SC - Plastic Ware

[James F. Johnson]

Hi everybody! This is 'Lainie, writing from Seumas' place- hanging out
after the event yesterday (a lovely little feast done by Himself- if I
do say so...)

Anyway, regarding plastic utensils/chopsticks/whatever- I've been
working through more manners books again (and I found a whole one I
didn't know of before- 15th c., Middle English. REALLY COOL- I'm
thinking about rendering it into modern English- *wink* to Stefan- as if
I need another project for the TO-DO pile...).

I got off track again- hmm. Oh, yes- utensils. Because forks are those
silly new-fangled thing from Italy, and I have been reading rules about
keeping yourself and your napery and your hand clean and not allowing
the sauces to drip from your fingers (and because I couldn't find my
favourite threek before the demo Friday night) I did the small meal at
the demo and the feast last night with just a small knife, a spoon for
soup, plate, bowl, goblet. No fork. Nice big napkin, but no fork. I used
my fingers for almost everything, and was thinking the whole time about
not smearing/slurping/dripp, etc. It felt really rather delicate and I
decided it might just be a habit I'll get into. 

Did you know the manners writers felt the need to instruct their readers
specifically to NOT wipe their hands on the cat or dog? Why? Was there a
rash of greasy, gravied pets, I wonder?

'Lainie