A dessert spoon is a spoon designed specifically for eating dessert. Similar in size to a soup spoon (intermediate between a teaspoon and a tablespoon) but with an oval rather than round bowl, it typically has a capacity around twice that of a teaspoon.
- Serving spoon
- Tablespoon (tbsp.)
- Dessert spoon (dsp.)
- Teaspoon (tsp.)
By extension, the term "dessert spoon" is used as a cooking measure of volume, usually of 10 mL, 1⁄3 US fl oz, or 1⁄4 imp fl oz.
Dining
editThe use of dessert spoons around the world varies massively; in some areas they are very common, while in other places the use of the dessert spoon is almost unheard of—with diners using forks or teaspoons for their desserts as a default.[1]
In most traditional table settings, the dessert spoon is placed above the plate or bowl, separated from the rest of the cutlery, or it may simply be brought in with the dessert.[2]
Culinary measure
editAs a unit of culinary measure, in the United States, a level dessertspoon (dsp., dspn. or dstspn.) equals 2 US teaspoons, which is 1⁄3 of a US customary fluid ounce.
In the United Kingdom, a British dessert spoon is traditionally 2 British imperial fluid drachms,[3] or 1⁄4 of a British imperial fluid ounce. 1 British dessert spoon is the equivalence of 1⁄2 British tablespoon and 2 British teaspoons.
A metric dessert spoon is 10 mL.
Apothecary measure
editAs a unit of Apothecary measure, the dessert-spoon was an unofficial but widely used unit of fluid measure equal to two fluid drams, or 1⁄4 fluid ounce.[4] However, even when approximated, its use was discouraged: "Inasmuch as spoons vary greatly in capacity, and from their form are unfit for use in the dosage of medicine, it is desirable... to be measured with a suitable medicine measure."[5]
In the United States and pre-1824 England, the fluid ounce was 1⁄128 of a Queen Anne wine gallon (which was defined as exactly 231 cubic inches) thus making the dessert-spoon approximately 7.39 ml. The post-1824 (British) imperial Apothecaries' dessert-spoon was also 1⁄4 fluid ounce, but the ounce in question was 1⁄160 of an imperial gallon, approximately 277.4 cubic inches, yielding a dessert-spoon of approximately 7.10 ml.[6]
In both the British and American variants of the Apothecaries' system, two tea-spoons make a dessert-spoon, while two dessert-spoons make a table-spoon. In pharmaceutical Latin, the Apothecaries' dessert-spoon is known as cochleare medium, abbreviated as cochl. med. or less frequently coch. med., as opposed to the tea-spoon (cochleare minus or minimum) and table-spoon (cochleare magis or magnum).[7]
See also
editSources
edit- ^ Martin, Judith (March 13, 2005). "On the Offensive". The Washington Post.
- ^ "The Secret of the Formal Place Setting". Diner's Digest. CyberPalate LLC. 1997. Archived from the original on 1998-01-25.
- ^ Page 665, Enquire Within upon Everything (1894)
- ^ Sir Robert Christison (1842). A dispensatory, or commentary on the pharmacopoeias of Great Britain: comprising the natural history, description, chemistry, pharmacy, actions, uses, and doses of the articles of the materia medica. Black. p. 38. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
dessert spoon.
- ^ The Parmacopeia of the United States of America, Ninth Decennial Revision. 1916. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
- ^ Robert Borneman Ludy (1907). Answers to questions prescribed by pharmaceutical state boards. J.J. McVey. p. 125. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
- ^ Robert Gray Mayne (1881). A medical vocabulary; or, An explanation of all names, synonymes, terms, and phrases used in medicine. p. 91. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
dessert spoon cochl.
External links
edit
- Silver place settings, from Butler's Guild
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