The culinary arts program at Lincoln Land Community College has been located in the state-of-the-art Workforce Careers Center for some 12 years now. Purchasing for the opening of the culinary labs was a major undertaking, and I often compare it to preparing a wedding gift registry. Of course, it was on a much larger scale. Rather than getting registered at Macy’s or Target, we attended the National Restaurant Show in Chicago and had the opportunity to select from the major restaurant supply companies from across the world. Prior to attending the show, we did extensive research. Today I am sharing what to look for when purchasing flatware.
Historians tell us that the first tools humans used for eating were ones that we still carry with us today: our hands. When cutlery did come about, there were knives and spoons that appeared long before forks. By 1,000 BC, iron knives had made an appearance and were being used as an instrument for eating. Spoons carved from wood, shells or bone (the word spoon actually comes from the Anglo-Saxon meaning for ‘a chip of wood’) entered onto the scene. The form of a fork was used ceremonially and in cooking since ancient Egypt, but they didn’t become a fixture at dining tables across Europe until 1533 when Catherine De Medici, wife of Henry II, brought them back to France from a trip to Italy. Design flaws such as two prongs instead of the now standard three or four made these new-fangled utensils an inconvenience to use. It was in Germany in the early 1700s that forks took a leap forward in design by adding the extra tines that we are familiar with today. By the 1800s, almost every Western home had the full set of forks, knives and spoons gracing the dinner table,
Flatware is often called “silverware.” Like many others, we still have the big fancy wooden box with lined drawers that was passed down with real silverware. Carol occasionally for special family events will bring the box out and polish all the pieces. The invention of stainless steel in the early 1900s, which is resistant to rust and corrosion, fortunately eliminated the need to polish.
Stainless steel flatware has the shine of silverware at a fraction of the price. While stainless steel makes bright, shiny cutlery more affordable, it is also far easier to care for than silver. Now flatware can just be thrown in the dishwasher, dried off, and put away, over and over again.
Good stainless steel will show a grade on the packaging or product page that looks like a fraction: usually 18/10, 18/8 and 18/0. 18/10 means the flatware is 18 percent chromium and 10 percent nickel, and so on. Typically, higher quality stainless steel with an 18/10 grade will be shinier because of the higher quantity of nickel. The bright shine of 18/10 stainless steel is usually called a “mirror finish.” Lower nickel amounts typically mean a satin finish, sometimes called a “butler finish” because it has the look of hand-polished silver.
Today, most flatware you’ll find is stamped, meaning it’s been stamped from a larger piece of steel. Forged flatware, which is forged by hand, tends to be more expensive. Traditionally, forged flatware has been seen as the longer-lasting option, but technology in stamped flatware has continued to improve. The main difference between a high-quality forged flatware set and a high-quality stamped set is weight: Forged flatware is heavier. Whether that’s a positive or a negative may come down to taste, but odds are you are used to using stamped silverware for your everyday use.
There are a few simple rules for taking care of stainless steel, and most are intuitive. Most stainless-steel flatware can be handwashed or placed in a dishwasher. Avoid steel wool or steel brushes since those can nick the surface and cause corrosion or even rusting. If food dries on your silverware and can’t be gently scrubbed away, let it soak for a bit, or try the more abrasive side of a soft sponge. If you have a color-plated flatware set, like matte black or gold, you’ll want to be extra careful about abrasive cleaners or sponges, as they could strip the finish. If your stainless steel starts to lose its luster, and to reduce mineral spotting, try drying it as soon as it’s out of the sink or dishwasher.
Generally speaking, you want to have double the amount of flatware settings as there are people in your household for everyday use. For example, a two-person household should have a five-piece setting for four. That way you always have a set to use while another set is in the dishwasher.
In researching this topic, I found many references to proper etiquette and use of flatware. I close with the following quote; “Never argue at the dinner table, for the one who is the non-arguer gets first choice.”
About
Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Baking/Pastry, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.
Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.