For 500 years, forks, spoons, and knives have been important tools in Western civilization. And they've served as works of art and status symbols--reflecting changes in diet and etiquette. One example: as table manners evolved, oval spoon bowls were designed to help cut down on slurping. We'll talk to food historian Darra Goldstein, a guest curator for the Cooper-Hewitt’s current exhibit Feeding Desire: Design and the Tools of the Table, 1500–2005. Ms. Goldstein is also the editor-in-chief of Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture.
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