Appetizer Tray and System

Abstract

A system comprising a tray, utensils, and utensil adapters is disclosed. The tray features a plurality of holes into which customized utensils may be placed vertically, or into which standard utensils fitted to appropriate adapters may be placed vertically. In addition, the tray features one or more recesses, which may contain a sauce or dip, or may contain a serving utensil (itself too large to be placed vertically in a hole while maintaining stability). The system allows the user to serve utensils needed to consume an appetizer course or other food serving in an elegant and efficient manner.

1 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A utensil base comprising:
 a) an insertion member being of a shape compatible with any of a plurality of holes in the first face of a rigid storage tray;   b) said insertion member having a non-inserted portion that extends beyond said hole when said insertion member is inserted into said hole;   c) said insertion member having a flange integrated therein and located at the immediate base of said non-inserted portion: and   d) said flange is short in its axial dimension relative to the overall length of said insertion member;   whereby a utensil attached to said base may be stored on said tray by inserting said base into said hole.   
     
     
         6 . The utensil base of  claim 5  wherein said utensil base is made a part of a utensil. 
     
     
         7 . The utensil base of  claim 5  wherein the exposed face of said non-inserted portion has a hole of a shape compatible with the shape of the base of one or more commonly available utensils. 
     
     
         8 . The utensil base of  claim 5  wherein said utensil base is made of a flexible material. 
     
     
         9 . An appetizer serving system comprising:
 a) a tray having a rigid member, said rigid member having a first face wider and longer than said rigid member's height, said first face having one or more holes penetrating into said rigid member, and said holes being of congruent shape such that a compatibly shaped rigid object may be slid into any of them without preference;   b) and one or more utensil bases, each having an insertion member being of a shape compatible with any of a plurality of holes in the first face of a rigid storage tray, said insertion member having a non-inserted portion that extends beyond said hole when said insertion member is inserted into said hole, said insertion member having a flange integrated therein and located at the immediate base of said non-inserted portion, and said flange is short in its axial dimension relative to the overall length of said insertion member;   whereby one or more utensils attached to said one or more bases may be stored on said tray by inserting said one or more bases into one or more of said holes.   
     
     
         10 . The appetizer serving system of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a) a serving utensil; 
 b) a first recess in said first face of said tray; 
 c) and said first recess being of sufficient size and depth to accommodate said serving utensil. 
 
     
     
         11 . The appetizer serving system of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a) a container; 
 b) a second recess in said first face of said tray; 
 c) and said second recess being of sufficient size and depth to accommodate said container. 
 
     
     
         12 . The appetizer serving system of  claim 9  wherein one or more of said utensil bases is made a part of a utensil. 
     
     
         13 . The appetizer serving system of  claim 9  wherein the exposed face of one or more of said non-inserted portions of said utensil bases has a hole of a shape compatible with the shape of the base of one or more commonly available utensils. 
     
     
         14 . The appetizer serving system of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a) a serving utensil; 
 b) a first recess in said first face of said tray; 
 c) said first recess being of sufficient size and depth to accommodate said serving utensil; 
 d) a container; 
 e) a second recess in said first face of said tray; 
 f) said second recess being of sufficient size and depth to accommodate said container; 
 g) one or more of said utensil bases being made a part of a utensil; 
 h) and one or more of said utensil bases is made of a flexible material.