Also used for serving coffee and tea. special devices- coffee and tea spoons, and for ice cream - flat blades with curved edges.

Serving utensils (accessories) are sometimes referred to as cutlery, although this is not entirely correct - since they eat with cutlery, and serving utensils are used to put dishes on plates, cut and divide them into portions and perform other maintenance operations. Cutlery is also often called individual, and serving - auxiliary.

Spoons:

1 - Coffee
2 - Tea room
3 - Dessert
4 - Dining room
6 - Spoon for making mixed drinks

Forceps:

5 - Large pastry tongs
7 - Tongs for asparagus
8 - Ice tongs
9 - Small pastry tongs
10 - Cigar secateurs
11 and 12 - Lemon Fork
13 - Cocotte fork
14 and 15 - Spade-shaped blunt knife for fish second courses and a fish fork with a recess for removing bones

Cutlery (knife + fork):

16 and 17 - For dessert
18 and 19 - For dessert
20 and 21 - For snacks
22 and 23 - For snacks
25 and 26 - For second courses (except fish)
24 - pouring spoon

Shoulder blades:

27 - Confectionery
28 - Pate
29 - Fish
30 - For caviar
31 - For ice cream

When serving seat it is customary to follow a certain order. First, tableware (porcelain) is placed, then cutlery is laid out, and only then can restaurant glass be arranged. Cutlery is also laid out in a certain order, see the picture above.

The order of unfolding cutlery

1. butter knife
2. Pirozhkovy plate - for bread and butter
3. First course spoon
4. Fork for seafood, cold appetizers
5. Knife for seafood, snacks
6. Fork for meat and salads (main course)
7. Table-knife
8. Decorative plate
9. Soup plate
10. Dessert spoon
11. dessert fork
12. water glass
13. Champagne glass
14. Red wine glass
15. White wine glass

Rice. Full dinner service

Placement of crockery and cutlery for breakfast

Cutlery for traditional breakfast with coffee or tea various varieties bread, butter, confiture and honey (but no eggs)

Cutlery for " coffee mug” or tea parties with pastries. You can add a paring knife if needed.

Cutlery materials

Wooden cutlery

Wooden spoons can be used for trips to nature, but not for daily use. The tree absorbs moisture, it is short-lived, and eating with such spoons is inconvenient.

Aluminum cutlery

Aluminum cutlery was common before. Now there are disputes about the dangers of aluminum, but in any case, aluminum cutlery quickly loses its shape, color, and is also fragile.

Stainless steel cutlery

Stainless steel cutlery is one of the most popular. They are made from medical stainless steel, which practically does not enter into chemical reaction with alkalis, salts, acids. The most commonly used stainless steel is "18/10", which contains 18% chromium (gives strength and stainless properties) and 10% nickel (gives shine and protects against aggressive food acids).

Cupronickel cutlery

Melchior is an alloy of copper, nickel and manganese. Cupronickel cutlery ceased to be produced in the 50s of the last century. Nickel silver cutlery is now being produced (it is softer, it also contains zinc). Nickel silver cutlery is plated with silver, gold or blackened. On reverse side such devices are marked MNTs.

Silver cutlery

Silver cutlery is very expensive and is the pride of the owners. The devices themselves are quite heavy, so it cannot be said that they are convenient for daily use.

How to choose cutlery?

Most often, dinnerware sets consist of 24 items: 6 soup and small spoons, forks and knives. But there are sets for 12 people. Such sets may also include a sauce spoon, dessert, salad forks, a ladle, a cake spatula, a sugar spoon, sugar tongs, a fork for fish and meat.

When buying cutlery, you must definitely pay attention to the shine - it can be white or grayish. Make sure that there are no burrs on the edge of the appliances. Fork teeth must not be excessively sharp, dull or chipped.

A high-quality spoon or fork should not be deformed by the fact that you press harder on the bend - it should be thickened. There should not be any smell from the devices.

The standard thickness of cutlery is 1.5-4 mm, and the depth of spoons is 7-10 mm.

Knife blades can be non-hardened (they are cheaper, but over time spots appear on the blade, they wear out and age) and hardened (such a blade is elastic).

Ask the seller for a hygienic conclusion and a certificate of conformity. The certificate must indicate: the manufacturer, the address of the manufacturer, the name of the cutlery brand. The same data should be on the instrument box.

Cutlery care

Stainless steel cutlery should be washed immediately after use to prevent food residues from drying on them. You can wash them with dishwashing detergent with a sponge or cloth. Stainless steel cutlery can also be washed in the dishwasher. If dark or iridescent spots appear on the devices, they can be easily removed with a solution citric acid or vinegar.

If you have cutlery with plastic handles, then you will need to constantly clean the dirt from the places where metal and plastic come into contact. Such devices can also be washed in the dishwasher, but do not use high-temperature conditions.

Caring for cutlery made of silver, cupronickel or nickel silver is a little more difficult. After each use and washing, such devices must be rinsed in a solution baking soda(50 g of soda per 1 liter of water). They can only be cleaned with special pastes and napkins. Can be cleaned with ammonia: for this you need to take 10% ammonia, pour into a container and put cutlery there for 15 minutes. Then rinse them in running water and wipe dry.