I have an implement from a nice set of silver plate.
It is shaped like a spoon, but the “bowl” is flat, and incised in an intricate pattern. I assume the incising is to drain fluid from whatever you’re picking up with it.
It is not serving-spoon sized; it’s about six inches long.
What is it?
Bon bon nut server? Alternatively: Sterling Handle Petit Four Server? Asparagus Serving Fork? Sardine server? There are also a couple other possibilities on that page.
Some possibilities: ramekin fork, tomato spoon, olive spoon, nut server, or small rice server. Victorian England (and the American counterpart) reveled in the creation of a utensil suited to one particular item to serve or consume one particular type of food, and the list goes on and on.
If you can’t find it on tomndebb’s site, also try this list. I’m guessing bon bon spoon as well.
Thank you, tomndeb. That is exactly the kind of page I was looking for, but failed to find.
My implement doesn’t have a rim like the bob bon nut server. I believe it is in fact a tomato server. Ignorance fought!
Now, to go to Wiki and look up “bon bon nut.”
I was going to say it was an absinthe spoon, but then reread your OP and see that it came in a set. In any case, you can still use it for an absinthe spoon although lighting it on fire is probably not the best thing for silverplate.
Holy spoons, Batman!
Of course. It’s important to have a back up in case your Individual Asparagus Tongs are in the shop.
I am, however, having a hard time picturing a point in the universe where corn on the cob and sterling silver Corn Butterers intersect.
NM
Absinthe spoon? Why would you need a spoon? A larger samovar type strainer is used to chill the absinthe over ice.
It is difficult for me to imagine the spoon described. If it has holes in the spoon base, it could be for straining tea for one cup.
I suppose the preparation or serving of absinthe could involve a spoon, but I forgot very quickly what all was involved. My granddaughter still laughs at me because I could not recognize a salt shaker on the table.
Darryl Lict: Ooh! Excellent idea! That may not be what it was before — but it could be what it is now.
Crawlspace: Ha ha! Me too!
Zoe: You put a lump of sugar on the spoon, then pour the absinthe over the sugar, to better infuse it. Absinthe is made from a specific variety of wormwood – very, very bitter.
If you go to the page tomndeb linked to, and scroll down until you see “tomato spoon,” that is it almost exactly.
One more thing: Am I to understand that this “bon bon nut server” is for serving individual bonbons out of … I dunno, whatever an extremely formal dinner party hostess would be serving them out of?
Is there an implement to tie your cherry stem in a knot?
Next to my chipped beef fork.
Off to Wiki to find out what chipped beef is.
Miss Manners (Judith Martin) said that the Victorians had so many different silver eating implements that a formally set table looked as if either an elaborate dinner or a hysterectomy might take place there.
Heh. From your link:
And here I thought cracker spoons were . . .
Tongue.
Was it forbidden in Victoria to touch food with anything but a utensil? Except maybe popcorn…?
Well, I know that it was considered very bad taste to refer to any part of the body that might be considered titillating – even if that body part was on an animal you were about to eat. Which is why we (mostly, used to) say, “light meat” and “dark meat” when talking about chicken instead of “breast” and “thigh.”
Also why they invented piano shawls, no shit. Those sexy piano legs! Ha hahahaa!
Elaborate place settings were designed to weed out pretenders to gentility. There is no other reason, except maybe to separate the elite from their cash via excessive purchase of flatware.
It’s like the Victorian era Ronco:
“Tired of being served asparagus like a commoner? With the Sterling Silver Individual Asparagus Tong, you will receive your asparagus* properly*.”
When I was in the navy, our nickname for it was creamed foreskins.