Cutlery question . I don't know all the Emily Post stuff

[Reverend Conehead]

OMG, I am such a country boy that I don't even know why there are two different sizes of forks. When I moved back to Omaha in 2016, I didn't have any cutlery, that is no knives, forks, or spoons. I was on a budget after spending so much on the move, so I just picked up a bunch of basic stuff at a thrift store, and then I bought a couple pieces at Walmart. So my set of cutlery is a hodgepodge of different kinds, and I've never really worried about that. It gets the job done.
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Anyway, fast forward to today. I've been set a nice golden-colored, stainless-steel set of cutlery for free under the condition that I review it. This set is much, much nicer than my regular stuff. My regular forks, knives, and spoons are flimsy compared to this. Now I know why there are two different sizes of spoons. One if the tablespoon and the other is the teaspoon. However, why are there two different sizes of forks? Is the smaller one some kind of snack fork and the full-size one is for regular meals?

Here's a picture.

 

[Tabascocat]

Salad fork

 

[Reverend Conehead]

Salad fork

Cool, thanks.

 

[Reality]

While I am no expert, I do know that long ago in more "proper" settings it was considered proper etiquette to eat your salad (or appetizer) with a different utensil than the one you used with your main course.

This was to keep the flavors, juices, etc. from mixing with each other.

My guess is the fork sizes were probably the same size originally, but later altered to provide guidance to people on which placed fork (inside vs outside fork) was to be used for the salad (or appetizer) and which was to the be used for the main course.

 

[CouchCoach]

Larger spoon is the soup spoon and the smaller fork, the salad fork. Some even have a smaller fork, the appetizer or Hors d'oeuvres fork and yes, I looked up the spelling.

I use my salad forks a lot because I do less damage to my mouth than with the regular forks, which seem a little large to me. My salad forks are in better shape too because every time I stab myself in the lip with a regular fork, I drop it down the running disposal as punishment.

It doesn't make a lot of sense, I make a lot of salads, and large ones, and actually need to bigger fork to spear everything that I want on the fork at the same time in search of the "perfect bite".

 

[Creeper]

My attitude is, if it works, use it. I can shovel food into my mouth with any size spoon or fork. In some cases I appreciate the genius of chop sticks, just not for rice!

I think this etiquette thing is dying anyway. Not just at the dinner table but everywhere.

 

[CouchCoach]

My attitude is, if it works, use it. I can shovel food into my mouth with any size spoon or fork. In some cases I appreciate the genius of chop sticks, just not for rice!

I think this etiquette thing is dying anyway. Not just at the dinner table but everywhere.

Just look at all of the cooking shows with chefs talking with their mouth full of food, or smacking, eating with their fingers, these people have terrible table manners.

I have watched too many young men hustle to beat some old lady in the door instead of holding it open for her.

It is all part and parcel of the same sad fact, respect for other people is at an all-time low.

If we want the younger generation showing better manners, we need to make sure the characters in the video games are displaying that.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I was on a budget after spending so much on the move, so I just picked up a bunch of basic stuff at a thrift store

Should have stopped right there.

 

[Creeper]

Just look at all of the cooking shows with chefs talking with their mouth full of food, or smacking, eating with their fingers, these people have terrible table manners.

I have watched too many young men hustle to beat some old lady in the door instead of holding it open for her.

It is all part and parcel of the same sad fact, respect for other people is at an all-time low.

If we want the younger generation showing better manners, we need to make sure the characters in the video games are displaying that.

Drives me crazy. Respect and consideration for others is fading fast. Someone once posted a thread here about the little inconsideration acts that drive us crazy. We all see it but I guess we are the minority.

 

[Runwildboys]

So wait, which one's the dessert fork?

 

[Tabascocat]

So wait, which one's the dessert fork?

It is the same as a salad fork. The salad one goes to the left side of the place setting while the dessert fork is at the top of the plate. This is where the seafood fork would be as well

 

[Reverend Conehead]

Should have stopped right there.

Naw, it's totally worth throwing that fish back. I'm getting this really nice set of gold-colored cutlery in exchange for my writing a review about it. I'm also reviewing a really nice silver-colored set. So I have a bunch of high-end stuff now for the price of writing two reviews.
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When I moved back to Omaha in 2016, I bought all that thrift store cutlery because I barely had any money left after the move. I probably paid a total of about three dollars for an entire hodgepodge set. It wasn't fancy, but it got the job done. Now I've been able to upgrade to way better quality stuff. I'll re-donate the thrift store stuff so that another person who needs a bunch of cutlery on the cheap can get it. I'm doing a nice upgrade for the price of writing two reviews, and someone else short on cash will be able to buy my old stuff on the cheap, just like I did some seven years ago. It's win/win.

 

[VaqueroTD]

My attitude is, if it works, use it. I can shovel food into my mouth with any size spoon or fork. In some cases I appreciate the genius of chop sticks, just not for rice!

I think this etiquette thing is dying anyway. Not just at the dinner table but everywhere.

Chopsticks crack me up. A bunch of pretentious people who think they can act like they are in another culture, but have no idea. When I was in Japan, no one used chopsticks to eat their sushi, it was recommended to me by the locals that I use my fingers. Yet I go into any fufu sushi bar and there’s many people trying to eat it with chopsticks.

Etiquette is definitely dying though. I think in a lot of families these days, you would be lucky to get everyone just at the dinner table, much less the rules of the dinner table.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

Chopsticks crack me up. A bunch of pretentious people who think they can act like they are in another culture, but have no idea. When I was in Japan, no one used chopsticks to eat their sushi, it was recommended to me by the locals that I use my fingers. Yet I go into any fufu sushi bar and there’s many people trying to eat it with chopsticks.

Etiquette is definitely dying though. I think in a lot of families these days, you would be lucky to get everyone just at the dinner table, much less the rules of the dinner table.

I noticed when I lived in Hawaii that a fair number of people used chop sticks. As you might expect, they were usually Asian people, but a fair number of others learned how to use them as well. They're not hard to use once you get used to them. A kid in my class showed me how.

 

[Creeper]

Chopsticks crack me up. A bunch of pretentious people who think they can act like they are in another culture, but have no idea. When I was in Japan, no one used chopsticks to eat their sushi, it was recommended to me by the locals that I use my fingers. Yet I go into any fufu sushi bar and there’s many people trying to eat it with chopsticks.

Etiquette is definitely dying though. I think in a lot of families these days, you would be lucky to get everyone just at the dinner table, much less the rules of the dinner table.

I find eating salad with chopsticks is sometimes easier than using a fork.

 

[Roadtrip635]

Chopsticks crack me up. A bunch of pretentious people who think they can act like they are in another culture, but have no idea. When I was in Japan, no one used chopsticks to eat their sushi, it was recommended to me by the locals that I use my fingers. Yet I go into any fufu sushi bar and there’s many people trying to eat it with chopsticks.

Etiquette is definitely dying though. I think in a lot of families these days, you would be lucky to get everyone just at the dinner table, much less the rules of the dinner table.

I'll use chopsticks when I eat sushi, but don't use them at home. I do use the Japanese style spoon, the kind you get for soups or ramen at home tho. Something about the style and shape I prefer to regular spoons, I use them for soups, stews, cereal so much better. I bought a few from an Oriental market down the street.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

I'll use chopsticks when I eat sushi, but don't use them at home. I do use the Japanese style spoon, the kind you get for soups or ramen at home tho. Something about the style and shape I prefer to regular spoons, I use them for soups, stews, cereal so much better. I bought a few from an Oriental market down the street.

I love these Asian-style soup spoons, and I have a bunch of them. If soup is hot, it can make a metal spoon too hot. A spoon like this works way better.

 

[jsb357]

Should have stopped right there.

nope

good, heavy, substantial flatware is awesome.

one of the issues I have with restaurants is that they are charging me $18-25 for a meal
and giving me a crappy dollar tree fork, spoon and knife to eat it with.

 

[CouchCoach]

So wait, which one's the dessert fork?

The one with powdered sugar on it.

 

[CouchCoach]

I'll use chopsticks when I eat sushi, but don't use them at home. I do use the Japanese style spoon, the kind you get for soups or ramen at home tho. Something about the style and shape I prefer to regular spoons, I use them for soups, stews, cereal so much better. I bought a few from an Oriental market down the street.

Love these and great for slurping, which is considered complimentary to the chef in some cultures.