Spoon or fork w/ pie a' la mode? [moved from General Chowhounding Topics]

[masala maci]

At a recent dinner party I had dessert forks, but some people preferred to use spoons. I'm not a stickler for etiquette, but it did spark a healthy discussion.

[jword2001]

Don't care if it's good enough I'll lick the plate if i have to.

[misohungrychewlow]

Fork -- it's pie, you eat pie with a fork. Eat the crust rind last, using it to soak up the melted ice cream. When no one is looking, lick up what's left over.

[Dave MP]

I would definitely use a fork.

[John Manzo]

I use a spoon for everything. Just about.

[inuksuk]

It's hot pie and cold ice cream. It's now or never. You grab what's closest and you get in there. Manners are for when the food isn't first priority.

[jfood]

Sorry I, manners are universal and for every instance.

Hopefully the closet utensil to you in your theoretical grab is not a steak knife. :-))

[Kajikit]

As a left-handed person, I was never able to use a 'proper' dessert fork/cake fork successfully - they have a small cutting edge on one side, but it's the wrong side for me! I had to squish my dessert with the blunt side to cut it. So personally I never saw the point of them... they only work for soft cakes that don't need cutting.
If I'm serving guests, I'll have both available, but in my experience most people nowadays just use a spoon...

[jfood]

Here's the rub:

when serving pie a la mode, do you want your guests to tilt the plate and eat what's melted. if so the spoon is the way to go, if you want them to enjoy the pie and mode together without the tilt and fill then go with the fork.

the general rule of thumb in casa jfood is fork with a plate and spoon with a bowl.

[MMRuth]

I believe the issue is not what you (or jfood) serve the dessert in, but what the dessert is. If it has a sauce or ice cream, along with a cake or pie, both utensils should be provided (and used).

[mojoeater]

Can I pick up the plate and lick it?

[MMRuth]

No, only the bowl (smile).

[janeer]

If there were only spoons, I would ask for a fork. I always eat my pie, including a la mode, with a fork. A spoon ruins the crust, and for me, the eating experience. So I agree--set both, and let each decide.
www.littlecomptonmornings.blogspot.com

[MMRuth]

I usually set out, and use, both a fork and a spoon if the dessert has ice cream or a sauce. I put them above the dinner plate - fork on the bottom, facing to the right, spoon above it, facing to the left. My husband uses a fork and spoon to eat most desserts. I'm still trying to master it!

[ipsedixit]

Why not use a Spork? :-)

In all seriousness, I would use a spoon. Scooping up ice cream with a spoon is much, much easier than with a fork.

[cocktailqueen77]

When someone orders a dessert (ex. bread pudding with a scoop of ice cream, very similiar to above) that has need for a spoon or fork I usually preset the table with both utensils. If it was me at your dinner party I would use a spoon, easier to eat the ice cream (but if a fork was my only option that wouldn't stop me from any sugar consumption!!).