courtesy of concept ultra studio
Bowled over
Nothing beats a bowl for portability and versatility
Although bowls have long been a fixture in households worldwide, they were embraced as vessels of comfort and familiarity while people sheltered in place during the pandemic.
And bowls have become go-to menu items in restaurants, including café au lait in a bowl (convenient for dipping a croissant or pastry), one-dish bowl meals (see “One and done”) and even dessert bowls.
“A wide, shallow bowl can better frame the food than a flat plate. Plating, including the physical plate, is just as important as how the food tastes,” says food writer Lizzy Briskin. “Chefs aim to add height and depth to their plates, and a bowl is a nice way to do this. It draws your eye inward toward the meal. Plus, bowls can hold any sauces, broths or liquids in the dish without spills.”
“Dinner bowls, and bowls in general, have started to replace plates,” says Costco member Keith Morrison, president and co-owner of Signature Housewares, a Costco supplier. “I think the dinner bowl is following the eating habits of younger [Canadians] who often don’t eat a [traditional] meal.”
The varied curves and styles of bowls can be a part of any decor. Buy unique bowls separately, or purchase them as part of matching dinner sets. Colourful towers of bowls offer playful and functional design opportunities in kitchens and dining rooms.
“[Many] meals are eaten in front of a TV, iPad or work desk,” says Joe Derochowski, home industry adviser for The NPD Group, a market research company. “Bowls offer portability and the ability to eat in these situations— and make these moments less messy.”
Cakes in a bowl
Bowl cakes are a twist on the mug cake, a grab-and-go microwaveable dessert for one. Bowl cakes can range from a single-serve version microwaved in a cereal bowl to a party cake baked in a mixing bowl. Try making your favourite mug cake recipe in a microwaveable bowl. Serve with ice cream, whipped cream, hot fudge or any other topping.
Costco Connection: Bowls (such as (Item 1609656) and a wide variety of dinnerware and flatware are available in Costco warehouses and at Costco.ca.