Whenever I am dining out with others and the server brings over a shared dish for dipping, this catchy little tune comes to mind. The song is appropriately titled, "Da' Dip." And while I am sure this is not what recording artist Freak Nasty had in mind; wellll, it sort of kinda fits here, too. That is, it IS a dip...and double dipping is nasty, right? (Okay, I'm stretching it here - I know, but hear me out.)
Surely, I'm not the only one.
Curious to know the impact of double dipping from a health perspective, a group of undergrads at Clemson University conducted a study in 2009. The group concluded the amount of bacteria increased significantly, after transferring a chip back and forth when double dipping. I mean, it went from zero bacteria to about five times that! I kid you not, read it for yourself here.
Not only does that make it unsanitary, it also display bad manners.
Surely, it's not just me that feels this way. Check out this old clip from a Seinfeld episode where the character, George, is caught in the act of double-dipping.
A few summers back, I was fortunate to attend a conference in Atlanta, Georgia as part of a group from Columbia College (SC). The diversity of our group was not only within backgrounds, age differences, and culture - it was also present in our dining choices. While dining at a local downtown Atlanta eatery, I ordered the spinach dip as an appetizer. Of course, I offered to share. Sooo, to double dip or naw? Was there really any truth to the Clemson study?
Some say it may not necessarily be true about the 'double dip.' After all, think about how many people sneeze, burp, and dispose of other little pesky germs on a day to day basis. We come in contact with them just in passing; yet, we don't always end up sick.
Hmmm.
Nonetheless, when you hear me say, "Bless you", while passing a double-dipper that just happened to sneeze at the refreshment table, know that I'm not just talking about their cold. No, ma'm and no, sir - I'm talking about the poor soul that's coming behind them to unknowingly dig in on the tainted dip. Geesh.
So here's how to do it:
When being served in restaurants and the meal includes a shared bowl of edibles, like salsa, spinach dip, or oil for your bread - ask the server to bring extra saucers.
Do not, I repeat, do not...' hog' the entire bowl of dip or oil! No matter how good it is, unless you ordered it specifically for yourself (and you don't plan on sharing) - do not drag that bowl or saucer in front of you to stay.
If attending social gatherings like parties, meetings, or potluck luncheons at work - spoon the dip or shared edible onto your plate and dip from there.
If available, use the utensil set aside specifically by the host for the shared item (not the one you've already used to sample something else on your plate).
Finally, if you happen to see some Seinfield George's at your next party, and someone puts on the song "Da' Dip" by Freak Nasty - move awayyyy from the food. 'Cause when they dip, you dip - I dip...out, the door! Sincerely,
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