What does a dessert spoon look like and how is it different from other utensils

Today, we use such items as spoons, forks, and glasses in our daily lives without thinking. And it is already difficult to imagine that our ancestors somehow managed without them. And the history of the creation of many cutlery is simply incredible.

A bit of history

Externally, the spoon resembles a spatula with a handle, which is convenient for scooping up liquid or thick food. Some etymologists claim that the name of this device comes from the root "log", which means a ravine or depression. Others believe that the word "spoon" is consonant with the verb "to lick". Be that as it may, the name of this cutlery was used in Kievan Rus as early as the 10th century.

If we compare the "age" of a spoon and a fork, the former is undoubtedly older. Some semblance of modern spoons was already used in the 3rd century AD. Such devices were made of clay, bone, stone, nut shell or wood. By and large, anything that looked like a ladle and allowed one to scoop up food was used as a spoon.

There were even transformable cutlery. Thus, the fork and the accompanying ladle with grooves on the back have survived to this day. If you insert the fork tines into the grooves, you get a spoon.

Interesting fact: in the times of Peter I, it was customary to visit with your own cutlery. Everyone had a spoon with them. This is probably why another know-how appeared – a folding spoon.

Precious metals were used to make kitchen utensils, including spoons, already in the Middle Ages. The earliest mention of gold and silver spoons dates back to the 13th century. Such cutlery was reserved for aristocrats. And those who were poorer were content with spoons made of tin or copper.

The 18th century brought its own adjustments to the concept of values. At that time, a new metal was discovered, which is now known as aluminum. Like everything that just appeared, aluminum was very expensive. It is a well-known fact: during ceremonial receptions in Napoleon's palace, the most high-ranking guests were served aluminum cutlery. Well, and less important persons for the emperor were content with forks and spoons made of silver or gold. Could Napoleon have known that over time, aluminum cutlery would become the lot of public catering?

It is worth noting that the spoon received its familiar shape - the ellipse - only in the 18th century. And if earlier this device was the only one of its kind, then the interest in the Chinese tea drinking culture served as an impetus for the creation of a teaspoon, and then an even smaller coffee spoon. And since something sweet was often served with tea or coffee, it was necessary to think about creating a special device for dessert.

During the Baroque era, the spoon “survived” another significant innovation – its handle became larger. Probably, few people realize that initially the handle of this cutlery was very, very small. The spoon was held not with two fingers, as today, but practically with a fist. And since the onset of the Baroque era introduced its own “fashion” for luxurious jabots, ruffles and long wide sleeves, aristocrats risked hopelessly ruining their expensive clothes while eating.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the German scientist and physician E. Geithner opened a factory in Saxony to produce cutlery made from a nickel-zinc alloy. This material looked very much like silver and was relatively cheap, so the demand for such cutlery increased at a tremendous rate. Today, this material is commonly called cupronickel, and it is still popular due to its aesthetic appearance and ease of use.

And the 20th century, and then the 21st century, brought its own "rationalization" proposals regarding the materials from which kitchen utensils are made. First, stainless steel appeared, and then they began to make plastic, so-called disposable, tableware.

Types of dessert spoons

It turns out that dividing cutlery into table, dessert and tea is not the limit. And although everyone knows what a dessert spoon looks like, it is worth considering that there is a spoon for almost every type of dessert.

• Grapefruit spoon. It has a more elongated, pointed shape and small serrations along the edges.
• For avocado. A close relative of the previous one, only without cloves and with a smooth oval shape.
• Dessert spoon for kiwi. The ladle of the device has a round shape.
• For ice cream. The spoon has a spatula shape and slightly curved edges, not as deep as a regular one.
• For cold drinks. For example, an iced cappuccino spoon has an elongated handle (since the mug it is served in is tall).
• For liquid honey. Yes, this very device in the form of a barrel with transverse notches is also considered a dessert spoon, only a narrowly specialized one.
• For sugar. The shape is more like a child's scoop for playing in a sandbox than a spoon in the generally accepted sense.

Size and volume

It turns out that a spoon is widely used not only to eat various delicacies, but also to cook these delicacies correctly. In other words, even today, despite the abundance of kitchen gadgets for measuring weight and volume, the spoon still remains unrivaled.

In terms of size, a dessert spoon occupies the "golden mean" between a tablespoon and a teaspoon. In other words, it is twice as big as a teaspoon and one and a half times smaller than a tablespoon.

In terms of volume, a dessert spoon holds on average 10 ml, a teaspoon holds 5 ml, and a tablespoon holds 15 ml.

If you don’t want to use a glass, you can measure out its capacity (200 ml) using spoons: 40 teaspoons, 20 dessert spoons or 16 tablespoons.

Of course, there is a difference in how to measure liquid or dry products, and the density of each individual product also matters. Therefore, if we are talking about specific ingredients, to answer the question of how many grams are in a dessert spoon, it is better to find additional information about weight and density.

How to choose

Probably, most of us do not think much about the criteria for choosing such an elementary device as a dessert spoon, and in vain. There are small tricks that will not only allow you to use this cutlery for a long time, but also do it with pleasure and safely.

1. It is better to choose a cutlery manufacturer with a proven reputation.
2. Do not neglect the appearance of cutlery, believe me, it is no less important than technical characteristics.
3. Metal appliances should not have a characteristic metallic smell, otherwise it will be transferred to the food.
4. There should be some thickening in the places where the spoons (or forks) bend. There should be no stains or streaks on the metal surfaces.
5. If spoons from a famous brand have a painting or distinctive pattern, this indicates high quality.
6. The optimal size of a dessert spoon: thickness 1 – 1.5 mm, ladle depth – up to 10 mm.

Legends and Traditions

Despite its apparent simplicity, the spoon became the progenitor of many traditions, legends and signs.

For example, at Cambridge University, the student who got the lowest grade in mathematics was given a spoon the size of a man. This tradition existed until 1910. This strange phenomenon, at first glance, has its origins in an old English tradition of giving a spoon as a consolation prize to the participant with the worst result in any competition.

Another tradition connected with passing exams took place in Kazan in the 19th century. There it was customary to put all the teaspoons in the house under the bookcase the night before the exam. According to students, such an action guaranteed successful passing of the session.

The famous artist Salvador Dali generally preferred to use a spoon as an alarm clock. When he felt sleepy at lunchtime, he would sit down in a chair and hold a spoon in his hands. When he fell asleep, he would drop the spoon from his hands and it would fall to the floor with a clink, and the artist would wake up.

The well-known expression "to play the fool" is not at all figurative. After all, "the fool" was the name for the blanks for spoons. Breaking a whole log into blanks is not a difficult job, so later the expression began to characterize an idle pastime.

Only at first glance does a dessert spoon seem to be something ordinary and uninteresting. In fact, it is an object with a rich history. And perhaps the next time you enjoy ice cream or a piece of your favorite cake, you will remember some facts related to its origin.

VIDEO: DIY dessert spoon decor.