Sanitation Is An Eye-Opener

So, along with my kitchen hours, I'm taking a class titled "Sanitation." As you might expect, the goal of the course is to get readers to set high food safety standards, whether they're employees in a fast-food chain, future bakers like myself, or managers of five-star restaurants.

We're only a week into the course, but already I'm disgusted. Yes, by those pesky microorganisms that cause food borne illnesses. But mostly by the examples of personal hygiene no-nos that lead to cross-contamination.

Can you say "Keep Your Feces to Yourself!"?

Just one example: in a video snippet, we watched a waiter slip his hand inside his pants to scratch himself. He then resumed filling glasses with ice at the soda machine. Ewwwww!  

But there are also the people who pick/blow their nose, scratch their zits, or run their fingers through their hair.

I didn't realize just how much the info is seeping into my personal kitchen practices -- until tonight, when I licked my finger after cutting fresh peaches. Instinctively I froze, my finger still in my mouth. At my expression, my husband bust out laughing. 

"Don't worry," he said, wickedly. "I won't tell anyone!" 

Yeah, right. 

I bet he's installed a hidden camera in our kitchen, so he can upload "SHERI'S SANITATION NO-NOS!!" on YouTube.