Caviar spoons are traditionally made of inert materials, such as animal horn, gold, mother of pearl,[1] and wood.[2] They range in length from 7 to 13 cm (2.7 to 5 in), and have a small shallow bowl that may be either oval or paddle shaped and a flat handle.[3]
There is a custom that caviar should not be served with a metal spoon, because metal may impart an undesirable flavour.[4] Though caviar is stored and sold in metal tins, non-reactive interior linings are put in place to prevent any adverse effects.[5] Silver spoons are reactive, however, and thus may affect the flavor.[6]
A caviar knife is frequently sold together with the spoon. It is a 5 inches long flat knife with a bulbous tip, typically also made of a fancy material like mother-of-pearl.[7]
- ^ Wolke, Robert L. (2002). What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained (1st ed.). New York: W.W. Norton. p. 163. ISBN 0393011836.
- ^ "History of Cutlery: History of the Spoon". Eating Utensils. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
- ^ Ettlinger 1992a.
- ^ Tesauro, Jason and Phineas Mollod (2002). The Modern Gentleman (2nd ed.). [Berkeley, Calif.]: Ten Speed Press. p. 48. ISBN 9781607740063.
- ^ Chandra, Gowri. "5 Myths About Eating Caviar and How to Unlearn Them". foodandwine.com. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
- ^ Burnside, Margaret Word (Jan–Feb 2010). "Ask Margaret: Why can't caviar be served with metal spoons?". Tampa Bay Magazine. 25 (1). Retrieved 14 November 2012.
- ^ Ettlinger 1992b.