If I’m not sure how to flavor a batch of something, I’ll try a small sample of an idea right in a spoon, scooping up whatever I’ve made and sprinkling on flavor experiments, then tasting to see if the idea makes sense or needs tweaking. That way, I won’t mess up a whole batch AND I can sample all sorts of iterations, as I did with the winter squash puree, above.

The key is having a spoon that will hold just enough for tasting and feels good when working. For me, that generally means a long handle with the right weight and bowl size (though it can change according to what I’m cooking). My all-time favorite: the silver, two-bowl spoon artist Holton Rower made for me many years ago.

Sally Schneider
Sally Schneider

Over the years I’ve collected —and given — quite a few tasting spoons. They make great, unexpected gifts. Here’s a roundup:

A bargain find, as the set of six long-handled tasting spoons in various woods for $50 can be broken up, one or two spoons making a single gift. At The Line and Liba Style.

libastyle.com
libastyle.com

Cool second-hand and vintage spoons can be found at Etsy and Ebay. I love this 15″ vintage spoon found on Etsy for $16. The shape is beautiful; it might be worth redoing the plating.

Etsy.com
Etsy.com

This 13″ double-bowl bamboo spoon is a bargain for $8.50 at Amazon.

island-13%22-bamboo-double-bowl-tasting-spoon

 

…Twelve-and-a-half-inch hangable black walnut spoon from Park Woodshop would be beautiful on a wall; $48 Food 52.

Rocky Luten and James Ransom
Rocky Luten and James Ransom

Hand carved, in reclaimed mahogany and maple, the Wooden Palate’s long stem spoons are 17 inches long with a 2-inch bowl for $120.

thewoodenplate.com
thewoodenplate.com

And then, of course, there’s making a spoon yourself. You’ll find the gist, and/or classes you can take, here.

Chantelle Delichte
Chantelle Delichte

 

If you’ve found illumination, joy, or inspiration in this post, please consider supporting Improvised Life. It only takes a minute to make a secure donation that helps pay our many costs. A little goes a long way towards helping Improvised Life continue to live ad-free in the world.

Support Improvised Life ♥

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *