Use the Good China

I was listening to NPR this morning and they did a report about the fact that foods taste better if you eat them off silver and china. Researchers have been studying how “cutlery, dishes and other inedible accoutrements to a meal” can alter our perceptions of taste. I’ve said this for ages.

When I moved two years ago, I made the decision to use all of “the good stuff”. I was given beautiful Royal Copenhagen china, William Yeoward glassware and Kings patterned silverware when I returned from the UK, mainly because my brother-in-law felt sorry for me because I didn’t have china, silver or glassware. I kept it packed away for the first few years after I returned, but then decided that was stupid, and I should use it.

So I do. Everything but the silver, which sort of scares me. The knives are more than 12 inches long and sharp as swords. I use my beautiful French Ivory silverware, including the gorgeous spoons that the lovely “House of Beauty & Culture” had made for me. Everything I eat with those spoons tastes better, all because I know those spoons were made for me with love. You can read the story of the spoons here.

I have oodles of linen napkins, which I use all of the time. Since I generally paid about 50¢ a piece for the napkins, I don’t worry too much if they get stained. I don’t bother ironing them, I just hang them on the clothesline to dry them and then fold them. Even if I am just having a simple supper of pasta and pesto, or just a bowl of yoghurt with fresh berries, I use the good china and silver.

Do you use your “good stuff” every day? If you don’t, why not?

Related product you might see: