Greetings, friends! And welcome to Caroline Finds It: my weekly newsletter where I reply to submissions from YOU for objects and products you need recommendations for.
*CALLING ALL NEW YORKERS! As I’m folding this newsletter into my new biz, I need submissions for things YOU need in NYC! I will go out IRL and find it for you! Find the submission form here.*
Have you ever stopped to think about how flatware is the the most used thing in your kitchen? I haven’t, really. Most people I know fuss over the type of plates they keep their cupboards stocked with, or the things they use to cook with, but what do you use every single time you eat? What actually touches your hands and enters your mouth? Your flatware! When I lived in the UK, I was shamed by a roommate into learning out to use my cutlery the European way and have never looked back. This means a heavier reliance on knives and a more frequent use of spoons, and with that I’ve grown to have a deeper appreciation for the contents of my silverware drawer.
Mallory in Indianapolis has a similar appreciation and is looking to upgrade hers stash: “My partner and I are looking for silverware. We just bought our new home less than a year ago and we have great, open space for hosting. We wanted our space to be a place to gather. Food is an essential part of our relationship and family. My partner is an amazing cook, but we’re in need of durable, aesthetically pleasing and functional silverware. Dishwasher friendly is a must. Thanks in advance!”
Dear Mallory,
Do you know what the little numbers on the back of an eating utensil mean? Most flatware is made of stainless steel, and if you flip it over you’ll find a ratio like, for example: 18/10. What this means is that the stainless steel has an 18% chrome content and a 10% nickel content. This is what makes it bright, shiny and durable. You’ll see other ratios like 18/8, 18/0, or even 13/0 but 18/10 is the gold standard if you want to invest in something that will last forever.
I choose only 18/10 flatware for you, and have selections in a few different aesthetic categories. Additionally, I’m only picking sets that I anticipate will be available for the foreseeable future. At some point, I’m sure you’ll be hosting an event and be short a few place settings. High quality flatware is always sold by individual place setting or pieces so you can easily just buy a couple of extras to add to your collection as you need them!
The Coolest
I’d be remiss to leave out the hot flatware of the moment. Especially if you live in NYC, you’ve seen this stuff everywhere. Sabre is a French company that’s especially known for their Bistrot flatware ($70 per setting). The handles are acrylic, which lends itself to a slightly higher risk of deterioration over time with heavy use, but I think it’s worth it.
The Classic
Bernadotte by Georg Jensen ($109/setting) was designed by a Swedish royal prince in 1936! Since these are so classic and old school, you can also collect a variety of very specific pieces to accompany your standard 5-piece setting, like cold cut forks and latte spoons. They even make a children’s size.
The Modern One
Mepra is an Italian 3rd-generation family-owned business that makes a wide variety of modern flatware. You really can’t go wrong with any of them, but I love Linea ($78, on sale at Macy’s right now) the most for its elegant curves:
The Wild Card
This is not at all what you asked for but I’m going to share it anyway. Liberty Tabletop is brand of American-made flatware that is all 18/10 and affordably priced. It’s a great option if you’re looking for something really simple, but they also have an oddly large selection of novelty flatware that is tacky in a way that I find very endearing, like the American Garden set ($35/setting). If I had a large house with lots of storage, I’d buy these for summer al fresco dinners.
The first deliberately adult decision I made when I graduated college was to collect silver (still lol’ing at this) — specifically Tiffany Bamboo flatware, which was all the rage in the 60s. Every now and then I’ll buy a teaspoon or something on eBay, and because silver is $$$$ it’ll take me forever to build out a whole set, so in my everyday life, I use and love its knock-off Fortessa Royal Pacific($50/setting), which does the job and makes me smile everyday. May you find something that delights you just as much!
QUICK ANSWER
Amanda in Stamford, CT: “I’m in remission and I’m getting use to the new me. I haven’t been feeling as feminine as I once did, especially as my hair grows back and I’m trying to find new ways to get my groove back! I keep thinking of this awesome black dress with a square neckline that Tina Fey rocked on an episode of 30 Rock, unfortunately I cannot find an image to share. I would love a sexy black dress with a square neckline that comes in a size 14 that will hopefully give me a boost of confidence!”
Amanda! What an important moment! I hope you’re feeling good as you adjust to your healing body. A slinky square-neck dress sounds just right to help you slide back into your confident self! I’m not familiar with this reference, but I have a couple of options for you to check out:
Splurge Option
Mara Hoffman has been making dresses in this Tencel popcorn fabric for a couple of seasons now. It’s forgiving, comfortable and basically a fancy version of those weird Y2K shrunken tops. The Sloan dress in Black ($595) is sexy, modern and extremely wearable:
More Affordable Option
This ruffly number from Anthropologie ($170) is less fitted but still has the neckline you desire. Wear it to a wedding, to dinner, to run errands — I love the versatility of this one.
Stretchy
This is the type of dress that first came to mind. A wide square neck that’s set off by the coverage of long sleeves and long lines. Say what you will about Kim K., but her SKIMS products are top notch. The Soft Lounge Ribbed Stretch Modal Maxi Dress ($88) is fab. I’d take it to a tailor to shorten a few inches and add a slit.
FAVORITE PRODUCT OF THE WEEK
Earlier this week, even before the orange glow of the Canadian wildfires blanketed NYC, I woke up with a horrifically sore throat. I dug around my medicine drawer to see what I could find, and to my relief, I had a bottle of Woodstock Herbal Products Throat Soothe ($16), which is a highly effective throat spray made with gilead bud extract, colloidal silver and a couple of other soothing herbs. It tastes like any ol’ brandy-based tincture from an herbalists cupboard, but it works!
Is there a product you’re looking for? Submit your request here. See you next week for a fresh recommendations. xo Caroline
I love your flatware recommendations and I happen to be in need of some additional forks.
I noticed with interest on the Liberty Tabletop site that they have three categories of flatware sizes--or at least they do for forks. “American,” “Euro,” and “Liberty.” (😆) According to the site, “American sizing” for a dinner fork is 7 1/4” long while “European sizing” is 8 1/4” long and “wider through the tines.” LT came up with a size in-between those two called “Liberty.”
I have never heard of there being a difference before, but I have always noticed with all my IKEA silverware that the forks all seem much shorter than I feel like I grew up with, which led me to believe that perhaps people in the Nordic countries like their forks short.
This, coupled with the Slate article on “Continental” knife-and-fork use versus American knife-and-fork, makes me wonder if European forks are longer (if they really are) because of the “Continental” style?
Also: I found the Slate article fascinating in more ways than one. While I do wonder why Americans are apparently the only flatware-using people on the planet who don’t employ the “Continental” style, I’m not sure I’ve seen evidence of article’s claim (2013) that abandoning the “cut-and-switch” is a growing trend in the US, at least among younger folks: “Nearly everyone I spoke with associated cutting-and-switching with older Americans and Midwesterners, and no-switching with younger and coastal diners.”
Nor do I understand what the impetus for Americans changing ways is. The article says it’s for efficiency! 😆
The only reason that makes sense to me for changing is that it’s simply an appealing-looking way to eat. Plus, I LOVE the food-on-fork stacking (which the writer called “awkward”).
Well, I’m off to go measure my IKEA forks.