Setting the table for soup can be a daunting task. You have seen it on television… everyone is seated at the long dining table while servants move around serving the soup to each person. Most of us do not have that luxury. So, how do we handle serving soup without servants?
Tureens are most often used for serving. This is a large pot usually constructed of china or ceramic. A nice looking kettle will work, too. It can be a challenge to serve the soup from the table, however. Careful it can easily slop onto the tablecloth while ladling it into bowls.
You could set the tureen in front of the person who will serve it. Someone else can set the full bowls in front of each diner. However, even moving full bowls can be asking for disaster occasionally. It is tricky! Then there is the subject of bowls. What kind of bowls do you use? Should certain bowls only be used with certain kinds of soup?
Cream verities are often shown in flat bowls with wide rims. These bowls are also useful for pasta or salad. The large surface area helps the soup cool off faster than a narrow bowl would. Consomm and other clear soups also look nice in these bowls.
Wide soup bowls are similar to rimmed bowls but the surface area for your soup is even wider. They are elegant for a formal meal. The wide edge displays the soup in the center nicely, making it a focal point for the diner. This bowl is perfect for pureed or clear soups, and semi-liquid foods.
Coupe bowls have no pronounced rim. This type is seen in many sets of stoneware, Corelle, and ceramic dishes. They are excellent soup bowls, especially in more casual meals. Perfect for a casual lunch, these bowls can be found in all sizes and shapes. Unusual shapes can make your soup presentation more fun.
Soup and saucer bowls often have two handles on each bowl. They look elegant with almost any soup, and are most often found in 5-piece place settings. They may be simple or more ornate, depending on the pattern. These bowls are perfect for a more formal occasion and lend themselves well to bisques and creamed soups.
An onion soup bowl set will most frequently be made of lugged bowls. This type of bowl has a small handle on one side. They are usually sturdy and able to be used in the oven, which works perfectly for French onion. These bowls are also often used for stew or chili.
Learning what bowl to use for which occasion or which soup will help you make wonderful table settings. While it takes effort to learn about them all and collect them, you do not have to have them all at once. Start with your favorites and work your way from there. If you do not have a lot of storage for dishes, select one or two styles that suit you best and are versatile.
You cannot get decent French onion soup out of a can. It must be made from scratch. Onion soup is a dish that should be savored. The sweetness of the onions complement the richness of the beef broth. Topped with cheese and bread, this is a dish that will not soon be forgotten.