I know the marrow spoon is in safe hands, but it is not in mine. As I await its arrival to our kitchen bone marrow visions dance through my head like those of sugar plums at Christmas. No, not really, but the spoon, its origins, uses and fall from grace keep me focused on bone marrow. I truly enjoy bone marrow, rich and decadent, melting and creamy with flavors of meat. We have approached marrow from many angles: roasted and served in the bone--hence the need for the bone marrow spoon, as a gratin with mustard and lovage crumbs in a split bone, served from a roasted veal shank on grilled bread as a precursor to the shank, gently poached in a kombu tissane then inserted into tuna and presented as a tuna osso bucco, in hollandaise sauce and its derivatives to enrich it, smashed into potatoes in lieu of olive oil. So the spoon is more than a representation of classic cuisine--preparations and presentations. It is culinary flint and steel; it provides inspiration for ideas--it enables us to say yes and continue with our improvisation.