Which Utensil Should Be Used?
I am having a cocktail party and will be featuring a whipped potato bar. I know that it is considered proper etiquette to eat mashed potatoes with a fork, but in this case (serving the potatoes in a martini glass) would you go with a dinner fork, salad fork, or teaspoon?
In this case, the martini glass serves as a de facto bowl, thus I say you should use a spoon. Whether Emily Post would agree with me, I’m not sure. My basic thought on the subject is: if you’re eating it out of a bowl, you probably want a spoon; whereas if you’re eating it from a plate, you probably want a fork. While there are exceptions to the rule, it answers the conundrum correctly 19 times out of 20.
November 8th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
i’d go with salad fork.
November 8th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
I’m confused as to why someone would want to ‘feature’ mashed potatoes. Ask them for some pics, and maybe I’ll change my mind, otherwise it sounds rather boring.
November 8th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
Whipped potato bar… interesting idea. Go with both fork and spoon, and let your guests figure it out for themselves. Then sit back and watch hilarity ensue!
November 9th, 2007 at 9:38 am
I think you should use the little sword that very recently held an olive. I know you have the sword, because you must have drank a martini from the glass before you repurposed it as a potato serving dish. Right?
November 9th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
Back in the day, when I was in college, etiquette actually mattered. As soon as we freshmen were settled in out house (dorm), we were instructed on how to behave at lunch and dinner (sit down, with waiter 5 1/2 days a week).
Most of it has long been forgotten. I do remember two things: jacket and tie for dinner, and the Widholm Criterion. Somebody Widholm was our resident graduate assistant, we freshmen named this rule after him: if it’s served on a plate you must use a fork, and if it’s served in a bowl you must use a spoon.
November 9th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
Which is probably where I got the rule in the first place without realizing it (for those of you not aware, Jim is my dad).
November 9th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Skip the utensils all together. Serve them in cones instead! You still get the “Oh how unique” effect without the utensil quandry.
November 9th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
But for cones to work with potatoes, you;d need to make your own, savory cones (I can’t imagine how mashers would taste in a sugar cone!) That’s way too much work, even if you do have a pizzelle iron and you’re comfortable using it—two very big ifs.
If you were going to go to all that trouble, though, you could complete the effect by mixing some egg yolks in with the spuds, piping them out so they look like soft serve cones, and then baking them to set the eggs and brown the potatoes on top.
But as long as we’re entering the realm of absurdity, why not then invert the cone and make it into a conehead sundae with the addition of peas for the facial features and other topings around it for hair. Dip the bottom of the cone in gravy to mimic chocolate! Turn it into a fried plantain split! With a roasted, melon-balled beet on top! And fried garlic sprinkles!
You know what, I’m starting to like the possibilities. Maybe I should give this a shot….
November 12th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
S, check out these links for some photo’s and info:
http://www.exhibitoronline.com/exhibitormagazine/article.asp?ID=322
http://www.chateauatforestpark.com/food-Mashed-Potato-Martini-Bar.html
If you google “mashed potato bar” you will find several sites with pics. Rob R, if you are finished playing with your little sword, perhaps you would like to take a gander….the possibilities are endless!
November 12th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
This mashed potato bar seems like a fantastic idea with endless possibilities for each and every guest! Great twist on “comfort food”. I think since the martini glass is closest to a bowl in form I would go with small spoons. Good luck!
November 13th, 2007 at 2:51 am
Hmmm. Will the pets be able to sample the whipped potato bar?
November 13th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
only if they use the proper utensil, John! which brings us back to the same old question, should they use a fork or spoon?
November 30th, 2007 at 4:08 am
Thanks for your articles; your voice cheers my day and excites my desire to explore the world of foods, techniques and cooking.