Eat on the Good Dishes

My New Year’s resolution is to eat more often on the good dishes. Specifically, to use my china or “nice” dishes at least once a month.

Growing up we ate Sunday dinner on my mom’s china each week. Her cousin purchased her china in the 1950’s while out of the country serving in the military. The brand is Noritake and the pattern is a gray background with soft pink flowers. The plates made Sunday dinner special, no matter what the meal contained. My mom’s philosophy was good things are to be used and enjoyed, not just placed on a shelf. As a teenager my parents gave me a set of china. Like my mom’s it is Noritake (probably because my mom liked hers so much). The pattern is white flowers on a white background, with a sliver trim. I rarely use them, in fact they are in a box in the closet. For Christmas this year, my parents gave me a set of Blue Willow patterned dishes. My initial thought was to store them next to my china in the closet, but then I thought – you need to eat on the good dishes. So, I made a spot for the in the kitchen cabinet for them, right next to the everyday dishes.
 
We eat for reasons beyond nutrients. Food touches each of our senses:

• smell – the aroma of food brings memories and is an integral part of the eating experience,
• taste – duh,
• hearing – think of the crunch of crispy chips or snap of a carrot,
• touch – your hands pulling apart a soft dinner roll or holding a cob of corn, and
• sight – beautiful food is more appealing. And. . . beautiful dishes add to the visual appeal.

 
So, here’s to using my new Blue Willow pattern dishes I got for Christmas. #eatonthegooddishes