A Gift of Flatware - The Perfect Choice
August 2, 2008
It doesn’t matter whether you choose to buy the less formal but high quality stainless steel or the more formal silver plated or sterling silver flatware, when you give it as a gift for a housewarming or wedding, you are giving something a family can use for long into the future.
The difference between flatware that is high in quality and flatware that is low in quality is that the best is more attractive and much longer lasting. The elements within the highest qualities of flatware make for better tasting food. There are two kinds of flatware - the informal and the formal.
Informal Flatware
High quality stainless steel flatware has a few distinctive qualities. The best stainless steel is heavy because it is made of thick steel. The thinner the steel is rolled; the more the quality plunges. The fork tines should be rounded. This causes the tines to feel better in the mouth than a sharper, lower quality piece. The blades on the knives should be made with a large amount of carbon in the blade. This makes the blade stay sharper for long periods of time. It may never need to be sharpened. The serrated type is actually serrated because the quality of the blade is not as good and wouldn’t otherwise cut through meats and breads.
Flatware Used for Special Occasions
Sterling silver is usually referred to as “the silver” or “the good silver”. It is easily maintained though care must be given to washing and drying it by hand every use. Sterling silver must be polished every year or so, depending on how often it is used. These are the pieces that are brought out on special occasions such as formal dinner parties, anniversaries and birthdays.
Silver-plated flatware is a beautiful alternative to sterling silver. It is not quite as valuable but still, it does have value and is slightly less expensive than sterling silver. When something is silver-plated, it means a coat of silver has been thinly placed on an object. If your budget does not allow for sterling silverware, this might be your logical choice.
Whether plated or the genuine sterling silver, these types are usually saved for the most special of occasions. A proper table for a dressy dinner has a nice set of china dishes, crystal ware, nice cotton napkins and a great set of flatware. Without the right flatware, such a table would be unfinished and off-balance. When the quality pieces are brought out, dinner becomes a stylish event. This makes formal flatware the best choice for gift giving.
Flatware is perfect for wedding gifts, silver anniversaries and house warming parties. Couples usually include one or both types of flatware in their gift registry for their wedding. What could be more appropriate than a set of sterling silverware for a silver anniversary? A housewarming is a great opportunity for giving the gift of flatware.
If you are not comfortable with your knowledge of flatware, ask an experienced hostess to tell you about the various qualities and pieces that go into the perfect set. It doesn’t matter how fancy the rest of the dishes are - a well-dressed table is not truly finished until the flatware is right.
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