Serving Bowls

Serving bowls in porcelain, ceramic, wood and plastic — salad, fruit and pedestal forms, from a single side dish to 74 oz.

How big should a serving bowl be?

Anything above about 10 in across or 60 oz is a serving bowl rather than a personal one. For a table of six a single large bowl works better than two medium ones: salad tossed in a deep bowl stays dressed, where a shallow one spills it over the rim the moment it is turned.

What is a pedestal bowl for?

Being left out. A footed or pedestal bowl reads as an object on a table or a counter even when empty, which is the test a fruit bowl has to pass since it lives permanently in view. A stacked bowl in a cupboard does not.

Which material for which food?

Ceramic and porcelain for anything wet, hot or acidic, and they go in a dishwasher. Wood is better for bread and dry snacks and must never soak. Break-resistant plastic is the right answer outdoors and at a party, where a dropped glass bowl ends the evening.