NationStates Jolt Archive

Why is society obsessed with these useless tools? This might sound absurd, but give it a little thought. Do we really need ALL that junk? All it does is produce menial washing-up which eats our free time, corrodes our hands and destroys our souls.

I fully understand the need for bowls, plates, spoons and forks when eating messy food. What I don't get is why many of us use fresh plates, cups etc even for foods which produce no residue. Personally, if the beverage is the same, I will use the same cup or other drinking vessel for weeks to save effort. Water, coffee, tea - they don't contaminate the cup. If you refill a coffee mug after a day's disuse, the coffee still tastes the same.

Another thing I can't understand in this day and age is why so many people insist on still using reusable (and thus washing-required) plates and bowls, when recyclable, cheap, effort-free paper equivalents are readily available.

And what's the big taboo about eating out of the pan? I usually do when I'm eating alone - it saves me time, effort and expense - and yet it seems to be held as something uncivilized, crude or inappropriate.

Do you use pointless or redundant culinary equipment? Do you frown on people who don't? Why?

I'm with you! I use paper plates for everything. As for cups, they eventually get nasty, but they certainly don't need washing after every single use.

But when it comes to eating out of the pan when others will be eating the same food, that is yucky. Who wants to eat someone else's saliva residue? Ew! (If everyone has their own pan (or nobody else is going to be eating from the same pan after you), then it's just another leftover piece of social nonsense.)

About the only time I miss ceramic plates is when I have a steak or something else substantial. Then it's nice to have substantial dishes to go with it.

Otherwise, a lot of people just make needless work for themselves throughout their daily lives, for no good or logical reason, and giving themselves extra dishwashing work is just another example of that!

Why is society obsessed with these useless tools? This might sound absurd, but give it a little thought. Do we really need ALL that junk? All it does is produce menial washing-up which eats our free time, corrodes our hands and destroys our souls.

I fully understand the need for bowls, plates, spoons and forks when eating messy food. What I don't get is why many of us use fresh plates, cups etc even for foods which produce no residue. Personally, if the beverage is the same, I will use the same cup or other drinking vessel for weeks to save effort. Water, coffee, tea - they don't contaminate the cup. If you refill a coffee mug after a day's disuse, the coffee still tastes the same.

Another thing I can't understand in this day and age is why so many people insist on still using reusable (and thus washing-required) plates and bowls, when recyclable, cheap, effort-free paper equivalents are readily available.

And what's the big taboo about eating out of the pan? I usually do when I'm eating alone - it saves me time, effort and expense - and yet it seems to be held as something uncivilized, crude or inappropriate.

Do you use pointless or redundant culinary equipment? Do you frown on people who don't? Why?

We wash dishes because nobody really likes food poisoning, or catching someone's cold from the cup they have been using for weeks.

We wash dishes because in the long run it is cheaper to do than to buy paper and plastic for the rest of our lives -- and because some things are too messy/heavy for flimsy disposable dishes.

We wash dishes because it is less strain on the environment -- less plastic and paper production and the pollutants that attend them.

We wash dishes 'cos we're not lazy gits.

But if I'm the only one at home and I've just microwaved soup or mac and cheese, yer darn tootin' I'm eating it straight out of the same bowl. ;)

I use the same cups for the same beverages for days, if not weeks. I am all for the whole paper plate/cups deal, but eventually it gets expensive. Not that expensive, though. And I will eat outta the pan/whatever if I am the only one eating, but I feel gthst if others are to be eating, its kind of gross. Unless you are the last one to taske any, and no one waqnts any more.

Society will finally become civilized, when someone invents completely edible cutlery and plateware. That way, when you're finished your meal, you consume the 'tools' of ingestion when you're finished.

You may think I'm joking, but I've given this a lot of thought...

I'm a huge fan of chopsticks...not the wooden-causing-deforestation-in-Asia kind, but the plastic or metal type. Cut the meat or veggies into bite-sized pieces before you start cooking, and you don't need four knives at the table. I'm also a fan of eating out of the cooking dish...maybe some people think it's unsanitary, but millions of people do it everyday...it's not like you hack onto your eating utensils and then stir it around. Then again, we generally scoop the food onto something like a piece of flatbread and then eat it with our hands, so we're not exactly going hand to mouth from the dish either.

Nonetheless, I still have too many dishes, and wash many, many loads a day. Ah well.

Fergi America']I'm with you! I use paper plates for everything. As for cups, they eventually get nasty, but they certainly don't need washing after every single use.

Excellent! Culinary slackers of the world unite!

Fergi America']
But when it comes to eating out of the pan when others will be eating the same food, that is yucky. Who wants to eat someone else's saliva residue? Ew! (If everyone has their own pan (or nobody else is going to be eating from the same pan after you), then it's just another leftover piece of social nonsense.)

Oh no, I wasn't suggesting eating out of the pan before serving others from said pan. You're completely right though - if everyone just carried a pan of their own out of social custom and abandoned other forms of container, the world (except the pan-making industry) would do less work.

Fergi America']
About the only time I miss ceramic plates is when I have a steak or something else substantial. Then it's nice to have substantial dishes to go with it.

A pan-per-person approach would neutralise the threat of plate-sogginess.

Fergi America']
Otherwise, a lot of people just make needless work for themselves throughout their daily lives, for no good or logical reason, and giving themselves extra dishwashing work is just another example of that!

My point exactly.

Society will finally become civilized, when someone invents completely edible cutlery and plateware. That way, when you're finished your meal, you consume the 'tools' of ingestion when you're finished.

You may think I'm joking, but I've given this a lot of thought...
We used to buy these Asian candies that were wrapped in ricepaper...no garbage, you just ate the paper too.

Society will finally become civilized, when someone invents completely edible cutlery and plateware. That way, when you're finished your meal, you consume the 'tools' of ingestion when you're finished.

You may think I'm joking, but I've given this a lot of thought...

It's a really interesting question pertaining to just what "civilized" is. Solutions like this one might be frowned on as crude, but why are menial, unneccessary tasks considered hallmarks of civilization? The whole point of civilization in the first place was to make our lives easier (not having to fend off the bears so much, having readily available food, etc.)

Society will finally become civilized, when someone invents completely edible cutlery and plateware. That way, when you're finished your meal, you consume the 'tools' of ingestion when you're finished.

You may think I'm joking, but I've given this a lot of thought...


Been done.
In medieval times, the rich sat to table with couples sharing a plate, upon which was placed a flat loaf of bread. This was called a trencher. A hunk of meat was put on the trencher, and with his dagger, the man cut off pieces for himself and the lady seated next to him (forks were not popular yet, they ate with their fingers, and soup and custardy things with a spoon). After dinner, the trenchers were collected, and the uneaten bread plate-liners were given to the poor -- bread now soaked with meat juices. (The rich did not eat the trenchers -- very very low class).

It's a really interesting question pertaining to just what "civilized" is. Solutions like this one might be frowned on as crude, but why are menial, unneccessary tasks considered hallmarks of civilization? The whole point of civilization in the first place was to make our lives easier (not having to fend off the bears so much, having readily available food, etc.)

Exactly! Many restaurants will already serve some types of food in tortilla-style bowls. The tricky part, is the utensils, because some food just demands untensils.

But how? A hard sugary substance, not unlike a candy-cane?

I drink my Champers from glass slippers.

Been done.
In medieval times, the rich sat to table with couples sharing a plate, upon which was placed a flat loaf of bread. This was called a trencher. A hunk of meat was put on the trencher, and with his dagger, the man cut off pieces for himself and the lady seated next to him (forks were not popular yet). After dinner, the trenchers were collected, and the uneaten bread plate-liners were given to the poor -- bread now soaked with meat juices. (The rich did not eat the trenchers -- very very low class).

Some times, I think I was born in the wrong century. I want my meat in a trencher.

Society will finally become civilized, when someone invents completely edible cutlery and plateware. That way, when you're finished your meal, you consume the 'tools' of ingestion when you're finished.

You may think I'm joking, but I've given this a lot of thought...
So have scientists. They made a fruit saranwrap. You'd prolly need to keep it in some tupperware, but the tupperware wouldn't need to be cleaned very often, if at all.

Some times, I think I was born in the wrong century. I want my meat in a trencher.

http://medievalwriting.50megs.com/word/food.htm

Heh, yeah, but a man of fifty was a venerable old man. Most didn't live that long because of diseases and poor nutrition.

http://medievalwriting.50megs.com/word/food.htm

Heh, yeah, but a man of fifty was a venerable old man. Most didn't live that long because of diseases and poor nutrition.

And no rat race, no lawyers, and meat on a trencher... I think we lost our way somewhere...

So have scientists. They made a fruit saranwrap. You'd prolly need to keep it in some tupperware, but the tupperware wouldn't need to be cleaned very often, if at all.

What keeps the fruit saranwrap from going bad, or attracting insects? (Apart from refrigeration I guess...? Nevermind...)

Bacteria starts to grow on food after a few days. Things like orange juice and milk rot too. So if you are anti-clean then you should at least rinse your dishes with water after use. Paper dishes come at the cost of air pollution from the manufacturing.

Because my grandfather was a professional chef and instilled in me a respect for the tools of the trade. You can't do everything with a butterknife. ;)

Society will finally become civilized, when someone invents completely edible cutlery and plateware. That way, when you're finished your meal, you consume the 'tools' of ingestion when you're finished.

You may think I'm joking, but I've given this a lot of thought...

You and many others over the centuries.

Sinuhue]]We used to buy these Asian candies that were wrapped in ricepaper...no garbage, you just ate the paper too.

First time I had that here (back when I was an exchange student), the Japanese students at had a great laugh at me when I tried to peel off the wrapper. :)


Been done.
In medieval times, the rich sat to table with couples sharing a plate, upon which was placed a flat loaf of bread. This was called a trencher. A hunk of meat was put on the trencher, and with his dagger, the man cut off pieces for himself and the lady seated next to him (forks were not popular yet, they ate with their fingers, and soup and custardy things with a spoon). After dinner, the trenchers were collected, and the uneaten bread plate-liners were given to the poor -- bread now soaked with meat juices. (The rich did not eat the trenchers -- very very low class).

Even better - they also made edible proper plates and goblets.

It's a really interesting question pertaining to just what "civilized" is. Solutions like this one might be frowned on as crude, but why are menial, unneccessary tasks considered hallmarks of civilization? The whole point of civilization in the first place was to make our lives easier (not having to fend off the bears so much, having readily available food, etc.)
Exactly! Many restaurants will already serve some types of food in tortilla-style bowls. The tricky part, is the utensils, because some food just demands untensils.

But how? A hard sugary substance, not unlike a candy-cane?

Hehehehe.
The plate in the original query referred to "sugar plate" or

"sugar paste", mundanely called "gum paste." It is a dough-like

substance similar to edible play dough made of finely ground sugar,

a liquid (such as rosewater), gum tragacanth ("gum dragon") and

in period, egg white. The gum and egg white served to strengthen

the mixture which was kneaded until the proper consistency. It's

a rather forgiving material. If you make it too moist, you can

add more ground (powdered) sugar. If too dry, add more liquid.

Virtually any item can be shaped from it. Period sources (Murrell

in 1598 or thereabouts) say that you can use molds, "tin cutters",

knives, or your hands. About two years ago my article on sugar

paste was printed in Tournaments Illuminated. If you want more

specific information, let me know. For novices, using modern gum

paste is the easiest way to practice with this medium. Gum paste

can be found in most cake decorating supply stores.



The plates and goblets made of this material dry hard enough to hold

liquid and don't dissolve. However, Murrell warns about keeping

them away from heat. After the banquet (meaning the dessert course)

the Tudor and Elizabethan diners could toss their dishes and eat the

pieces. The plates could also be colored and decorated.

http://www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-SWEETS/sugar-paste-msg.html
http://www.kal69.dial.pipex.com/shop/pages/285chap9.htm
http://home.comcast.net/~iasmin/mkcc/MKCCfiles/cooksplaydough.html

And if trenchers and sugar paste don't do it for you, there's always the various starch based ware.

http://www.sierraclub.org/sustainable_consumption/articles/eat_your_plates.asp


Because my grandfather was a professional chef and instilled in me a respect for the tools of the trade. You can't do everything with a butterknife.

Bingo.

Society will finally become civilized, when someone invents completely edible cutlery and plateware. That way, when you're finished your meal, you consume the 'tools' of ingestion when you're finished.

You may think I'm joking, but I've given this a lot of thought...

Check out Ethiopian cuisine. It basically revolves around this grey pancake-like bread called injera. The food is served on a round of injera and you rip off pieces of injera to pick up the food and eat it. Not much to look at, but tastes very good.

Check out Ethiopian cuisine. It basically revolves around this grey pancake-like bread called injera. The food is served on a round of injera and you rip off pieces of injera to pick up the food and eat it. Not much to look at, but tastes very good.

Similar to naan, pita, and various other flatbreads.

A lot of what is used in the kitchen is necessary if you want to eat good food.

A few different knives, some different sizes of pots and pans, heat diffuser, mixer,&c &c

Similar to naan, pita, and various other flatbreads.
Well, sort of, but I think injera is not quite in the same genre of flatbreads, based on texture and the manufacturing process. It would be more related to pancakes or crepes than pita or naan.

Well, sort of, but I think injera is not quite in the same genre of flatbreads, based on texture and the manufacturing process. It would be more related to pancakes or crepes than pita or naan.


Yeah, its much more spongey than either pita or naan.

Because my grandfather was a professional chef and instilled in me a respect for the tools of the trade. You can't do everything with a butterknife. ;)


Give me your All Clad, your Heinkels, your Sabatier, yearning to be mine... ;)