Have you ever wondered how all of those wonderful, and beautifully designed, Victorian silver utensils were used? The Victorians were full of adventure and with their rapidly expanding wealth they loved to display their sophistication with ever more elaborate dining rituals. Silver manufacturers were more than happy to meet the desires of their clients, offering a wide variety of utensils often designed for very specific foods.
The Asparagus Fork/Server was very popular. Asparagus, eaten since Roman times, has a very short growing season, so what better way to celebrate the occasion.
As butter was often kept in tubs or crocks, there had to be a better way to serve it. The Butter Pick was twisted into the slab of butter creating beautiful and delicate curls which were then served over ice.
The Comb Cake Server is actually a very practical tool. Used to cut egg-white based cakes such as Angel Food and delicate pastries. The tines are inserted where the cut is desired and rocked back and forth to gently break the cake apart. Modern versions are still available.
The Lemon Fork was used with seafood courses or when tea was served. The splayed tines were designed to spear the lemon rind.
Vegetables and lettuce were now more readily available to the health-conscious Victorians. Not to be confused with the lemon fork, the Lettuce Fork was larger and used to spear those difficult lettuce leaves! This version was made by Tiffany & Co. in 1873.
The Ice Cream Slicer was used to slice and serve slabs of ice cream. The Ice cream scoop was not invented until 1897.
Speaking of ice cream, here is a beautiful set of Ice Cream Forks; really the first "spork." The jagged edges made it easier to dig into the frozen treat.
The Piccalilli Spoon was used to serve Piccalilli, of course! Piccalilli is a pickled vegetable-based relish. The English version almost always contained cauliflower, while the American version tended to include tomatoes. Piccalilli is still available in some shops, and is worth a try--assuming, and only if, you have a Piccalilli spoon.
This beautiful utensil is a Toast Fork, used to spear a slice of toast.
While not a utensil, I did want to show this unusual Toast Rack. Created by Christopher Dresser in 1881, this design would have been very modern at the time--it still is.
A gorgeous clam shell Berry Spoon from Tiffany & Co.
The shape of the spoon may give this one away; it is an Oyster Server.
No proper gentleman would be caught dead without his ever-handy silver Pocket Fruit Knife. You never know when you may need to slice an apple.
The swirled tines on this Potato Fork made it easy to spear a potato without fear of it falling.
This stunning Cheese Scoop was used to scoop out pieces of hard cheese.
A Saratoga Chip Server. Legend has it that an unhappy Saratoga Springs diner returned his soggy french fries to the restaurant's kitchen. The insulted chef decided to have his revenge by slicing the potatoes very thin and frying them till completely dry. The potato chip was born! Saratoga Chips soon became all the rage.
This elegant tool is a Joint Fork, used to hold meat in place while slicing.
This unusual piece is a Food Pusher (I kid you not). The tool was a concession to toddlers learning to use a spoon and fork; the pusher allowed them to push the food onto their eating utensil.
The advent of canned fish was a boon to folks living a great distance from the ocean. The Sardine Fork allowed one to elegantly pick-up those slippery sardines.
What the Sardine Fork did for the canned sardine, the Bacon Fork did for the bacon.
The Tomato Server was used to serve sliced tomatoes. The pierced spoon allowed any excess liquid to escape.
Perhaps one of my favorites, the Bon Bon Scoop allowed one to pick up the delicious treats without getting chocolate all over one's hands. In the 1880's there was a Bon Bon craze in America. This example is particularly elaborate. This also reminds me: life is short, buy more Bon Bons!
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