A Cold Meat Fork, A Pea Spoon and a Bacon Fork

I love giving programs to groups. I do programs on Afternoon Teas, programs on Growing Herbs and programs on Cooking with Herbs. But I also do one that in some respects is my favorite -- Victorian Silver Serving Pieces.

The Victorians loved their silver and the silver manufacturers loved the Excessive Victorians. The Silver Manufacturers would come up with a serving piece for each type of food and the Victorians bought!

Of course, many of these manufacturers used the flatware patterns for the serving pieces and if you're patient and have a pattern originally made during this time, it is possible to acquire all kinds of neat pieces to match you set.

I'm not a purist -- I do have family silver but I love to collect those odd bits and bobs of silver used for specific purposes. And if they're monogramed so much the better -- I feel more of a connection with the person who owned it originally!

For my classes, I type an identification tag and tie it with a ribbon to the serving piece. That way I can pass the pieces around the room and everyone knows exactly what they are!

I did a program in December for the Nevada chapter of the DAR. Some of the pieces I chose to take, among other things:

Confection Spoon

Butter Pick

Asparagus Fork

Pie Server

Bacon Fork

Pea Spoon

Baked Potato Fork

Toast Fork

It's a fun collection and although requiring polishing, it does take up very little space in the sideboard drawer.

And I use it -- although, perhaps not for the intended purpose for whenever I have company and have a buffet (whether it is the meal or just a dessert buffet for a meeting), I always use some of my Victorian silver. And it's surprising that a pea spoon can really be used for other vegetables and a bacon fork is great for little cakes!

I'm sure a proper Victorian would be aghast at that usage but it suits me and I love using these pieces whether or not I cause a proper Victorian to turn over in their grave!