Does anyone recognise the term 'fruit saucer'?

Question

My Dad calls a dessert dish a fruit saucer, and I know of no one else who does. Do you recognise it, and if so, whereabout is the term used?

Answer 1

Just try looking it up on Google and you'll find that all the best manufacturers are making and selling these on a world-wide basis -- Wedgwood, Flora Danica..you name them and they're right there in the market, selling fruit saucers in a wide range of designs and materials. But before the fruit saucer came something known as the saucer dish. This was a term used in the 18th century and before and the illustrations I have seen make them ideal for serving fruit.

I think that the term "fruit saucer" is still used in the United States on the strength of this entry in a catalogue of a museum shop:

"Charming cup with double intertwined handle comes with a nice deep saucer (deep enough to be used separately as a fruit saucer)."


All in all, your Dad is a very refined, fashionable sort of man and you should try to emulate him!

Answer 2

It is used for fine china - they call that piece a fruit saucer, or sometimes a fruit dish. If it is an everyday pattern they call it a dessert dish. The reason being that you are supposed to serve fruit in it at a fancy dinner party. I have 12 of them in my china pattern, despite my husband's protests.

Answer 3

This might just be something that your Dad and his family said. I could say that it might simply have derived from the fact that people used to have fruit for dessert if they had dessert, and a saucer is a small plate.

Answer 4

A small (5 - 6 inch) shallow bowl. Used when one is refering to a dish used for holding desserts or fruits.

Answer 5

No, why not just ask your dad where it came from ?

Answer 6

Since I don't cook, I don't recognize it at all.

Sorry!