SC - Hazardous things in foods-rambling thoughts

[LrdRas at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/11/98 3:01:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
margali at 99main.com writes:

<< Been there, done that! I am a sympathetic upchucker ;-(
  >>

So, to be blunt, what is the whole point of this thread? W have read so far an
urban legend about one improbable death (improbable because of no name or
anyway to identity the case), the citation of some one being stupid with their
allergies while eating a dish that should not have been served at a feast in
the first place and an isolated first hand account of a case of food poisoning
where the stricken had much more in common than eating one food all together
(E.g., what did they share in common earlier in the day.)  To top it off none
of these incidents were traced to undercooked chicken or precooked dishes
which is what we were talking about originally. 

Why is there a bizarre tendency for folks to overreact to isolated and
statistically insignificant events in modern times?  So long as you follow the
same precautions that you use at home when preparing a feast you will run a
risk that is no more nor no less of a possibility in poisoning your feasters
than you would be risking at home feeding your significant other, two year old
child or best friend.

Also I might add in passing that getting sick after a feast is not necessarily
attributable to food poisoning.  I have been deathly ill after a feast or two
and since I was the only one ill, it would have been ludicrous to blame it on
poor sanitation in the kitchen.  Sometimes our individual constitutions just
rebel at certain combinations.  That's a fact of life.  I feel that the diner
has a responsibility to seek immediate medical attention if they are 'ill'
after a feast.  To babble on to those around them about their 'food poisoning'
without actual medical testing is not only harmful to the cook's reputation
but unchivalrous and more than a little dishonorable.

Although food poisoning can and does happen, we must all remember that period
cooking often times utilizes many fresh ingredients and unfamiliar
combinations.  Fresh veggies and under ripe fruits, for instance, can cause
nausea and extreme cramping in those who are unused to eating them.  Remember
Grandma's advice about eating 'green' apples or too many raspberries? 

With the vast amount of garbage that the majority of folks pour down their
gullets on a daily basis I am surprised that there is not more illnesses at
feast merely from consuming good food for a change. ( Denny's, McD's and the
BBQ place come immediately to mind as places that some folks here erroneously
believe serve 'good food.'  I bet we could even find a TGI Friday's fan or two
without any effort.  Campbell's or Stroehman's anyone?).  Believe me.  I am
not a saint in this area but I am willing to call a spade a spade. 

Medical testing is a MUST if you are ill after a feast.  The most common type
of food borne illness is present on anyone's hands at any given moment.  If a
person at your dining table breaks the bread, it is passed to all at that
table.  This does not mean it's the cook's fault.  If all are sick at your
particular table except one (and no one else in the hall is sick), the odds
are pretty high that that person is the carrier.  Not the cook.

BTW, Margali, I have quite a list of things that you 'dislike.' It is
beginning to surpass the lists of 'likes'. :-)

Anyway, sorry for the rambling......

Ras
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