Cutlery in the home kitchen

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Cutlery

Cutlery Cutlery knowledge for home chefs

Cutlery is an essential part of any kitchen, and any good cook worth their salt will have a range of this kitchenware on hand for the multitude of foods commonly eaten in their family home. From simple table knives through to specialised meat paring utensils, cutlery is no less important now than it was hundreds of years ago.

The primary types of cutlery

Thanks to the wide variety of foods available worldwide, forms of cutlery have considerably evolved in recent centuries and now there are dozens of different products that can be defined as cutlery. However, the primary examples of cutlery are forks, knives and spoons, which have been used for eating purposes for decades.

Forks can be utilised for any form of solid food and their design is based on a handle (usually made from metal) that has three or four narrow prongs situated at its peak. These prongs are used to penetrate solid foods and enable individuals to hold transport tasty morsels from plate to mouth without risking the spread of germs, which can occur when foods are held with bare hands.

Knives are arguably the most versatile of cutlery variety in the modern kitchen, but must also be used with the most care. Not all knives are dangerous of course - there is little danger posed by a common table knife or even a serrated bread knife. By contrast, however, modern specialist knives, such as those used by sushi chefs, are often exceptionally sharp.

On the other hand, spoons offer very little danger to users, as they are designed as a small, shallow bowl that is held by a handle. A metallic spoon is ordinarily used for eating foods such as cereal, whereas a wooden spoon is commonly used to mix ingredients during baking or cooking. Among table cutlery, spoon shapes often determine purpose. For example, a soup spoon will often be deeper and more circular, while a teaspoon will be small, with a head that resembles an egg-shaped oval.

Available cutlery

The different uses of cutlery vary considerably from type to type, but home cooks can rest assured that using cutlery does not have to be an arduous or extraordinarily difficult task. Instead, it can be straightforward and rewarding, especially for those that are still learning to cook.

Headcook and Bottlewasher are prepared to assist people with their home cooking by offering a range of cookware that can be used as you learn to improve the taste of your meals, and the speed in which they are created.

One piece of cookware that is essential for cooks, irrespective of their cooking standard, is a chef's knife and Headcook and Bottlewasher are selling a 15 inch Kuhn Rikon knife that is ideal for any budding home cook. The knife is available in a selection of different colours including red and purple, with each knife being priced at £9.50.

Headcook and Bottlewasher also has a collection of spoons available that can cater for several different food recipes. For instance, a set of Amco professional performance measuring spoons can be purchased for the price of £11.99 and the set contains spoons in six different sizes, ranging from a 1/2 tablespoon to 1/8th, all of which are composed of stainless steel.

In addition to its range of knives and spoons, Headcook and Bottlewasher is selling an array of forks that could help to ensure personal hygiene, which is particularly important when families and friends are eating together. One of the many fork sets that are available is the Kitchen Craft Seafood Set that includes a set of two crackers, which can be used when preparing meals that incorporate crab, lobster or shellfish. Additionally, the set includes six forks designed specifically for preparing seafood.

Formal cutlery manners

Cutlery and manners have shared a mutual connection over the years and in formal scenarios it is particularly vital that cutlery is arranged in a formation that abides by pre-existing standards. Home cooks interested in maintaining this etiquette should ensure that forks are always placed on the left side of the plate with knives and spoons on the right. Meanwhile, Steak knives should be placed nearest to the plate and it is recommended that butter knives are placed on the bread plate.

Finally, to indicate that a meal has been finished, cutlery should be placed in the centre of the plate and crossed.