Flatware of service

Serving cutlery

When it comes to eating and cooking, there's one thing you can't do without: cutlery. Forks, knives, spoons... We can also find specific cutlery for serving, like the ladle, for example, which accompanies us on a daily basis. So it's important to choose the right cutlery.

Serving cutlery in detail

Cutlery began to multiply in the 19th century. Until then, the basics were used: knife, fork and spoon. With the development of gourmet restaurants, cutlery was designed for every type of dish.

Tuna scoops, forks and even olive spoons appeared. These items were finely crafted, and goldsmiths vied with each other to offer rich customers veritable little works of art.

The opulence of certain social classes has brought haute cuisine into the home, and with it, service. Game is served with a dedicated service only (knife sharpener, long three-pronged fork, steel-bladed knife, spring-loaded tulip tongs...). And this is the case with all dishes.

Specific cutlery is also available for serving asparagus, salad, eggs, cheese and condiments (salt or mustard scoops). Sweet delicacies are also catered for, with candy ladles, candied fruit forks and marrons glacés tongs.

Serving utensils therefore correspond to these various specific "tools". They can be sold individually or in sets (salad servers, for example).

Optimum choice

To complete your cutlery collection, you first need to think about your uses. Do you eat a lot of cakes? A tart scoop can be very useful for high-end service. If you want to serve salt in an original way, you'll need a tiny spoon for this purpose.

Style is also very important for this special cutlery. Choose items that go perfectly with your everyday (or more festive) cutlery. For a vintage look, opt for very elaborate models. For a more contemporary look, opt for a refined style. For a festive table, you can opt for finely engraved models (diamond-engraved, for example). Weight can also be important. If your cake scoop is too heavy, it won't be pleasant to use.

Today, most cutlery is made of steel. There are several types, all of them stainless (inox). 18/10 steel contains 10% nickel, which gives it more shine than its 18/0 counterpart. The 18 corresponds to the percentage of chromium content. This metal has an impact on strength. For elegant, high-quality cutlery, you can choose models in 18/10 steel, which are more sparkling.

Choose quality cutlery that will last a long time. You can turn to well-known, recognized brands. It's also a great way to buy pieces that go well together, even if you buy them at intervals. New collections come onto the market regularly, but older ones are still the order of the day. So you can complete your cutlery without worrying about finding the wrong piece. To avoid this, you may also prefer to buy a complete set comprising the basics plus some of the most popular serving pieces. These sets also make superb gifts.