Jason Bradwell's 365/366 Photo a Day Blog

The word fork is derived from the Latin furca, meaning "pitchfork". The fork, as serving utensil, is also mentioned in the Bible, I Samuel 2:13 "The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was boiling, with a fork of three teeth in his hand...".

Before the fork was introduced, Westerners were reliant on the spoon and knife as the only eating utensils. Thus, people would largely eat food with their hands, calling for a common spoon when required. Members of the aristocracy would sometimes be accustomed to manners considered more proper and hold two knives at meals and use them both to cut and transfer food to the mouth, using the spoon for soups and broth.

Who knew there were so many kinds of fork utensils? Beef fork, Berry fork, Carving fork, Cheese fork, Chip fork, Cold meat fork, Crab fork, Dessert fork, Dinner fork, Fish fork, Fondue fork, Knork, Meat fork, Olive fork, Oyster fork, Pastry fork, Pickle fork, Relish fork, Salad fork, Splayd, Spork, Tea fork and Toasting fork.