The True Test

What is the true test of fine cutlery and silverware? Aside from whether silverware tarnishes or not, the true test of quality is whether the spoon bends when you use it to scoop very frozen ice cream because you cannot seem to find your ice cream spade. The test for cutlery is how well it cuts through the various everyday foods, such as a well done steak, an onion, or a watermelon. So what do you do if the department store does not have a quart of rock hard ice cream or a well done t-bone steak for you to use to conduct your tests?

When we created our wedding registry eight years ago, my husband was very particular about which silverware sets, kitchen cutlery and steak knives we would choose. After all, purchasing these pieces is an investment and we did not want to have to replace them in just two or three years. For example, the silverware we chose was of fine quality. We did not want anything flimsy (remember the ice cream test). We believed the right set for us would be simple, modern, and sleek. We did not want something ornate that we may change our minds about in a few years as our tastes evolved. We actually only chose one set of stainless steel silverware, rather than one for everyday use and one to use with our fine china. As I said, the style we chose was simple and sleek and it actually was very versatile.

Now that eight years have passed, our silverware is showing signs of wear. It has not tarnished at all, but is a little scratched. I'm excited at the possiblity of choosing a new set within the next year or two. Knowing us, we will probably choose something that looks exactly the same as what we selected almost a decade ago.