Types of Cultery
Before we get into the different types of cutlery, let’s first get a firm grasp on the different types of cutlery. Here are some of the most common types of cutlery.
Bread and butter knives - These are your standard everyday table knives. They’re great for serving bread and butter, but they’re not really suitable for much else.
Carving knives - Carving knives are long, sharp cutlery designed to cut through meat and poultry with ease.
Cleavers - Cleavers are heavy-duty kitchen knives designed to chop through bone. You use cleavers in combination with a cutting board.
Chinese spoons - Chinese spoons are long, shallow spoons designed to accompany your rice.
Chinese forks - Chinese forks are shorter and sturdier than standard table forks. They’re best used for stir-frying and serving rice.
Ice cream spoons - Ice cream spoons are short, thick utensils with a rounded head. They’re designed to scoop up soft desserts like ice cream.
Knives - Knives are a classic type of cutlery. You can use knives for just about anything in the kitchen. You can chop, fillet, peel, cut, and much more.
Ladle - A ladle is a long-handled spoon used for serving soups and stews.
Measuring spoons - Measuring spoons are used for measuring out exact portions of dry goods like salt and sugar.
Mixing bowls - Mixing bowls come in a variety of sizes and materials. They’re used for mixing up batters and doughs.
Oyster forks - Oyster forks have short, thick tines that are perfect for opening oysters.
Pastry brushes - Pastry brushes are used for applying glazes and toppings to baked goods like biscuits and buns.
Soup spoons - Soup spoons are short, rounded spoons that you can use to consume soups and stews.
Spatulas - Spatulas are handy tools used for scraping bowls, folding batters, and flipping food items. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Spoons - Spoons are a multi-purpose tool that you can use for just about anything in the kitchen. They’re perfect for stirring, serving, and tasting.
Whisks - Whisks are long, narrow cutlery used for mixing, blending, and whipping up batters and sauces.
Serving Utensils
Cutlery is obviously super important, but it’s also important to have proper serving utensils at the table. Usually, you should have a variety of different serving utensils for different types of dishes. For example, you should use a salad fork for salads, a dinner fork for your main course, and a dessert fork for after-dinner desserts. That said, you don’t have to go crazy with serving utensils. In most cases, you only need a salad fork, a dinner fork, a dessert fork, a teaspoon, and a dinner spoon. Forks - Forks are your everyday tableware. They’re designed for eating anything, ranging from salads to desserts. You can use forks for anything, but use a knife for bigger cuts of meat. Knives - Knives are your only tableware that are designed for meat. You should always use a proper table knife for anything else. Spoons - Spoons are used for soups and stews. You should also use a spoon for desserts if they’re not too heavy.
Cutting Utensils
Cutting utensils are designed to help you chop, slice, and cut your ingredients with ease. You’ll also need a good cutting board to go with your cutting utensils. Chef’s Knives - Chef’s knives are long, sharp blades designed for chopping through everything from vegetables to meat. Cleavers - Cleavers are heavy-duty kitchen knives designed for chopping through bones. Carving Knives - Carving knives are long, sharp blades designed for slicing through meat and poultry. Slicing Knives - Slicing knives are long, thin blades designed for slicing vegetables. Serrated Knives - Serrated knives are long, sharp blades designed for cutting through soft foods like bread. Waxed Knives - Waxed knives are long, sharp blades designed for cutting through hard foods like cheese.
Mixing Utensils
Mixing utensils are designed to stir up batters and sauces. You should always use a clean and dry utensil when mixing your batter.
Spoons - Spoons are your standard mixing utensil. They’re designed for mixing up small amounts of batter.
Whisks - Whisks are long, narrow cutlery that’s perfect for mixing up large amounts of batter and sauces.
Scoops - Scoops are long, shallow cutlery with a rounded head. They’re designed to scoop up dry ingredients like flour and sugar.
Blending and Storing Utensils
Blending utensils are designed for blending up smooth and creamy desserts, sauces, and drinks. You should always use a clean and dry blending utensil so your ingredients don’t get contaminated. Whisks - Whisks are long, narrow cutlery designed for mixing and blending up sauces and drinks. They also come in handy for whisking up batches of cookies and muffins. Blenders - Blenders are tall, upright cutlery designed for blending up smoothies, milkshakes, and desserts. Food Processors - Food processors are tall, upright cutlery designed for blending up smooth sauces and purees. Hand Mixers - Hand mixers are short, handheld cutlery designed for mixing up small batches of batter. They’re also great for blending up creams and mixtures.
