forks

You may have noticed that a fork nearly always has four tines, or prongs, on it. In the several times a day you use this eating utensil, have you ever wondered how it came to look the way it does today?

This wasn't always the case. The fork actually started out in Western Europe as an agricultural tool, eventually evolving to become a kitchenware in the 1500s. Back then, early versions only contained two tines. But according to Bill Bryson, author of the book At Home, two-tined forks caused a lot of pain to diners who accidentally jarred themselves, perhaps after one too many tipples.

To rectify this problem, fork makers experimented with a greater number of tines, but ultimately settled on four as the most comfortable for diners.

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Here's a post from OnSugar blog Think Magazine:

Forks and knives as furniture. I know, it's not the first thought that comes to mind, but considering the amount of forks and knives being thrown away for various reasons, it would make sense to use discarded utensils for furniture. Osian Batyka-Williams certainly saw a solution for our discards and decided to create interior conversation starters for the eclectic collector.

Made entirely of, well, forks and knives, this chair is a quirky example of 21st century design and a great reason for why reusing should be the first choice before recycling. Now, it's not an inexpensive piece, but as previously mentioned it is a conversation starter for someone who has a great studio space or an open plan house where it would be shown off beautifully. Available through Duffy London, you can also view other pieces by a designer we're interested in watching.

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Considering that everyone — Sugar included! — is getting caught up in the hype surrounding the Twilight series, it comes as no surprise that one couple, Annette and Tim Root of Forks, WA, have decided to launch a Twilight-themed restaurant in the town where the books are set.

Although the family-style eatery will be named Volterra, after the Italian city where the Volturi law-enforcing vampires live, the cuisine won't be Italian. Instead it will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a focus on steak and seafood. The couple hopes to debut their themed restaurant, complete with bar area, early next Spring.

Since I enjoyed the first two books and found the movie hysterically entertaining, I think the idea of a restaurant sounds fun. How about you? Would you be interested in eating at a Twilight establishment?