A celebration of the spoon rest

[Fat Guy]

The spoon rest, a little dish or other item to keep your spoons and spatulas from messing up the counter, is an unsung hero in my kitchen. I wanted to give the spoon rest some respect, and also see what if any ultra-creative spoon-rest solutions you all have come up with.

[Chris Amirault]

I have to admit, I don't understand spoon rest love. Not that I'm a hater -- I just don't get it. Enlighten me. Photos help.

[andiesenji]

I don't know about "love" per se, but I do like mine a great deal.

I have this one which takes up less room than the horizontal variety (I have lots of room but want something immediately at hand and things tend to accumulate around my stovetop.)

The pan pops out of the ring to go into the dishwasher. It has enough bottom weight to hold large spoons and ladles securely. Even my 5-inch diameter jumbo stock ladle.

It is currently in use as between posts, I am watching some simmering "giblets" for gravy later today.

Edited June 2, 2011 by andiesenji (log)

[Mjx]

I use a plate: A single spoon rest would almost never be big enough for whatever I'm doing at the stove at a given time. I've thought about getting a dedicated plate or tray, but haven't seen anything I love.

[Darienne]

Here is a photo of my two no-name silicone spoon rests. I use them constantly. They are my friends. They are the most handy when I am making something sticky, like lollipops. The blue one has a bit missing on one side when it accidentally was pushed onto a hot burner. Who knew my spoon rests would ever go up into cyberspace?

[andiesenji]

I've also got a double one like this but it will not support tall spoons with heavy handles

The weight of the hard plastic bowls is not enough counterweight for some utensils and the bowls are too small to hold most ladles.

I actually use it outside by the grill to hold basting brushes.

Somewhere in my old junk I have a little skillet shaped one made by Griswold back in the '30s.

Now Lodge makes one that is almost identical so for folks who have a "country" style kitchen, it is just dandy.

Here's one for the "modern" kitchen or futuristic kitchen.

The subject piqued my curiosity so I did a search and found some oddities.

Thanks for starting this, Steven I found something to send to my daughter for her quirky kitchen.

Edited June 2, 2011 by andiesenji (log)

[Fat Guy]

I have to admit, I don't understand spoon rest love. Not that I'm a hater -- I just don't get it.

So what do you do with a spoon or other utensil when you're cooking and you need to put it down?

[robirdstx]

I like to use pretty little plates as spoon rests. When they are not in use they lean against the wall on the back side of my stove top.

[Fat Guy]

Here's mine

[Pam R]

I have to admit, I don't understand spoon rest love. Not that I'm a hater -- I just don't get it.

So what do you do with a spoon or other utensil when you're cooking and you need to put it down?

Rest it precariously on the edge of pot or pan.

[Chris Amirault]

Exactly. Or on the side of the stove.

Though I have to say, Steven, I like yours quite a bit....

[Fat Guy]

My mission has changed. I must convert the stove resters.

[Chris Amirault]

Is that a sushi plate?

[Fat Guy]

I think that one may not be a sushi plate, but I do have a couple of different rectangular sushi plates in the spoon-rest rotation, mainly for when the primary one is in the dishwasher.

[andiesenji]

A further search brought me to this site that has a total of 19 pages of spoon rests.

Many of the pages show duplicates but I found some unique ones on just about every page.

On one of the higher numbered pages I found spoon rests with dogs, a Westie and a Golden, so there is something for everyone.

Some of the artisan pottery pieces are downright attractive. I may have to order a couple.

And of course, there are people who collect them:

Largest collection

I bet you didn't know what you were starting with this topic, Steven!

[Darienne]

So many spoon rests...who knew? Andie, you probably win the 'who has the most toys' contest. I think I qualify for the most mundane.

You simply cannot make candy and other confections without having somewhere designated to leave your various spoons, spatulas, knives, etc. They can be very hot, very sticky, staining, etc.

[Fat Guy]

I bet you didn't know what you were starting with this topic, Steven!

I didn't know that but I knew I'd learn things like that!

[andiesenji]

So many spoon rests...who knew? Andie, you probably win the 'who has the most toys' contest. I think I qualify for the most mundane.

You simply cannot make candy and other confections without having somewhere designated to leave your various spoons, spatulas, knives, etc. They can be very hot, very sticky, staining, etc.

I'm not going to start a spoon rest collection. I have enough junk - I'd have to have add another room onto the house!

I used to just plop them down on the counter since it is butcher block and very forgiving (stains can be removed) and easily fixable but a few years ago I got the one I am now using and it was so handy I have just kept using it. Saves time as I don't have to spend so much time cleaning the counter.

[natasha1270]

Nothing specially designated. Usually just use what ever empty can, cup, bowl, plate or counter/stove ledge I have handy at the time. I do have one of those pot clip spoon holders that works well when I remember it.

eta: just remembered I used to use a fiesta utility tray thing... hmmn, where did it go??

Edited June 2, 2011 by natasha1270 (log)

[Katie Meadow]

My goal in the kitchen is to make my equipment multitask for me. That's partly to save counter space and partly to avoid washing extra dishes. I often use a broad soup bowl to transfer stuff from the cutting board to the pot, and that bowl becomes a rest for spoons or tongs or whatever tools need resting--and often it's more than just one spoon, so a "single-spoon" rest wouldn't cut the mustard. FG's rectangular dish looks like it could accommodate several long handled tools, so that would work for me too.

[dcarch]

Interestingly, if you turn a Chinese soup spoon over, you will notice the bottom has three small pebbles, those are to act as a spoon rest.

Then you will notice two more pebbles on the back of the handle, those are there so that your hold of the spoon is more secure.

dcarch

http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.239847017.jpg

Edited June 3, 2011 by dcarch (log)

[LindaK]

My goal in the kitchen is to make my equipment multitask for me. That's partly to save counter space and partly to avoid washing extra dishes. I often use a broad soup bowl to transfer stuff from the cutting board to the pot, and that bowl becomes a rest for spoons or tongs or whatever tools need resting--and often it's more than just one spoon, so a "single-spoon" rest wouldn't cut the mustard. FG's rectangular dish looks like it could accommodate several long handled tools, so that would work for me too.

Count me in.

Once upon a time I had a college roommate who cherished her spoon rest. It sat on our stove for two years. It was cute, I used it, it was loved.

Fast forward to today. When I’m cooking, I’m usually juggling more than one implement at a time—a sloppy spoon, maybe a spatula or two, possibly a really messy ladle. How many cute spoon rests do I really want cluttering up my stove or countertop?

Yes, I need a holding pen for these things, like everyone else. Generally, I keep a small acrylic cutting board by the stove for this purpose, it has plenty of room for multiple items. If my cooking is really sloppy I use a plate with a lip so that liquids are contained.

Why a single purpose item like a spoon rest? Don’t get it.

[janeer]

I have some little handmade pottery disks meant to be spoon rests that replaced my longish awfully cute lobster spoon rest that I felt took up too much room. They are tasteful and totally inconspicuous, fit right on the stove top itself in the corners, and can be popped in the dishwasher. why I like spoon rests? So my stovetop doesn't get a mess and I don't have to scrub it.

[Kent Wang]

If you're cooking, then you're gonna be eventually putting that food into a plate or bowl, right? I just use those plates first as spoon rests while I'm cooking, and when I'm done I serve on the plates.

[inductioncook]

I tried to buy spoon rests in Paris a couple of times and have come to the conclusion that there is not even a term for them in French.