How to choose and use a dessert fork?

Based on the name of the table item, it is not hard to guess that the main purpose of a dessert fork is to help you eat a dessert. This device is not mandatory, such as a spoon, so the need for everyday use disappears automatically. At home, as a rule, they do not use it in principle, since there is an excellent alternative - hands. However, if you need to attend a festive event, where dessert will be present among all the dishes, so as not to stand out from others, you should definitely learn how to use this cutlery correctly.

A dessert fork, usually a silver one, is primarily necessary so that various embarrassing situations do not happen when eating fruits, when juice flows from them, crumbling dessert crumbs or cream, which often tends to fall off from a tasty cake. Naturally, the dessert spoon is more popular., but there are a number of products that you need to eat, namely the cutlery in question.

It's natural to feel a little anxiety or even a fear of getting lost in a restaurant if you haven't been there before, so it is wise to prepare in advance for a visit to such an establishment. During a long lunch, where there is not a single dish, and sometimes their number cannot be counted on the fingers of one hand, several types of forks are laid out on the table at once, intended for different purposes. Speaking about these cutlery, it is worth saying that there are only four types of them. But do not worry, they are different and you can easily distinguish them from each other after seeing them only once.

• Plain table fork. It is made in a standard form familiar to everyone, with a slight or medium deflection, while it has 4 large teeth. Its main purpose is the use of main dishes; it is customary to use it together with a knife.

• Fish fork. It is slightly smaller than its aforementioned predecessor, and the number of teeth can vary from 3 to 4. This cutlery can be used in pairs or together with a special fish knife. To a greater extent, it depends on the fish or the event itself. Individual meals are easiest to eat using two forks at the same time.

• Salad fork. This cutlery is somewhat reminiscent of a spoon with teeth. Such a fork is made in a curved shape, whereby it is convenient to eat salad.

• Dessert fork. It is intended for eating the dessert served on the table, in particular, dividing the product into small pieces. As a rule, the standard model is made with three teeth, but there are exceptions where there are two or four.

Some special occasions that require a cutlery division have unusual dessert forks. Outwardly, it looks like an ordinary one, but the right extreme tooth is made slightly longer than the others, and also sharpened. This is to cut the dessert into pieces, so by holding the saucer in hand, you can cut the cake or cake with a fork, thereby making eating easier. At the same time, it is not possible to use a knife in this situation, which again determines the shape of the device.

Another commonly used dessert fork has only two prongs, unlike its predecessors. It is worth noting that they are quite spicy. The main purpose of this cutlery is the use of various fruits or berries. How can you understand cakes or pastries are not eaten with this kind of dessert fork... The classic appliance can be served with any dessert - both flour products and fruit and berry products.

Table setting is a fairly important part of any cultural event. It is customary to place the dessert fork in such a way that it is behind the plate, while it should be directed towards the middle of the table. A spoon is placed immediately behind it, intended for the use of desserts. Remember, the fork handle should always point to the left. The knife can be put in two ways - in the space between the fork and the dish, or on the dessert plate so that it is on the left side of the main plate with food.

It is allowed to take a dessert fork in your right hand, but in most cases you have to resort to using a knife, because without it, it is simply impossible to eat neatly. For this reason, at the moment when you use two cutlery at the same time, you need to hold them, like ordinary cutlery, in other words, the knife is in the right hand, and the fork is in the left. One of the types of exceptions when the above rules can be violated is the use of soufflés, cocktails with particles of small fruits, cheese products for dessert. These airy dishes require the use of a fork alone.

Since various biscuits, shortbread cakes crumble very strongly, and you cannot bite them off, in this case you need to cut off small pieces with a knife, but eat directly with a dessert fork. Fruits, such as watermelons, pineapples, melons, are initially cut into large pieces and placed one at a time on a plate. They must be cut in the same way as flour products. If you were served a watermelon, keep in mind that first of all, you need to remove all the bones on the plate, and then eat. Too small berries are not eaten with a dessert appliance. Using cutlery in restaurants or at cultural events is not easy at first glance, but as you delve deeper into this topic, you will realize that it is not that difficult.

How to properly set the table, see the video below.