Etiquette of Forks Resting in Spoons

 

A silent dining signal for the diner next to you using your utensils– From the back cover of the new book, “Yesteryear... More What Have We Here?” - A lovely formal setting for a five course meal (or possibly six course meal, if canapés and champagne are being served prior to seating one's guests), using fine china, crystal and sterling flatware in the Francis I pattern, from the beautiful collection of Lorrie Denning. Flatware is set for only four of the courses. The flatware for dessert, or any course requiring extra flatware, can be brought to the table with the course itself. The glasses set are for water, champagne, a red wine, a white wine, a port wine to go with the dessert and sherry. Sherry is traditionally served with the soup course.

Another Q&A with @Etiquipedia on Instagram 🤔

Hello, I have a question... I understand that the fork resting on the spoon is for oysters. My question is whether there is a specific spoon for that purpose, and if the spoon is there only to serve as a support for the fork and is removed along with the plate once the oysters are finished, or if it is used for the next course.

Etiquipedia’s Reply – There is an interesting history to explain this placement of the oyster fork. It confuses many people. The fork rests there only because when place settings were very wide, due to so many utensils for multi course meals, the fork could be confused as being part of the diner's setting to the right.

Originally, in the U.S., after forks became common place in the early 1800s, up to four or more forks could be found to the left of a place setting. At some point, by the Gilded Age, it was determined by those who were leaders in society, that no more than three forks should be to the left of a place setting. The first fork was then moved to the right of the place setting if there were 3 more forks at the place setting. That means that the first fork could then properly be at the left (if it is one of only 3 forks), at the right, or at right but turned and resting in the soup spoon.

That is the soup spoon. It is not an extra spoon. Its purpose is not to hold the fork, however, if it is there, one can turn a first fork inward and rest it in the spoon for the soup course, to let the person to the right know that it is not his or her fork.

So to answer your query, it is not an extra spoon. It has a purpose, it is just being utilized as a silent signal to those dining on the right hand side. – By Maura J. Graber, November, 2024 

🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia