Types of Ladles

The etiquette of the ladling

• Gravy Ladles -These ladles are often small, and generally hold about a few tablespoons of liquid. Many gravy ladles are made to match the gravy boat they accompany. For example, many china sets come with a gravy boat and matching china gravy ladle.
  
  

Gravy ladles can also be made of metal. Some gravy ladles are made from stainless steel, and some stainless steel ladles have gold plating. One example is a stainless gold electroplate gravy ladle. Such a ladle has a sophisticated gold appearance, without the high gold price.

• Crystal Ladles - Crystal ladles are most often used to ladle punch. Like gravy ladles, crystal ladles are often made to match the serving dish they accompany. In the case of crystal punch ladles, the serving dish would be a punch bowl. In addition to a matching punch bowl, crystal ladles also often have matching punch classes.
  
  

These ladle/bowl/glass punch sets can be extremely elegant. Many are finely etched or decorated. Such a ladle/bowl set can add glamour to any gathering, but the price tags will be high. Expect to spend around $500 for a nice crystal punch set.

• Stainless Steel Ladles - Stainless steel ladles are most often found in professional kitchens. These durable ladles come in a wide variety of sizes and are used to stir and serve soups and sauces. These ladles can come with very long handles, allowing for use in large stock pots. Smaller stainless steel ladles are often used in buffets.
  
  

If you are looking to make your home kitchen more professional, you may want to invest in a nice set of stainless steel ladles. They are durable and generally dishwasher safe, and add a professional look to the home kitchen.

• Soup Ladles - For general use in a home kitchen, many people get simple soup ladles. These ladles can be purchased inexpensively in almost any department store's kitchen and home department. Often soup ladles are made from a sturdy plastic material. These ladles can be easily stored in your kitchen utensil drawer.

• Dumpling Ladle - A dumpling ladle is a variation of ladle that looks very different than most ladles. A dumpling ladle has a long handle, but instead of a deep cup at the end, it has a coiled wire. This ladle is meant for scooping cooked dumplings out of a soup or sauce. If you make a lot of dumpling soups, you may want to get a dumpling ladle to make serving the dumplings easier.

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