Welcome to the I Can't Sleep Podcast,
Where I help you drift off one fact at a time.
I'm your host,
Benjamin Boster,
And today's episode is about tablespoons.
A tablespoon is a large spoon.
In many English-speaking regions,
The term now refers to a large spoon used for serving.
In some regions,
It is the largest type of spoon used for eating.
By extension,
The term is also used as a cooking measure of volume.
In this capacity,
It is most commonly abbreviated TBSP,
And occasionally referred to as a tablespoonful,
To distinguish it from the utensil.
The unit of measurement varies by region.
A United States liquid tablespoon is approximately 14.
8 milliliters.
Exactly one-half US fluid ounce.
About 0.
52 imperial fluid ounces.
Historically,
A British tablespoon was approximately 14.
2 milliliters.
Exactly one-half imperial fluid ounce.
About 0.
48 US fluid ounces.
But laterally,
A standard British tablespoon is the same size as an international metric tablespoon.
An international metric tablespoon is exactly 15 milliliters.
About 0.
53 imperial fluid ounces,
Or 0.
51 US fluid ounces.
An Australian metric tablespoon is 20 milliliters.
About 0.
7 imperial fluid ounces,
Or 0.
68 US fluid ounces.
The capacity of the utensil,
As opposed to the measurement,
Is designed by neither law nor custom,
But only by preferences,
And may or may not significantly approximate the measurement.
Before about 1700,
It was customary for Europeans to bring their own spoons to the table.
Spoons were carried as personal property,
In much the same way as people today carry wallets,
Key rings,
Etc.
From about 1700,
The place setting became popular,
And with it the tablespoon,
Table fork,
And table knife.
Around the same time,
The teaspoon and dessert spoon first appeared.
The tablespoon was reserved for eating soup.
The 18th century witnessed a proliferation of different sorts of spoons,
Including the mustard spoon,
Salt spoon,
Coffee spoon,
And soup spoon.
In the late 19th century UK,
The dessert spoon and soup spoon began to displace the tablespoon as the primary implement for eating from a bowl,
At which point the name tablespoon took on a secondary meaning,
As a much larger serving spoon.
In 1928,
When the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was published,
Tablespoon,
Which by then was no longer hyphenated,
Still had two definitions in the UK,
The original definition,
Eating spoon,
And the new definition,
Serving spoon.
Victorian and Edwardian era tablespoons used in the UK are often 25 millilitres,
About 0.
88 imperial fluid ounces,
Or 0.
85 US fluid ounces,
Or sometimes larger.
They are used only for preparing and serving food,
Not as part of a place setting.
Common tablespoons intended for use as cutlery,
Called dessert spoons in the UK,
Where a tablespoon is always a serving spoon,
Usually hold 7 to 14 millilitres,
About 0.
25 to 0.
49 imperial fluid ounces,
Or 0.
24 to 0.
47 US fluid ounces,
Considerably less than some tablespoons used for serving.
In recipes,
An abbreviation like TBSP period is usually used to refer to a tablespoon differentiated from the smaller teaspoon,
TSP period.
Some authors capitalize the abbreviation as capital TBSP period,
While leaving TSP period in lowercase,
To emphasize that the larger tablespoon rather than the smaller teaspoon is wanted.
The tablespoon abbreviation is sometimes abbreviated to capital TB period,
Or T period.
In most places,
One tablespoon equals three teaspoons.
In Australia,
One tablespoon equals four teaspoons.
An international metric tablespoon is exactly equal to 15 millilitres,
Or three metric teaspoons,
Or roughly 4.
22 British imperial fluid gram,
Roughly 0.
53 British imperial fluid ounces,
Roughly 1.
06 UK tablespoons,
Roughly 2.
11 UK dessert spoons,
Also roughly 4.
22 UK teaspoons,
Or roughly 8.
45 UK salt spoons.
Also roughly 16.
89 UK pinches,
Solids only,
Or roughly 253.
41 UK drops,
Liquids only.
Also roughly equal to 4.
06 US customary fluid grams,
Roughly 0.
51 US customary fluid ounces.
Roughly equal to 1.
01 US customary tablespoons,
Approximately 1.
52 US customary dessert spoons,
Or approximately 3.
04 US customary teaspoons,
Also approximately 6.
09 US customary coffee spoons,
Roughly 12.
17 US customary salt spoons,
Approximately 24.
35 US customary dashes,
Solids only,
Approximately 48.
69 US customary pinches,
Solids only,
Roughly equal to 97.
39 US customary smidgens,
Solids only,
And approximately 292.
16 US customary drops,
Liquid only.
The Australian metric tablespoon is different from that of the rest of the world.
The Australian official definition of a tablespoon as a unit of volume is 1 Australian metric tablespoon equals 20 millilitres,
Or 2 metric dessert spoons.
1 metric dessert spoon equals 10 millilitres each.
It also equals 4 metric teaspoons.
1 metric teaspoon equals 5 millilitres each.
It's roughly 5.
63 British imperial fluid drams,
Roughly 0.
7 British imperial fluid ounces,
And approximately 1.
41 UK tablespoons.
It's roughly 2.
82 UK dessert spoons,
4.
12 UK teaspoons,
11.
26 UK salt spoons,
22.
52 UK pinches,
Solids only.
It's roughly 337.
87 UK drops,
Liquids only,
5.
41 US customary fluid drams,
0.
6 US customary fluid ounces,
Approximately 1.
35 US customary tablespoons,
2.
03 US customary dessert spoons,
Roughly 4.
06 US customary teaspoons,
4.
06 US customary coffee spoons,
Approximately 16.
23 US customary salt spoons,
32.
46 US customary dashes,
Solids only,
Roughly 64.
92 US customary pinches,
Solids only,
129.
85 US customary smidgens,
Solids only,
And roughly 389.
54 US customary drops,
Liquids only.
This definition was promulgated by the Metric Conversion Board in the 1970s as part of the country's metrication process.
There's not a distinct Australian metric dessert spoon or metric teaspoon.
In the UK,
1 tablespoon is traditionally 4 British imperial fluid drams.
It's also 2 UK dessert spoons,
4 UK teaspoons,
8 UK salt spoons,
16 UK pinches,
Solids only,
240 UK drops,
Liquids only,
0.
48 US customary fluid ounces,
0.
96 US customary tablespoon,
1.
44 US customary dessert spoons,
2.
88 US customary teaspoons,
5.
76 US customary coffee spoons,
11.
53 US customary salt spoons,
23.
06 US customary dashes,
Solids only,
46.
12 US customary pinches,
Solids only,
92.
23 US customary smidgens,
Solids only,
276.
70 US customary drops,
Liquids only,
14.
207 ml,
0.
95 international metric tablespoons,
0.
71 Australian metric tablespoons,
1.
42 metric dessert spoons,
And 2.
84 metric teaspoons.
The traditional US interpretation of the tablespoon as a unit of volume is 1 US customary tablespoon equals 4 US fluid drams,
3 US customary teaspoons,
6 US customary coffee spoons,
12 US customary salt spoons,
24 US customary dashes,
Solids only,
48 US customary pinches,
Solids only,
96 US customary smidgens,
Solids only,
288 US customary drops,
Liquids only,
0.
52 British imperial fluid ounces,
1.
04 UK tablespoons,
2.
08 UK dessert spoons,
4.
16 UK teaspoons,
8.
33 UK salt spoons,
16.
65 UK pinches,
Solids only,
249.
8 UK drops,
Liquids only,
14.
8 ml,
0.
99 international metric tablespoons,
0.
74 Australian metric tablespoons,
1.
48 metric dessert spoons,
And roughly 2.
96 metric teaspoons.
In nutrition labeling in the US,
A tablespoon is defined as 15 ml,
About 4.
22 British imperial fluid drams,
0.
53 British imperial fluid ounces,
Or 4.
06 US customary fluid drams,
0.
51 US customary fluid ounces.
For dry ingredients,
If a recipe calls for a level tablespoon,
The usual meaning without further qualification is measured by filling the spoon and scraping it level.
In contrast,
A heaped,
Heaping,
Or rounded spoonful is not leveled off and includes a heap above the spoon.
The exact volume of a heaped tablespoon depends somewhat on the shape and curvature of the measuring spoon being used,
And largely upon the physical properties of the substance being measured,
And so is not a precise unit of measurement.
If neither a rounded nor a level tablespoon is specified,
A level tablespoon is used,
Just as a cup of flour is a level cup,
Unless otherwise specified.
In the 18th century,
The tablespoon became an unofficial unit of the apothecary's system of measures,
Equal to four drams.
It was more commonly known by the Latin name Cochleare Malleus,
Abbreviated COCHL.
MAJ.
Or in apothecary's notation,
Half a fluid ounce.
A spoon is a utensil consisting of a shallow bowl,
Also known as a head,
Oval or round,
At the end of a handle.
A type of cutlery,
Sometimes called flatware in the United States,
Especially as part of a place setting,
It is used primarily for transferring food to the mouth,
Eating.
Spoons are also used in food preparation to measure,
Mix,
Stir and toss ingredients,
And for serving food.
Present day spoons are made from metal,
Notably stainless steel,
Flat silver or silverware,
Plated or solid,
Wood,
Porcelain or plastic.
There are many different types of spoons made from different materials by different cultures for different purposes and food.
The spoon consists of a bowl and a handle.
A handle in the shape of a slender stick is frequently called a stem.
The stem can end in a sharp point or be crowned with a knop,
A decorative knob.
The knop top spoons with a variety of knop shapes described by colorful terms like acorn,
Risen end,
Spiral ornament on a ball,
Maidenhead,
A bust,
Diamond point,
Apostle,
Were particularly popular in England in the 14th to 17th centuries.
The name spoon came from Old English spone,
Chip.
Preserved examples of various forms of spoons used by the ancient Egyptians include those composed of ivory,
Flint,
Slate and wood,
Many of them carved with religious symbols.
During the Neolithic Oziere civilization in Sardinia,
Ceramic ladles and spoons were already in use.
In Shang Dynasty China,
Spoons were made of bone.
Early bronze spoons in China were designed with a sharp point and may have also been used as cutlery.
The spoons of the Greeks and Romans were chiefly made of bronze and silver and the handle usually takes the form of a spike or pointed stem.
There are many examples in the British Museum from which the forms of the various types can be ascertained,
The chief points of difference being found in the junction of the bowl with the handle.
The ancient Greeks called the spoon mustron and they also used pieces of bread scooped out in the shape of a spoon,
Which they called mustile.
A 2024 study by archaeologist Andrzej Kokowski and biologists from Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin,
Poland identified 241 small spoon-shaped objects at 116 archaeological sites across Scandinavia,
Germany and Poland.
Dating back to the Roman era.
These sites primarily consisted of marshes and graves.
A study proposes that these objects,
Often found alongside items associated with warfare and featuring a small disc 10-20 mm in diameter,
Were likely used to administer drugs,
Especially stimulants,
Before battles.
Germanic peoples of the era had access to various substances with potential medicinal or psychoactive properties,
Including poppy,
Hops,
Hemp,
Henbane,
Belladonna and certain fungi.
In the early Muslim world,
Spoons were used for eating soup.
Medieval spoons meant for domestic use were commonly made of cow horn or wood,
But brass,
Pewter and latin spoons appear to have been common in about the 15th century.
The full descriptions and entries relating to silver spoons in the inventories of the royal and other households point to their special value and rarity.
The earliest English reference appears to be in a will in 1259.
In the wardrobe accounts of Edward I,
For the year 1300,
Some gold and silver spoons marked with the fleur-de-lis,
The Paris mark,
Are mentioned.
One of the most interesting medieval spoons is the coronation spoon,
Used in the anointing of the English and later British sovereign.
This 12th century object is the oldest surviving item in the British royal regalia.
The sets of apostle spoons,
Popular as christening presents in Tudor times,
The handles of which terminate in heads or busts of the apostles,
Are a special form to which antiquarian interest attaches.
The earlier English spoon handles terminate in an acorn,
Plain knob or a diamond.
And at the end of the 16th century,
The baluster and seal ending becomes common,
The bowl being fig-shaped.
During the Restoration,
The handle becomes broad and flat.
The bowl is broad and oval,
And the termination is cut into the shape known as the hind's foot.
In the first quarter of the 18th century,
The bowl becomes narrow and elliptical,
With a tongue or rat's tail down the back,
And the handle is turned up at the end.
The modern form,
With the tip of the bowl narrower than the base and the rounded end of the handle turned down,
Came into use about 1760.
Spoons are used primarily for eating liquid or semi-liquid foods,
Such as soup,
Stew,
Or ice cream,
And very small or powdery solid items,
Which cannot be easily lifted from a fork,
Such as rice,
Sugar,
Cereals,
And green peas.
In Southeast Asia,
Spoons are the primary utensil used for eating.
Forks are used to push foods,
Such as rice,
Onto the spoon,
As well as their Western usage for piercing the food.
Spoons are also widely used in cooking and serving.
In baking,
Batter is usually thin enough to pour or drop from a spoon.
A mixture of such consistency is sometimes called drop batter.
Rolled dough dropped from a spoon to a cookie sheet can be made into rock cakes and other cookies,
While Johnny Cake may be prepared by dropping spoonfuls of cornmeal onto a hot greased griddle.
A spoon is similarly useful in processing jelly,
Sugar,
And syrup.
A test sample of jelly taken from a boiling mass may be allowed to slip from a spoon in a sheet.
In a step called sheeting.
At the crack stage,
Syrup from boiling sugar may be dripped from a spoon,
Causing it to break with a snap when chilled.
When boiled to 240 degrees Fahrenheit and poured from a spoon,
Sugar forms a filament or thread.
Hot syrup is said to pearl when it forms such a long thread without breaking when dropped from a spoon.
Used for stirring,
A spoon is passed through a substance with a continued circular movement for the purpose of mixing,
Blending,
Dissolving,
Cooling,
Or preventing sticking of the ingredients.
Mixed drinks may be muddled by working a spoon to crush and mix ingredients,
Such as mint and sugar,
On the bottom of a glass or mixer.
Spoons are employed for mixing certain kinds of powder into water to make a sweet or nutritious drink.
A spoon may also be employed to toss ingredients by mixing them lightly until they are well coated with a dressing.
For storage,
Spoons and knives were sometimes placed in paired knife boxes,
Which were often ornate wooden containers with sloping tops,
Used especially during the 18th century.
On the table,
An ornamental utensil called a neff,
Shaped like a ship,
Might hold a napkin,
Knife,
And spoon.
Spoons are mentioned in the Bible,
King James Version.
God in the book of Exodus tells Moses to make for Tabernacle,
Among other things,
Spoons of gold.
The expression,
Born with a silver spoon in his mouth,
Born into privilege,
Formed due to the medieval custom of gifting a baptismal spoon to a child.
Well-to-do families were able to afford spoons made of precious metals.
Spoons can be used as a musical instrument.
To spoon-feed oneself or another can simply mean to feed by means of a spoon.
Metaphorically,
However,
It often means to present something to a person or group so thoroughly or wholeheartedly as to preclude the need for independent thought,
Initiative,
Or self-reliance on the part of the recipient.
Or to present information in a slanted version,
With the intent to preclude questioning or revision.
Someone who accepts passively what has been offered in this way is said to have been spoon-fed.
A spoonful is the amount of material a spoon contains or can contain.
It is used as a standard unit of measure for volume in cooking,
Where it normally signifies a teaspoonful.
It is abbreviated Koch or Kochel from Latin Kochliarum,
A small Roman spoon.
Teaspoonful is often used in a similar way to describe the dosage for over-the-counter medicines.
Dessert spoonful and tablespoonful may also be found in drink and food recipes.
A teaspoon holds about 5 milliliters and a tablespoon about 15 milliliters.
The souvenir spoon generally exists solely as a decorative object,
Commemorating an event,
Place,
Or special date.
For machine-made spoons,
The basic shape is cut out from a sheet of sterling silver,
Nickel-silver alloy,
Or stainless steel.
The bowl is cross-rolled between two pressurized rollers to produce a thinner section.
The handle section is also rolled to produce the width required for the top end.
The blank is then cropped to the required shape,
And two dies are used to apply the pattern to the blank.
The flash is then removed using a linisher,
And the bowl is formed between two dies and bent.
To make a spoon the traditional way by way of hand-forging,
A bar of silver is marked up to the correct proportions for the bowl and handle.
It is then heated until red-hot and held in tongs.
And using the hammer and anvil,
Beaten into shape.
The tip of the bar is pointed to form the tip of the bowl,
Then hammered to form the bowl.
If a heel is to be added,
A section down the center is left thicker.
The edges of the bowl and the tip of the spoon are left thicker,
As this is where most of the thickness is needed.
The handle is then started and hammered out to length,
Going from thick at the neck,
And gradually tapering down in thickness giving a balanced feel.
During this process the piece becomes very hard and has to be annealed several times,
Then worked again until the final shape is achieved.
The bowl is filed to shape,
Often using a metal template.
The bowl is then formed using a tin cake and spoon stake.
The molten tin is poured around the spoon stake and left to harden.
The handle is then bent down to 45 degrees,
And the spoon is hammered into the tin using the spoon stake and a heavy hammer to form the bowl.
The bend in the handle is then adjusted to match the other spoons in the set,
So that it sits correctly on the table.
The bowl is then filed level,
A process called striking off.
The surfaces are filed first with a rough file to remove the fire stain from the surface,
Then with a smooth file.
It is then buffed to remove any file marks and fire stain from inside the bowl,
And is polished to the desired finish.
Both the spork and the sporf are derived from the spoon.
They combine the bowl of the spoon with the tines of the fork,
And with both tines and the cutting edge of the knife respectively.
