ICE CREAM Ice cream is eaten with a small spoon. When it is served with cake or pie, or as part of a dish (Baked Alaska, for example), it is eaten with a dessert fork and a spoon. PASTRY Usually, a fruit tart is eaten with a fork. But if you are offered one along with both a fork and a dessert spoon, secure the tart with the fork and cut with the spoon; then eat it with the spoon.
Pie is eaten with a fork — unless it's served à la mode, in which case both a fork and spoon are used.
If you are offered a creamy pastry, such as a napoleon or cream puff, it's advisable to use a fork rather than your hand, in order to keep the good stuff from oozing out the other end.

PLUM PUDDING After the flames from the brandy sauce die down, this dessert (which in fact doesn't contain plums and isn't really a pudding) is usually served in a dessert bowl, often accompanied by ice cream or a sauce. Either or both of these are scooped onto your pudding, and the whole thing is eaten with a spoon. If brandy is passed while the dessert is being served, pour some onto your pudding — not into your glass.



POACHED PEARS Eat with a spoon and a fork. The fork holds the pear down against the dish, and the spoon is used to cut the fruit into small edible pieces. The fork can also be used to rotate the fruit around to get at all the flesh. If only a spoon is provided, use your hand to rotate the dish. Leave the core in the dish and spoon out the wine or syrup.



SORBET When this quintessential palate cleanser is served as an accompaniment to a meat course or with a fruit cup, it may be eaten with a fork. If it is served as a dessert, use a spoon.



STEWED FRUIT Stewed fruit is eaten with a spoon, but you may want to resort to a fork to steady some of the larger pieces. All pits from cherries, prunes and plums are to be discreetly spit out onto the spoon and then deposited on the side of your plate.


Bureau Report