cuchara

Cuchara is a utensil consisting of a small, shallow bowl attached to a handle, designed for scooping, lifting, and eating food. It is one of the most common eating and cooking implements worldwide, available in many sizes and forms to suit soups, cereals, desserts, and sauces, as well as for measuring ingredients in kitchens.

The term cuchara is of Spanish origin. Its exact origin is not definitively established; some linguistic sources connect it with Latin roots referring to shell-like shapes, reflecting the utensil’s curved form.

Common variations include la cuchara sopera (soup spoon), la cuchara de postre (dessert spoon), and la cucharita or cucharilla (teaspoon). In cooking, there are larger spoons such as el cucharón (ladle) and cucharas de cocina for stirring and serving. Spoons are made of materials such as stainless steel, silver, silicone, wood, ceramic, or plastic, with designs ranging from plain to highly decorative.

Design and care vary by material. Stainless steel spoons are durable and widely used in households and restaurants; wooden spoons are favored for cooking but require drying after use; silver spoons are common in formal or ceremonial settings; ceramic and plastic variants may be decorative or specialized for serving.

In many Spanish-speaking contexts, the terms cucharada and cucharadita also denote customary measures in recipes. A cucharada roughly equals 15 milliliters and a cucharadita about 5 milliliters, though exact volumes depend on the spoon size and regional practices.