Don't lick, it's unhygienic!
By shelagh77
@shelagh77 (3643)
April 12, 2007 11:38am CST
When cooking I am a terror for scraping out the last little bit of cake mixture and eating it from the mixing spoon, and I have been doing this since I first licked the spoon when Mum cooked.
Domestic science lessons at school were taken by a wonderfully cultured, elegant lady who never EVER looked as if she had a hair out of place and her favourite little snap all through the lesson was
"Don't lick, it's unhygienic"
I can still her hear her cultured, clipped tones lol.
So, come on now, let's be honest here. Who licks the spoon when they have finished the cake mix, and who is a little saint and pops the bowl and spoon directly into the washing up?
12 people like this
30 responses
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
12 Apr 07
I did it when I was a kid, but I heard recently that it is not good to eat uncooked dough. Don't know where I found out, but it could be the ingredients they put in it. The reason that no one is answering is because many still lick the bowl (and it's not when it is merinque, and they don't want to admit it.
2 people like this
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
22 Sep 07
oh yuk, where did you hear you can get salmonella? Is that from the eggs? I am 50 now and have been licking the bowl and spoon since I was about 3 and so far no illness. Maybe I have been very, very lucky!
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
16 Nov 07
I wasn't a myLot member 8 months ago, or I would have confessed right away, lol. Sure, I lick the bowl, sort of...well, I use a spatula for most of it, but let's get real. Yes! Also since we used to keep chickens on the farm, we had control over the sanitation of the eggs and could thus eat all the raw egg products we wanted and do I ever miss that, especially the eggnog. All year round we used to get a very tall iced glass of milk, beat up 3 homegrown eggs (they were small chickens and therefore tiny eggs), add cinnamon, nutmeg, and a bit of honey, mix it up and glugg it down. Now we are terrorized of the risk of salmonella, and probably rightly so since we don't raise our own chickens anymore.
@dfinster (3528)
• United States
12 Apr 07
I don't think it's humanly possible to not lick the spoon or the beaters when you're baking a cake. It just seems to be something that's absolutely necessary when baking.LOL! My mom is a huge clean freak and she even licks the spoon and still lets the grandkids lick the spoon. I think by doing that the cake will taste better. LOL!
2 people like this
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
12 Nov 07
I don't know if the cake tastes better but it sure a lot more fun, especially if all the family joins in!
@youdontsay (3497)
• United States
13 Apr 07
Yep, I lick the spoon AND the beaters, especially if it is chocolate. I've been known to nibble on pieces of cookie dough, as well.
I think the threat is the raw egg. But I'm not threatened by it. It is such a small amount and people all over the world eat raw eggs. Besides, I've lasted sixty-five years doing it!
If I've got to die, why not die of chocolate!?!
1 person likes this
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
16 Nov 07
Oh yes, chocolate just screams to be licked, doesn't it? I love whipped cream too. I suppose that is one of the reasons people enjoy what I cook, I love food and love to create enjoyable dishes. I do wait until the dish is technically empty (as you say, a moveable point where chocolate is concerned) but I then enjoy the spoon etc as cooks reward :-)
@craftcatcher (3699)
• United States
12 Apr 07
I don't worry about taste testing or licking the spoon if I'm cooking. It's going to be heated to a temperature that would kill any virus or bacteria anyway. If it's something that is also going to be washed right away, I don't see a problem.
The only thing that gets to me is if someone licks a spoon and then sticks it back in the jar to get some more, like peanut butter or mayonnaise. That just grosses me out and that is truely unhealthy and unhygienic. I won't even do it if it's my own jar and no one else is going to use it. Bacteria grows on food and the human mouth has a LOT of bacteria. I only lick the spoon when I've taken that last spoonful I want out of the jar.
Your teacher is just a bit overly sterile.
2 people like this
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
12 Nov 07
Actually she was an absolute battle axe with more eyes than a peacock! All wrapped up in a suit of elegance which had the male teachers falling at her feet lol.
I totally agree about licking and putting the spoon back into jelly etc! Yuk!!! The only thing the spoon goes back into is my mouth until there is no mixture left lololol.
@lightningMD (5931)
• United States
12 Apr 07
Heck yes i lick the spoon.I love raw cake batter and raw cookie dough. Those saints dont know what they are missing.
@rainbow (6761)
•
13 Apr 07
Think of Pooh Bear and Honey - that's me; I lick spoons, rub my finger round the bowl, if I could I'd get my face right in there, especially if there's dark sugar and dried fruit involved, lol.
The kids have the bowl now, cos I'm mum so I just have the spoon, the dog has it when the kids finish.
My mum always had the spoon and I had the bowl, followed by the dog, I don't worry about the egg thing as I never heard of anyone dying of cakemix.
Mum used to give me a lump of fresh yeast to eat when she made bread as it's good for you, but I used dried so my kids don't have that.
It's not hygenienic (couldn't stop spelling that) but at least you know it if tastes bad so you can throw it out, lol.
You remind me of my dad taste testing homecooked food - not sure it's ok can I try another piece - several times, bless him - cake gone, yep it's good.
1 person likes this
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
16 Nov 07
There is going to be one heck of a fight if you try to bake cakes when I visit then :-) Or two sticky ladies with honey and cake mix in their hair lol.
I have never heard of anyone dying of cake mix either but a posting earlier on pointed out that the cake mix has raw egg, which carries a salmonella risk. Guess the dirt in my kitchen kills off the salmonella? No, of course I am kidding, no dirt in my kitchen, can't see floor for boxes lol.
@babyblu1998 (325)
• United States
13 Apr 07
I still lick it, and let the kids. I dont care.. LOL. It hasnt hurt us for this many years, I dont think it will start now.
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
16 Nov 07
I know, I never heard of anyone getting food poisoning in that way either, but that was probably the one thing she said most often. I think she should have had a record made to save her voice lol.
@Sarah1977 (495)
• United States
13 Apr 07
I only lick the spoon if whatever I am making doesn't have eggs in it. Eating raw eggs is very unsafe, since they can contain salmonella, which can make people VERY sick. When I was a kid, there was a boy in my class that ended up in the hospital for months from this illness. If there are no eggs, I not only lick the spoon, but the bowl as well!
1 person likes this
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
16 Nov 07
That is a very good point, and thank you for that. Strange thing is that I am immuno suppressed due to my illness but I have never ever contracted any illness through eggs, either in cake mixture, mayonnaise or mergingue, so I must have good luck to balance out the bad luck of the illness I think. I agree that people who are already ill should be careful and thank you again for that very good advice.
I am still going to be licking that spoon though :-)
@kathy77 (7486)
• Australia
13 Apr 07
Oh I love to lick the desert when after I have put the mixture in the tin I used to also give this to my children to do as well I have to eat that part of my cake mix otherwise I may not get any of the cake as my family love it when I bake a cake.
1 person likes this
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
16 Nov 07
Now, that argument did not count when I was at school as to be honest the mixture tasted a whole lot better than any cake I made and there were no takers. Nowadays though I am a fair cook, and I reckon I can use that reason too :-)
@neenasatine (2841)
• Philippines
13 Apr 07
of course if you are a chef or a cook in a restaurant one of the actions that are prohibited is licking and eating in a mixing spoon...
1 person likes this
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
16 Nov 07
Trust me but try not to think about this too often, you would not believe or want to know what happens in restaurant kitchens! I worked with the Environmental Health Department for a while and I took part in visits to restaurants and eeeeeeeeeeew! I do sometimes eat out but it is more likely to be from a fast food restaurant where I can keep my eyes on the person who is preparing my food :-)
Bon appetit!
@speedy1279 (2665)
• United States
13 Apr 07
Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. It all depends on the mood I am in and if I am being rushed. Then of course sometimes I let my kids lick the bowl and spoon.
1 person likes this
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
16 Nov 07
I must be terrible as I have always licked the spoon! I did allow my niece and nephew their share when I looked after them, but I am afraid I ran my finger round the bowl to get the very last of the mixture. Spot the Big Kid!
@sudeshna22 (390)
• India
13 Apr 07
Cooking should be done always in a healhy manner. It is a bad habit to lick the spoon while using it in coocking. If I have to tase something at the time of cooking, I always use a separate spoon.
1 person likes this
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
16 Nov 07
oh the bowl is licked AFTER the mixture has gone into the baking case and into the oven and before it goes into the washing up bowl :-)
That is excellent advice regarding using a separate spoon for tasting whilst cooking, I do do that, but it is a nice reminder :-)
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
16 Nov 07
I am sure you are often a Saint. Is not wicked to lick, I just think that I am not wasting that last little bit :-)
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
12 Apr 07
Well I don't bake I don't think I can be trusted with it but of course when you bake let me know and I will come and lick it of the Spoon just like I did when my Grandma used to bake, she never caught me doing that lol if she would have it would have been a clip round the ear
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
12 Nov 07
Now, why did I just KNOW you do not bake!
Of course you can come and lick one of the spoons, I share :-)
@Willowlady (10658)
• United States
12 Apr 07
We lick the dough and remains up when the cake is baking. We think it is so good. The kids had to wait until they were teens to do so. Safety was the idea. There are many ways that are old and is not in fashion now. I wonder how we all came to be if what is so dangerous now was commonly done then. Happy Baking!!
1 person likes this
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
22 Sep 07
Well, someone earlier in the discussion thinks the worry may have been regarding salmonella, which I assume would be caused by the eggs, but there are other dishes which actually use raw eggs, so I am sort of hedging here and yes, I am still licking the spoon and bowl.
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
16 Nov 07
I know, and I do wonder if she picked on me because I was already fat. All I know is that my class mates used to stand right behind her making exaggarated licking the spoon heaven faces as they licked quite happily! I learned to keep a straight face very early in life. In fact almost as important a life skill as licking that bowl!
@marlyse (1056)
• Switzerland
13 Apr 07
lol i would like to lick all what i could if my kids would allow that. i am always to late hahaha they love it and wait till im done with all and pinch the spoon and poof all is gone. baking without having a lick is not funny
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
16 Nov 07
Goodness me you are a wonderful Mother! To allow them to do that and not ding their ears (by accident of course, we people with mobility problems are soooooooo clumsy, don't you know lol) with the spoon! Sainthood beckons!
@1983tyler (507)
• United States
12 Apr 07
I love to lick the spoon. How unhygenic can it be if you lick the spoon and then wash the spoon? LOL
1 person likes this
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
16 Nov 07
Exactly so! Now, why did I not have logic like that when I was twelve? Hmmmm come to think of it, what use would that have been to me, she would probably have put ME in the oven!
@shelagh77 (3643)
•
12 Nov 07
Exactly so! What used to annoy me was that all the time "Mrs Do no lick" was watching me everyone else was having a lot of fun licking all the spoons, right behind her back!
