Silverware And Or Flatware

The perfect roast has been cooked, the wine is chilled to perfection, and the hors d'oeuvres are ready to be eaten. All you need now is to set the table, relax and wait for your guests to arrive. Do you go to your kitchen drawer to take out gleaming stylish flatware or are you faced with dull, old-fashioned, mismatched forks and knives that simply look dreadful on your dining room table?

Too often our hard work and effort in preparing food is over shadowed when we go to set the table. After all, pulling off that truly exceptional dinner party or family gathering takes more than simply cooking delicious meal. Overall elegance and attention to detail can turn even the most basic dinner into a chic, memorable evening!


When it comes to choosing the perfect flatware set, commonly called silverware, there is no shortage of styles, materials and costs. Selecting the right set depends on your needs and possible uses.

Typically, silverware comes in three main categories: traditional, ornate and contemporary. You’ll need to determine which of these categories your china and crystal are in before you start to buy. Your best bet is to stay within a particular style, (if you have ornate china then choose an ornate flatware set). Mixing styles can work in rare cases but usually end up looking impractical.

Most families have at least two sets, one for everyday use and one for formal occasions. Your best choice for everyday dining is stainless steel; it is very durable and retains its shine for many years.

However, nothing says elegance and formality quite like a sterling silver flatware set. Sterling silver is almost pure silver and must carry the word ‘sterling’ stamped on the back to guarantee authenticity. It must contain approximately 92.5% pure silver with 7.5% of an alloy for strength. It is, of course, more expensive than stainless steel flatware, but is well worth the price.

Today, silverware is typically sold in sets. A European set is composed of seven utensils: fork, knife, soup spoon, fruit or dessert fork, fruit knife, dessert spoon and coffee spoon. In contrast, five utensils compose the typical North American dining set: fork, knife, soupspoon, fruit/dessert fork and teaspoon.

Be creative and live beautiful!

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by: FOOD Total views: 11 Word Count: 397 Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 Time: 11:59 AM 0 comments