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Original poster

What do you use to eat soup?

188 replies

Stilton1 · 27/12/2021 22:52

Just wondering...

I've grown up with a full(-ish) set of cutlery - table knives, table forks, dessert spoons, soup spoons, dessert knives, dessert forks, teaspoons. And I use them all, because they've always been there.

Many sets of cutlery only contain table knives, table forks, dessert spoons and teaspoons, so I'm assuming this is now the norm and I'm just a bit behind the times. I think that perhaps round soup spoons are a British thing and not used in other European countries?

May I please ask, which items of cutlery do you have in your home? Of those, which do you use? And, finally, what do you use to eat soup when you have company?

OP posts:
User754390 · 28/12/2021 05:31

Mine are Maxim from M&S, which are probably a mid range cutlery set, bought in one of the homeware sales they have.

user1497787065 · 28/12/2021 05:41

Definitely I would use soup spoons but also DH and I commented recently how fish knives and forks seem to have lost favour in restaurants. I would always expect a fish knife when eating finish particularly if whole.

NumberTheory · 28/12/2021 05:54

I grew in a pretty poor household (qualified for fsm most of my schooling). but we still had a set of cutlery with round soup spoons. My DH had a very middle class upbringing and they had round soup spoons too. My DH's grandparents had passed down, solid silver cutlery and their soup spoons were the deeper tablespoon type. We got cutlery for our wedding nearly 30 years ago and there were table knives and forks and dessert knives and forks and teaspoons and coffee spoons and dessert spoons, but no soup spoons. His parents don't have soup spoons anymore either (my mum is still using the cutlery from when we grew up, but I don't think I've seen the soup spoons in decades). I quite like it when I go to a restaurant that has them though.

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General food
CoverYourselfInChocolateGlory · 28/12/2021 05:59

We have soup spoons!

EerieSilence · 28/12/2021 06:07

Europeans are used to chunkier soups, not the blended liquid that looks like something a sick cat just threw up (looking at you, chicken and vegetable soup), so proper soup spoons are a must. At least I have never seen a household without them.

Missey85 · 28/12/2021 06:10

Always used dessert spoons or drank it from a mug only used proper soup spoons at a restaurant

Ifailed · 28/12/2021 06:15

depends on whether it's a bouillon or a soup.

sansucre · 28/12/2021 06:38

I have two sets of cutlery, one where all the pieces were bought individually, and the other, a full canteen inherited from my parents. Both sets have 'proper' round soup spoons which I use - eating soup with a dessert spoon doesn't feel right and always feel a bit weirded out when I'm given a dessert spoon for soup.

As an aside, I also use fish knives albeit for eating fish, obviously, not soup!

thismeansnothing · 28/12/2021 06:46

A big spoon....which as it's from a set I'm guessing is a dessert one. Also use bread and butter to dip in

FindingMeno · 28/12/2021 06:49

My cutlery is mix and match charity shop stuff.
You eat with what you find will do the job!

fallfallfall · 28/12/2021 06:56

Cream soup spoons, clear soup spoons. Lots of fun spoons and shapes. Parfait spoons are the prettiest.

friedeggandsauce · 28/12/2021 07:13

I've now seen the word spoon so many times it looks wrong!!

longwayoff · 28/12/2021 07:16

I haven't seen a soup spoon in years. Unnecessary Victorian clutter, like fish knives.

FinallyHere · 28/12/2021 07:19

Spoon sizes (large to small)

Serving
Soup
Dessert
Tea
Coffee
Espresso
Latte (extra long handle)

It gives me pleasure to select the right size for the job regardless of the name, so soup from a large flat soup bowl will need a soup larger than soup from a small bowl.

Unlike my parents, we have only one set of cutlery, with a very pleasing feel with just the right heaviness. I love using them everyday.

For complete disclosure, DH is somewhat oblivious

Fifthtimelucky · 28/12/2021 07:24

Just thought I'd add to the conversation to ask who else has coffee spoons (which are like teaspoons but smaller)? I have some in the canteen of silver (plated) cutlery I bought about 30 years ago but I don't think I've used that (or them) in at least 20 years.

I have never had one myself, but I remember from my childhood that my grandparents had a salt spoon, which was the same sort of shape as a soup spoon but much much smaller.

Fifthtimelucky · 28/12/2021 07:25

Oh, just pipped to the post on coffee spoons. I only have one type, not three!

User754390 · 28/12/2021 07:35

We have got a couple of coffee spoons, they are very handy for those small pots of jam, i did get a small spoon in my Bonne Maman advent calendar this time though, I would have thought they were a bit small for coffee, maybe I'm missing the point.

EMotion · 28/12/2021 07:40

In Australia, with both English and Eastern European heritage.
Cutlery drawer is a mix of passed-down items and bought.
Soup spoons
Dessert spoons and forks
Table knives and forks
Bread and butter knives
Teaspoons
Parfait spoons
Steak knives
Splades
Cake forks
Most I have only 2 of, as ExH took a full setting for 10, leaving DC and myself with 1 of each type per person. The ones from parents are in lots of 6. Lots of teaspoons (but I still seem to run short)!

EMotion · 28/12/2021 07:43

@User754390

We have got a couple of coffee spoons, they are very handy for those small pots of jam, i did get a small spoon in my Bonne Maman advent calendar this time though, I would have thought they were a bit small for coffee, maybe I'm missing the point.
Perhaps the small coffee spoons are for the “traditional” tiny coffee cups that used to be used? My grandparents had a beautiful set, and the cups only held about 70ml up to the brim! My coffee mugs seem ginormous in comparison….
GiltEdges · 28/12/2021 07:46

I'll generally eat soup with a dessert spoon as I don't like the shape of soup spoons, though we do have them. That said, I find dessert spoons too big to eat an actual dessert of any description, so would generally use a teaspoon Blush Clearly I'm not normal!

GiltEdges · 28/12/2021 07:48

Ooh we also have coffee spoons, but DS just likes to use them for eating his little yoghurts Grin

Angelbaby1985 · 28/12/2021 07:58

I have autism and been worried about something for days I know know why I don't have soup spoons mad have a post can chill you out my partner thanks you xxxx

forcedfun · 28/12/2021 08:08

We have soup spoons, but probably only because my grandmother bought us a big canteen of very lovely cutlery for our wedding. Till then I had happily spent my twenties using dessert spoons.

I don't think we need all the handwringing about abusive relationships etc. I have escaped from one and have supported others through it. We need random chats about trivia as much as the next person.

Fifthtimelucky · 28/12/2021 08:10

@EMotion yes. I have some of those tiny coffee cups. I used them yesterday as I had friends round for lunch and they only wanted a small cup. Teaspoons do look very big when used with them

itsutterlyshit · 28/12/2021 08:18

@GiltEdges I'm the same and use teaspoons for most things.
I just find soup spoons really uncomfortable to eat with.
I go one step further and have a "favourite" set of cutlery at my parents and will swap it out if I'm given the "wrong" kind.

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