Saucers

[Stephen Tashiro]

It's interesting to watch how items that were once common gradually move to oblivion. Before they get to oblivion, there is a stage where you can get them but they aren't commonly available. Fly paper would be a good example. Another example would be the insubstantial 16 lb "typing paper" which was once the only non-ruled white paper available in many stores. Now all you find is 20 lb printer papers.

I don't think saucers have reached the scarcity of fly paper, but I was surprised when I went shopping for some. I went to the local Kmart (since it's nearer than Walmart or Target). Once upon a time, the Kmart had all sorts of sets of china. Now they have a much smaller selection. The selections they have are what I would term "modern". They have plates, salad plates and cups but no saucers. The same was true for the display that sold individual pieces of china. On the way home, I stopped at a Family Dollar store. The young employee there didn't know what I meant by "saucer". He thought it was the same as "coaster". The store didn't have saucers.

Perhaps the decline of saucers is due to the decline (or improvement, depending on one's point of view) of furniture. A saucer is a very substantial coaster, but you don't need such a thing to use on a plastic surface. The only reason I wanted a saucer was for use as a cat plate. I know I can find saucers for sale, but I think they are on the decline.

[Whit AndersonIL]

I make my own saucers of wood. Actually I start off making bowls, but through the magic of design transformation, some of my bowls end up as saucers. : ^ )

--Whit

[Van Huskey]

Interestingly, tea is drunk from the saucer in some cultures...

[Belinda Barfield]

The average person doesn't drink coffee or tea from a cup anymore, therefore no requirement for a saucer. With the popularity of mugs, and travel mugs, the saucer will probably eventually go the way of fly paper. Although, fine china producers still offer saucers for standard tea and coffee cups, as well as espresso/demitasse saucers. I just completed a containment unit for both, as well as for the creamer and sugar bowl. When was the last time you saw a sugar bowl?

[Paul Saffold]

I guess I'd better not break my sugar bowl that I use every day.

[Stephen Tashiro]

The average person doesn't drink coffee or tea from a cup anymore, therefore no requirement for a saucer. With the popularity of mugs, and travel mugs, the saucer will probably eventually go the way of fly paper.

Until you mentioned that, I hadn't though about the distinction between a "cup" and a "mug". I drink coffee from a cylindrical piece of china that doesn't taper toward the base. It isn't huge, so I don't call it a "mug", but perhaps I should. I hardly ever drink anything (even tea) from a "tea cup", which does taper toward the base. Perhaps with tea cups, you need a saucer as a resting place for the small base of the cup.

[Brian Elfert]

I bought a set of Corelle about 14 years ago. It included some larger coffee/tea cups and saucers. I don't don't drink coffee or tea so they have never been used.

[Belinda Barfield]

Until you mentioned that, I hadn't though about the distinction between a "cup" and a "mug". I drink coffee from a cylindrical piece of china that doesn't taper toward the base. It isn't huge, so I don't call it a "mug", but perhaps I should. I hardly ever drink anything (even tea) from a "tea cup", which does taper toward the base. Perhaps with tea cups, you need a saucer as a resting place for the small base of the cup.

FYI http://www.etiquettescholar.com/dining_etiquette/table_setting/place_setting/dinnerware/cups.html

Cups are made in seven sizes.

[Stephen Tashiro]

FYI http://www.etiquettescholar.com/dining_etiquette/table_setting/place_setting/dinnerware/cups.html

Cups are made in seven sizes.

According to that, I drink coffee from a "coffee cup" (so you shouldn't have said that the average person people doesn't drink coffee from a cup anymore - but the basic idea is correct: saucers aren't needed for "coffee cups").

A digression: One thing that has always bothered me about "measuring cups" is that when I measure a volume like 1/4 cup, I find it to be different between different measuring cups. The Wikipedia article on "Cup(unit)" says



There is no internationally-agreed standard definition of the cup, whose modern volume ranges between 200 and 284 millilitres (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millilitre).[nb 1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cup_%28unit%29#cite_note-0) In some countries, there is no formal definition at all of how much 1 cup is; for example, in German recipes it will simply refer to an amount that roughly fits into a typical teacup. The cup sizes generally used in Commonwealth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth) countries and the United States differ by up to 44 mL (1.5 fl oz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluid_ounce)).

[Belinda Barfield]

According to that, I drink coffee from a "coffee cup" (so you shouldn't have said that the average person people doesn't drink coffee from a cup anymore - but the basic idea is correct: saucers aren't needed for "coffee cups").


I stand corrected. I did indeed misspeak, in my tiny brain if it has straight sides it is a mug.

[Michael Weber]

Technically, you may be looking for a "bread and butter plate" rather than a sauser. Unless of course you need the small depression or ridge in the center designed to fit the cups base. Amazing what pieces of information one picks up:rolleyes:. My wife has three sets of china, the first of which we started buying before we were married 40 years ago. Seemed important to her at the time.:D

[Jim Rimmer]

I stand corrected. I did indeed misspeak, in my tiny brain if it has straight sides it is a mug.
The British refer to that as a beaker. :)

Without saucers I will not be able to cool my coffee the way my great grnadmother taught me. "Saucer and blow your coffee."

[Kevin Bourque]

I live in an area with a high number of Amish families.
They still use all the old stuff that has fallen into disuse in modern society.
Buggy whips, lanterns, butter churns,straw hats, horse drawn plows, obscure hand tools, hay rakes,etc....and I'm assuming flypaper and saucers.

I can remember a time when a fancy dinner meant 3 forks, 2 knives, 2 spoons,......I still can't tell them apart.:)

[Belinda Barfield]

I can remember a time when a fancy dinner meant 3 forks, 2 knives, 2 spoons,......I still can't tell them apart.:)


236710

It's easy, they're different sizes. :D

[John C Lawson]

...I can remember a time when a fancy dinner meant 3 forks, 2 knives, 2 spoons,......I still can't tell them apart.:)

You don't need to, the person who sets the table does. You just work in from the outside. (Or top down if the spoons are up there.)

[Van Huskey]

I can remember a time when a fancy dinner meant 3 forks, 2 knives, 2 spoons,......I still can't tell them apart.:)

Outside in will get you through most situations.

[anthony wall]

a plastic mug is what the brits call a beaker
The British refer to that as a beaker. :)

Without saucers I will not be able to cool my coffee the way my great grnadmother taught me. "Saucer and blow your coffee."