New Teaspoon Advice Please

[5-Oh]

Not teaspoons but certainly spoon related - I visited my partner's parents for Sunday lunch last week. After the main course we were presented with dessert and the obligatory dessert spoons. Now obviously spoons need to be concave to function - otherwise what you have is a round spatula - but these spoons took concave to the next level. They were like those bowls on the walls of science museums that you stick your arm in. They were so deep that mine and my fellow diners top lips were unable to adequately remove all of the dessert from the spoons. Eventually we realised that by flipping the spoon over we could use our bottom lips to greater effect. The whole experience was quite degrading and after finishing, and watching TV & drinking for several hours I left in disgust.

[AJS-]

5-Oh said:

Not teaspoons but certainly spoon related - I visited my partner's parents for Sunday lunch last week. After the main course we were presented with dessert and the obligatory dessert spoons. Now obviously spoons need to be concave to function - otherwise what you have is a round spatula - but these spoons took concave to the next level. They were like those bowls on the walls of science museums that you stick your arm in. They were so deep that mine and my fellow diners top lips were unable to adequately remove all of the dessert from the spoons. Eventually we realised that by flipping the spoon over we could use our bottom lips to greater effect. The whole experience was quite degrading and after finishing, and watching TV & drinking for several hours I left in disgust.

Was it a bouillon spoon? If you prospective inlaws are eating dessert with one of these, I would be abandoning that relationship pronto.

[5-Oh]

AJS- said:

Was it a bouillon spoon? If you prospective inlaws are eating dessert with one of these, I would be abandoning that relationship pronto.

I hope for the sake of my relationship it was not.

[ManFromDelmonte]

Not viewing for the faint hearted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy8pliqN8z8

[KP328]

As you can see, a standard size teaspoon is to short for a man size mug.

The required fingertip dexterity takes years to accomplish while stirring with said standard size spoon /big mug combination, a skill set i just don't posses at the present time.

The answer ?..a sundae spoon ! it is more 'hands on' and can create the perfect vortex while stirring.

I know its the equivalent to a child using stabilizers on the bike, but we all have to start somewhere in the spooning adventure.

[Blib]

A good point well made, KP328.

I've seen many a novice stirrer lost to the sport due to their ego and lack of humility blocking them from the necessary mindfulness for stirring.

As my sensei patiently explained to me many years ago; It is only by surrendering to the spoon can you master the spoon.

[Tallow]

Maybe so Blib, but without wishing to come over all snooty that's hardly the appropriate vessel to use for novice stirring, is it?

[Blib]

Tallow said:

Maybe so Blib, but without wishing to come over all snooty that's hardly the appropriate vessel to use for novice stirring, is it?

I suggest that you address your comment to KP328, Tallow. I have no horse in that particular race.

[Tallow]

Blib said:

I suggest that you address your comment to KP328, Tallow. I have no horse in that particular race.

Fair point Blib.

KP328, whilst it probably seems churlish to lambast a newbie on mug use, that's a risky strategy you're adopting. The vortex created by a common mug is quite different to that used in a fine bone china tea cup.

Even using a normal teaspoon you're in severe danger of a nasty torsional kickback, especially if you get the stir rate too high. That's amplified exponentially by the length of the shaft. I don't think I need to point out what that means in terms of the dangers of using a sundae spoon.

Sure, it's fun to start with and certainly looks impressive to the uninitiated, but one slight miscalculation and you could end up with permanent stirring damage.

I'd start out with a traditional teaspoon and Royal Doulton combo if I were you.

Please don't see that as a personal attack - it's always great to see new people getting into stirring. But these accidents can sometimes have tragic personal consequences, not to mention frightening other newcomers away.

[KP328]

Tallow, I have amended my reckless abandon regarding the over size common mug and sundae spoon. The words 'torsional kickback' was enough for me to see the errors of my ways.

Thank you for your words of wisdom regarding this matter, i obviously have so much to learn about the secret mystery's and hidden art that is involved in the spoon.

[anonymous-user]

quite possibly my favourite thread, loving your work chaps

[Hugo a Gogo]

KP328 said:

Tallow, I have amended my reckless abandon regarding the over size common mug and sundae spoon. The words 'torsional kickback' was enough for me to see the errors of my ways.

Thank you for your words of wisdom regarding this matter, i obviously have so much to learn about the secret mystery's and hidden art that is involved in the spoon.

that's a poof's spoon

[AstonZagato]

Tallow said:

KP328, whilst it probably seems churlish to lambast a newbie on mug use, that's a risky strategy you're adopting. The vortex created by a common mug is quite different to that used in a fine bone china tea cup.

Even using a normal teaspoon you're in severe danger of a nasty torsional kickback, especially if you get the stir rate too high. That's amplified exponentially by the length of the shaft. I don't think I need to point out what that means in terms of the dangers of using a sundae spoon.

Sure, it's fun to start with and certainly looks impressive to the uninitiated, but one slight miscalculation and you could end up with permanent stirring damage.

Please don't see that as a personal attack - it's always great to see new people getting into stirring. But these accidents can sometimes have tragic personal consequences, not to mention frightening other newcomers away.

My professional stirring career was ended (before it had really begun) by just such a bit of foolish showboating. The words "watch this" were followed by a nasty shock and an extended hostipal stay. Thankfully those around me escaped unscathed.

I thought that as an experienced stirrer, I could get away with such a manoeuvre. Indeed, I had done many, many times before. However, a fraction of a second of inattention, a fraction of overspend vortex and the kickback through the that shaft is levered. I still stir with a limp and I'll never play the bassoon again.

[55palfers]

AstonZagato said:

Tallow said:

KP328, whilst it probably seems churlish to lambast a newbie on mug use, that's a risky strategy you're adopting. The vortex created by a common mug is quite different to that used in a fine bone china tea cup.

Even using a normal teaspoon you're in severe danger of a nasty torsional kickback, especially if you get the stir rate too high. That's amplified exponentially by the length of the shaft. I don't think I need to point out what that means in terms of the dangers of using a sundae spoon.

Sure, it's fun to start with and certainly looks impressive to the uninitiated, but one slight miscalculation and you could end up with permanent stirring damage.

Please don't see that as a personal attack - it's always great to see new people getting into stirring. But these accidents can sometimes have tragic personal consequences, not to mention frightening other newcomers away.

My professional stirring career was ended (before it had really begun) by just such a bit of foolish showboating. The words "watch this" were followed by a nasty shock and an extended hostipal stay. Thankfully those around me escaped unscathed.

I thought that as an experienced stirrer, I could get away with such a manoeuvre. Indeed, I had done many, many times before. However, a fraction of a second of inattention, a fraction of overspend vortex and the kickback through the that shaft is levered. I still stir with a limp and I'll never play the bassoon again.

Good news about the Bassoon though. Every cloud and all that....

[Blib]

Hugo a Gogo said:

KP328 said:

Tallow, I have amended my reckless abandon regarding the over size common mug and sundae spoon. The words 'torsional kickback' was enough for me to see the errors of my ways.

Thank you for your words of wisdom regarding this matter, i obviously have so much to learn about the secret mystery's and hidden art that is involved in the spoon.

that's a poof's spoon

To you, anything that's not a Krupp is crap.

[drivin_me_nuts]

Is it ever acceptable to stir tea with a plastic spoon?

Also, when making a tea and coffee, does one stir the tea or the coffee first, assuming the spoon is not rinsed between stiring operations.

[Blib]

drivin_me_nuts said:

Is it ever acceptable to stir tea with a plastic spoon?

FFS.

[drivin_me_nuts]

But what if its tea from a thermos. It's a bit of a risk taking a Formby master Cutler on a picnic. I've not seen a field kit spoon for a while, hence my question.

[Hugo a Gogo]

Blib said:

Hugo a Gogo said:

KP328 said:

Tallow, I have amended my reckless abandon regarding the over size common mug and sundae spoon. The words 'torsional kickback' was enough for me to see the errors of my ways.

Thank you for your words of wisdom regarding this matter, i obviously have so much to learn about the secret mystery's and hidden art that is involved in the spoon.

that's a poof's spoon

To you, anything that's not a Krupp is crap.

nonsense, you know how much I love my Fücher

I'm such a fan of them, I'm known as Mother Fücher amongst the chaps at my local stir-in

[Hugo a Gogo]

drivin_me_nuts said:

Also, when making a tea and coffee, does one stir the tea or the coffee first

my old Grandad used to say "coffee afore tea, fine for ye, tea afore coffee, awfie sloppy"

words to live by

drivin_me_nuts said:

between stiring operations.

a well looked after spoon doesn't really need a stiring operation any more than once every couple of years

Central Stirers of Nuneaton are a recommended firm for all your stiring needs, if your spoon hasn't been stired lately

Edited by Hugo a Gogo on Tuesday 22 September 21:08