Whether to buy dessert forks!

[Abcd3]

Do you use dessert forks? I’m not talking about pastry forks, which might be used on their own, but dessert forks, which my grandparents used to use in combination with a spoon to eat dessert. I’m not sure whether to bother buying any; I don’t use them myself, but wonder whether some guests might prefer to use them. (My grandparents are no longer alive; if they were I would definitely buy the forks for their visits.)

We have had them since just after the time when my dd's French friend very politely asked for a dessert fork to eat her chocolte gateau at dd's 6th birthday party. She asked so sweetly for something we had never heard of.

For me the argument against using a pastry for (left or right or ambi) for cheesecake is that I approach in near vertical manner with the times of my dessert fork having equal pressure to cut the base. If you are a sideways eater then that pastry fork makes sense. If I used that I fear something would long off somewhere. Interestingly in the USA lots are taught to eat dessert (some desserts) vertical approach and consider sideways ‘childlike’. I am in uk but think there may be a trace of USA childhood in my usage. Not that my parents would have been training us !

Ping not long.

I don't own them but would like to be served with them

If we are talking etiquette, isn't it pudding ?

The most important rule of cutlery is how thin and long they are. My favourite forks were from a party where a mate lent me some and never took them back. She never will either.

I have them, as part of our wedding silverware. We use them for all formal dinner parties.

I also have 2 sets of cake/pastry forks after two separate friends heard me lusting after some

@HeyMicky Do you use the dessert forks with spoons?

@Abcd3 Yes, with matching spoons. It's a nice option to have

That’s interesting - that’s how we used to use them at my grandparents’ house.

They come in your canteen so why would you buy more unless you’d lost them down the waste disposal unit? How would you eat apple pie without a pudding fork?
Pastry forks are completely different.

I really like dessert forks but so echo the right hand bias.

@CherryPavlova The set of cutlery that I’m planning on buying (because it’s the nicest one I’ve found!) unfortunately doesn’t come with them. The big question is whether apple pie can comfortably be eaten without them! :) My grandparents certainly ate it with them. I must say that I have successfully eaten pie using only a spoon!

Abcd3 You can eat apple pie with just a spoon at an informal family supper but not with guests, surely. How would you manage something like Mille-feuille? It could be terribly embarrassing for guests to end up with pastry all over their clothes.

@MrsHardbroom That’s a good question! :) I call the course of the meal pudding, but say dessert spoon etc. Do you say pudding spoon?

I love using dessert forks and pastry forks and fish forks and knives too!! Anyone remember those baby forks and pushers that you used to be able to get? Cutlery seems to have for pared down and boring!

Ignore the price because V & B do lots of special offers at outlets and department stores but I have a large set which includes everything but desert forks, instead the set comes with " pastry forks".

I agree a correct place setting should include proper dessert forks to use with pudding, there are some foods you can't chase around the plate. Dessert forks are not essential at lunchtime and are often used instead of spoons for a casual meal.
It is strange that some brands do not include them. I would like a new set of Robert Welch cutlery.

The dessert forks are called side forks now.

In my dream house I would definitely have desert forks, plus tiny teaspoons for coffee, a proper cake stand with a glass lid and a huge cabinet with every type of glass you can imagine.

Dessert forks are awesome. My dinner knives and forks are very long and too big for the children so they use the dessert knives and forks for dinner. Mine are silver too I love my cutlery which was made to order in Sheffield.

Despite being minimalist when it comes to gadgets in the kitchen, I do have dinner forks, salad forks, dessert forks and pastry forks. All are used sufficiently to justify their existence. What I covet is butter knives.

We always used cake forks as children, my DM said it slowed us down! And we could subsequently come across as knobby when given cake somewhere else and asking for a cake fork to eat it with

However, I now do the same and my children love a nice cake fork.

My wedding cutlery set includes dessert forks and I would always lay the table with both if serving any kind of dessert. Usually because at that level of catering I would offer more than one option.

Glad to have found other specialist cutlery fans!

No, they are definitely not called side forks now. They are pudding forks.

@DtPeabodysLoosePants do you wash your silver cutlery by hand or dishwasher? Jut looking to invest in a serious set of cutlery as mine of over 20 years is now past its best.

It goes in the dishwasher. I polish it every no and again with stuff from John Lewis. I got it from Sheffield Scene in Sheffield. It's a gorgeous set and we use it every day. I see cutlery with plastic handles and feel unsettled.