# How on earth is this serving spoon and spatula set a good idea? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 23, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-this-serving-spoon-and-spatula-set-a-good-idea/565176 "2010-12-23T13:36:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-this-serving-spoon-and-spatula-set-a-good-idea/565176/1 "2010-12-23T13:36:17Z")
I just got what appears to be a bizarrely gimmicked set of cooking utensils, and I need someone to explain how this is supposed to be a good idea. The person that got this bought them for everybody in our group, and since she’s a Home Shopping Network junkie, I’m assuming she was mesmerized by an infomercial assault that convinced her no good kitchen could survive without them. Without benefit of such propaganda, I’m baffled. They are a spatula and a serving spoon, the serving ends made of non-stick something, the handle covered in rubber, and the metal tang (I think) has an S-shape right below the handle, like this: HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIII HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I …IIIIIIIII …I …IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII with H being the handle and I the tang. (Pretend the periods aren’t there - for some reason the coding doesn’t respect my spaces at the beginning of each line. Now I think you’re supposed to hang this on the side of the pot instead of using a spoon rest. But how is this better? You can’t hang it spoon up – stuff will drip down onto the handle and then the burner. Your pot has to be a minimum of 8” deep to hang it spoon down into it, and that’s only good for soup or chili, where you’d normally use a wooden spoon to stir, not a bigass serving spoon, and a ladle to serve. The spatula of the same design is even more elusive. The deepest skillet I’ve seen is only about 3”, so how is this supposed to work?!? Are their any Home Shopping Network fans out there that can explain this absurdity to me? ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-this-serving-spoon-and-spatula-set-a-good-idea/565176/2 "2010-12-23T13:52:14Z")
HHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII HHHHHHHHHHHHHH…I …IIIIIII …I …IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII . That’s what I meant to do sorta.⭕D ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-this-serving-spoon-and-spatula-set-a-good-idea/565176/3 "2010-12-23T13:58:05Z")
Is it like [this](http://www.thisnext.com/item/B1E480AA/Lazy-Spoon)? 'Cause I would totally love that! ETA: but it couldn’t work on my pots and pans, 'cause they flare out at the top. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-this-serving-spoon-and-spatula-set-a-good-idea/565176/4 "2010-12-23T14:49:39Z")
No, that spoon makes a lot of [sense](http://www.sourcingmap.com/happy-face-curved-handle-stainless-steel-tableware-soup-tea-coffee-spoon-p-100746.html). It’s more like this, but the “S” is right below the handle, with 3.5" more of tang and a big 4.5" spoon area. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-this-serving-spoon-and-spatula-set-a-good-idea/565176/5 "2010-12-23T15:06:45Z")
Oh. Yeah, that’s weird. As you say, you can’t hang it outside the pot, or it will drip right onto the burner (the hardest part of a stove to clean) and if you hang it spoon inside, then the spoon’s going to get awfully hot, sitting in simmering stuff. And handle down results in the dripping on the handle issue. Seems like something invented by a person who doesn’t cook much. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-this-serving-spoon-and-spatula-set-a-good-idea/565176/6 "2010-12-23T15:22:14Z")
Maybe it’s mant as a serving spoon rather than a cooking spoon. If you put a big pot of stew or meatballs or spaghetti sauce on the table for everyone to serve themselves from, then it’s not getting continued heat from a burner below, but the s-bend prevents it from slipping below the surface of the food. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-this-serving-spoon-and-spatula-set-a-good-idea/565176/7 "2010-12-23T15:42:13Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > No, that spoon makes a lot of [sense](http://www.sourcingmap.com/happy-face-curved-handle-stainless-steel-tableware-soup-tea-coffee-spoon-p-100746.html). It’s more like this, but the “S” is right below the handle, with 3.5" more of tang and a big 4.5" spoon area. Hee! I love the description on that site: “Made of stainless steel material, this soup spoon is strong for using, also can be as a tea spoon or coffee spoon, good appearance makes it be a nice gift for your lover.” It’s strong for using! I’m going to get one for my lover. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-this-serving-spoon-and-spatula-set-a-good-idea/565176/8 "2010-12-23T16:27:37Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Hee! I love the description on that site: “Made of stainless steel material, this soup spoon is strong for using, also can be as a tea spoon or coffee spoon, good appearance makes it be a nice gift for your lover.” > > It’s strong for using! I’m going to get one for my lover. I have seen a japanese rice paddle that is like the happy spoon, it has a huge paddle instead of a mug sized bowl I actually have the wooden spoon, and i am thinking of getting a set of the happy spoons … ---
**Author:** ![Basandre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@Basandre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Basandre)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-this-serving-spoon-and-spatula-set-a-good-idea/565176/9 "2010-12-25T15:04:44Z")
[Offset spatula?](http://www.finecooking.com/articles/cool-tool-offset-spatulas.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-this-serving-spoon-and-spatula-set-a-good-idea/565176/10 "2010-12-26T20:51:46Z")
Relations sparing no expense’ll Send some useless old utensil… –Tom Lehrer, “A Christmas Carol” ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-this-serving-spoon-and-spatula-set-a-good-idea/565176/11 "2010-12-26T21:21:04Z")
Is [this](http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.H17980.desc.Set-of-5-Convenient-No-Mess-Cooking-Utensils-by-Lori-Greiner) it? ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-this-serving-spoon-and-spatula-set-a-good-idea/565176/12 "2011-01-04T12:05:44Z")
yeah, that’s pretty much it. Update nobody asked for: I did a buttload of cooking yesterday and used the spoon. Nothing I’d pay extra for. I prefer a spoon rest - who needs to leave their spoon sitting in the pot the whole time you’re cooking?!? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-this-serving-spoon-and-spatula-set-a-good-idea/565176/13 "2011-01-04T13:12:58Z")
“Spatula City, we sell spatulas…and that’s all!” -Al Yankovic ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-this-serving-spoon-and-spatula-set-a-good-idea/565176/14 "2011-01-04T16:15:59Z")
Heh, a thread about a “bent” spatula in which the utensil is _literally_ bent… but if you prefer for spatulas to sport a more figurative perversity, there’s [this classic SD thread from 2004](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=275284&highlight=spatula). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-this-serving-spoon-and-spatula-set-a-good-idea/565176/15 "2011-01-04T22:45:43Z")
I can’t answer about the spoon. But to the OP I can advise that the he can do ASCII art using the [CODE] … [/CODE] tags. Like this ```auto ( ) ( ) ) ) ( ( __..--...___ ( \ ) '' ``---..__.--._ ) ), . , -``,..__ /. _`=_ (( , . `--.._( (e)`a) ) ' ,' , ---._ `-..-' \_. ( , | ,' :: ,--._ , > (__ , |' |. `\. / | ___' > / ' |: |:. `: `.__._ `-. O `) | | |: - \::. .-' `-. `. / | /\ ::. '\:' `\_\/ | |:. `::...-' : \::\ `:' ________________________________________________ : \:;;.._,.8a. :: `8Pa88888888888aa. _ ::: _..a8888888888888888888a. 888aaa8888888888888888888888888888a. 888888888888888888888888888888888888888888a. ""Y8888888888888P""' `"88888888888888a. `88888888888888 `8888888888 `888888P' ``` ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-is-this-serving-spoon-and-spatula-set-a-good-idea/565176/16 "2011-01-05T15:07:26Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > yeah, that’s pretty much it. > Update nobody asked for: I did a buttload of cooking yesterday and used the spoon. Nothing I’d pay extra for. I prefer a spoon rest - who needs to leave their spoon sitting in the pot the whole time you’re cooking?!? If the handle doesn’t get hot with the spoon in a pot of simmering stuff, I’d like it, now that I see what they are. I tend to cook three dishes at once and I don’t have much counter space, so the best place for the spoon rest in on the stove between the burners. But with multiple pots/pans in use at once, I tend to knock the handles trying to reach for spoons on the spoon rest (with a 5 year old in the house at perfect head knocking height, we’re sticklers for “handles IN for safety!”) And if the oven’s on? Fuggedabout it! The heat from the back vent makes the resting spoons too hot to handle. So I tend to be an “edge rester” as it is, but as my spoons aren’t designed for that, they have a lot of melted spots about 4 inches from the working edge and need to be replaced too often for my taste. The poor landfills must be filling up with my discarded cooking utensils. Not to mention the mess that ensues when someone (usually me) knocks the precariously balanced spoon off the pot! So for people with my cooking habits, it’s a great idea. But I can see why it would be useless to some people, with bigger counters or fewer dishes on the stove at once. Therein lies the pitfall of buying kitchen stuff for other people. 🙂