According to archeological findings, the first spoons came on the scene around 1000 years BC. Sea shells became spoons and there were others made from cow horns, bone and wood.

More than just eating utensils, in the 1200’s they used ceremonial spoons to anoint newly crowned kings. Newborn or christening spoons crafted from silver became a symbolic gift of good fortune. This could be where the term to be “born with a silver spoon in their mouth” came from.

Along with being around longer than forks, here are some other reasons you might put spoons ahead of the curve.

Spoons are Versatile

Did you hear about the spoon? It caused quite a stir!

Nothing beats teaspoons or coffee spoons for stirring tea or coffee. And what do we use to stir the fruit from the bottom of our yogurt? A spoon, of course.

In many countries, like Thailand, this special utensil gets top billing, held in the dominant hand to eat, while the fork gets a supporting role by pushing pieces onto the spoon.

We use them to introduce food to our babies and lovingly nurse someone back to health. In fact, it’s the first utensil we use and often the last.

Spoons Measure Up

Remember trying to re-create one of your grandmother’s recipes? She might tell you to add a dash of this and a spoonful of that, but never a forkful of sugar.

Nowadays, you may get your recipes from books or online, but you’ll still use teaspoons and tablespoons for measuring sugar, spices and other dry ingredients. And let’s not forget the best part…licking the spoon!

Serving it up in Style

There are serving spoons for everything from stews to salads. Slotted spoons let you drain away the liquid before serving yourself vegetables or meat. Ladles are a dream at serving hot piping soup on dreary winter days.

One Scoop or two?

Icecream scoops or spoons are perfect for stacking delicious rounds of gelato into a golden waffle cone.

For those who love fancy ice cream and mousse desserts like they serve in restaurants, a large spoon with a pointed end is perfect for scooping out the football-shaped mounds known as quenelles.

White ceramic rice scoops and paddles are perfect for scooping rice into bowls. The ceramic lets the rice slide off without sticking.

Spoons are Special

Did you know there are approximately 50 variations of spoons? We use spoons for many special purposes and for eating a variety of foods.

Starting with breakfast, there are specialty spoons for every meal. For the boiled egg aficionado, egg spoons have all the right curves to fit inside the egg without breaking the shell.

Grapefruit spoons have a pointed tip and a serrated side for scooping out the juicy flesh of grapefruits, oranges or kiwi fruit.

Saucier spoons, sometimes called plating spoons come in different styles and sizes. Used for drizzling sauces, dressings and chocolate, they have a rounded bowl that ends in a pointed spout. Grip lines on the handle help the chef keep a steady hand.

If you’ve ever tried to grab just one olive from the olive jar you know they can be hard to hold. Then, once you’ve got one out of the jar, there’s the brine droplets to contend with. Olive spoons make great bar accessories and handy accessories for a cheese and pickle platter. Along with scooping up plump, juicy olives, they are perfect for plucking pickled onions, capers or cherries.

Infuse a little character into your entertainment platters with the Jason Design Nascent Steel Olive Spoon 4 Pcs. Set. A hand forged design, it mixes raw nascent steel handles with mirror-polished perforated bowls.

Last but not least, coffee/dessert spoon sets and sugar spoon sets make thoughtful handcrafted gifts for any occasion. Fill the bowls with chocolate and dress them up with candy cane chips and mini marshmallow snowmen. They are lovely for dipping in hot chocolate or for sprucing up your favorite coffee or latte.

The Celia Design Copper Antique Sugar Spoon 4 Pcs. Set features multi-faceted handles with flattened ends. 

Spoons come in many interesting shapes and sizes. Chances are you have a special spoon tucked away in the kitchen drawer. Or maybe it’s time to buy a new set of coffee spoon? It’s a great way to express yourself and spruce up your table setting.