PREPPING FOR THE HOLIDAYS

NOVEMBER FIFTH

HELPFUL HINTS AND TIPS

'THOU SHALT NOT STEAL'  but I did.

Continuing with Flatware care this fine day.   

Choices are:

STERLING SILVER

SILVER-PLATED FLATWARE

GOLD ELECTROPLATED FLATWARE

STAINLESS FLATWARE

The 1973 BHG book I'm looking through doesn't mention plastic ware to use and of course most just throw these away after use.  The CARE is in disposing of the trash.  CONFESSION TIME FOR ME.  When I was about 5 years old I saw brightly multi- colored plastic ware in a box for the first time and thought the primary colored spoons were JUST OUT OF THIS WORLD PRETTY soooooooo I took the box of brightly colored plastic ware and quietly placed in my coat pocket on that COLD WINTERY DAY.  

I thought it was alright to take what I saw.  Didn't even THINK, no harm done.  I didn't have a clue what I was doing was wrong.  I was 5.  That NAME IT--CLAIM IT philosophy that WORD OF FAITHERS practice didn't come to mind when I did this at 5.  I saw.  I liked.  I wanted.  I took.  I conquered.  

ALL MINE except I made the mistake of showing my Sister what I had taken.  Look what I have!  I was so proud of my self.  For some reason Sister got puffed up and tattled on me to my Mom as we were loading up in the car parked outside of the Grocery Store named IDEAL.  It was an ideal idea to take what wasn't mine and enjoy my spoils of the day, but my Sister SPOILED THAT for me.  She told OUR MOMMA what I had in my coat pocket and the GIG was up.

Mom walked me back into the store and told the Manager what I had done.

It was really HARD for me to pull the pretties out of my coat pocket and give my spoils to this total stranger that seemed to stand 10 ' tall.  THIS DID LEAVE AN IMPRESSION.  He was very nice to me as I admitted pulling off the HEIST OF THE DECADE.  Never again would I steal brightly colored plastic flatware.  NEVAH.  It doesn't matter how purdee they are...it's territory I don't wonder in.  

These days I mostly prefer clear plastic that looks like crystal.  grins.  I pay.      


Back to the 1973 book.

WASHING/CLEANING FLATWARE
All flatware  should be washed, rinsed in hot water, and dried quickly after use in order to retain its luster.  The amount of care that is needed to preserve the beauty of your flatware depends primarily on the metal you select.


STERLING SILVER requires the most care, but if you use it frequently --every day if you wish--it will need polishing less often.  If you have a large service and use it for only two or three people, rotate the pieces so each piece is used and washed every few days.  Wash or rinse the silver as soon as possible after meals, as numerous foods cause tarnish when the silver remains unwashed for a period of time.

If you wash your sterling silver by hand, don't overload the dishpan.  All types of metals are susceptible to scratches, and in most cases, this is the result of overcrowding the pieces.  Don't be dis courage if you notice some fine scratches on your sterling.  These are most conspicuous when the silver is new.  Eventually, polishing will blend them so the luster, or patina, resembles that of old silver.

Choose a good silver polish, and use lengthwise, never circular, strokes when you are using it.  Keep your sterling away from salt and anything made of rubber.  Either one can permanently deface silver.

SILVER-PLATED FLATWARE has an outer surface of silver, so it requires the same treatment you give fine sterling.

****************************************

OH MY GOODNESS....aren't these purdee!

Please don't tell my Momma.  

Thanks for stopping by.

God bless you.

MAKING HOME A PRIORITY

one day at a time,

d