Stainless or Sterling?

[Dreamgoddess]

Which flatware do you prefer? Which do you use most often?

I use stainless simply because I don't have a set of sterling flatware. Wish I did! I have some odd, mostly serving, pieces of sterling that I've bought...but that's about it.

[Chef Cindee, CA]

Hi DG! We use our sterling (DuBarry, Interbational) most of the time now that we are empty-nesters. We use the good china too : )

Chef Cindee, CA

[Dreamgoddess]

One day, when all of my children are gone...maybe I can afford to buy a set of sterling.

[Zurie]

Let me tell you, if you can bear a long post, a sad story ...

My in-laws bought themselves (about a million years ago; they passed away long ago) a 12-piece of EVERYTHING, solid sterling silver in Canada. Beautiful: every piece of flatware you can imagine.

The years passed. They were people who moved in "high circles", and they entertained often. The silverware glimmered ...

My MIL, with 2 daughters-in-law and a much-spoiled daughter, always said: "Every 'daughter' will get her share."

So, at a late age, they went to Canada again, and re-ordered the identical set -- 6 of each this time. This new sterling silver cache was given to their own daughter -- by that time living in Louisiana, and an American citizen.

MIL said to us: "Oh, it was easier than getting it into South Africa." (Fine, I see the point).

MIL died in 1986. FIL kept the silverware, (sentimentality) never to be used again. Being wealthy, he still had 2 trusted (and dare I say, beloved) "helps" -- a cook and a gardener.

One day, with an in-law cousin, we decided to unpack the 12-piece silverware.

My g**** .... so much was gone!!! Just missing!!!!

So, silently, knives and forks and spoons, etc. had been stolen ... maybe sold to a dicey jeweller to melt down ... We had a suspicion it was the gardener, who doubled as a house help!

We never directly confronted our FIL, just told him about the outright theft. No-one knows to this day who stole it.

POINT IS: my co-sister-in-law and I should each have had a full, wonderful 6-of-each set of solid silver flatware. It's amazing what it consisted of. There were things like teaspoons and smaller coffee spoons, fish knives and forks, soup spoons, dessert spoons, cake lifters, small cake spoons (or whatever they're called) ... all those little extras.

I am left with a "fractured" set which I cannot use because of all the missing items.

LESSON: My darling FIL would not let his wife's silver go to his daughters-in-law. He never, ever had use for it after her death, but kept it! He died only in 1998.

IF he'd given us each our 6-of-each set after her death, nothing would have been stolen, and we'd have been able to lay a great table for 6!!!

And my sister-in-law happily has her whole set ....

[Contest & Event Host]

We use stainless steel for the most part. It is a good Henckel set and feels great in my hands. My MIL gave me her Sterling Silver for 8 five years ago when she moved in to a nursing home. It isn't used often... Christmas, family birthdays and the like but I get a warm feeling everytime we do use it.

Bummer about the theft of your FIL's set Zurie. I vowed years ago that I would not keep anything I don't use. Such a waste!

[Dreamgoddess]

Zurie, how awful that some of your set was stolen! If he wasn't going to use the sterling, why couldn't your FIL have gone ahead and given it to you earlier???

Do you know the name of the pattern and who made it? I would love to see what it looks like. I visit many antique shops and flea markets and always see lots of silver...you never know, I might come across your pattern one day.

K-9, how wonderful that you have her sterling! I bet you have great memories each time you use it.

Drat it, I wish my MIL had a set of sterling...she only has stainless though.

[Kim D.]

I use stainless because that is all I have. But I would love to have some sterling maybe someday... when the kids are grown and on their own.

However, since I mostly entertain the family (a large family), I probably could never afford enought pieces for what I would need. DH and I would have to use it when eating my ourselves.

[Dreamgoddess]

Kim, I know what you mean...I could never afford to buy enough place settings for my family either.

[ssahls]

What a heartbreaking story to read. From the FIL letting that beautiful silverware lay dormant then not sharing it -- to it getting STOLEN! So, so sorry to hear about that.

I don't have silverware but am very pleased with my two sets of stainless, one is Yamazaki Carouselle (gold accent) which is getting discontinued as we speak and an all-gold Towle set for which I don't know the pattern name.

I don't put the gold flatware in the dishwasher so it's easier to use the Yamazaki but I only have 8 place settings of that and probably 16 of the Towle.

[racrgal]

I am a HUGE fan of Yamazaki flatware. My pattern is gold cache' http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/yamazaki-flatware-cache-gold-accent-5-piece-place-setting?ID=644767&cm_mmc=Google_Feed_pla_pe-_-adtype-pla-_-target-19586772875-_-kw-&gclid=CNygrfeHqa8CFQ1jhwod8EOyYg It is used daily, goes in the dishwasher and looks as lovely as the day it was purchased.

[Tammi*]

I use stainless also. Easier to take care of. Sterling is very beautiful thou! Sterling would be nice to use for the holidays.