Does This Mean We Should Worry About The Olives In Our Martinis?
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeye8wnBJoU

But seriously - for those of us still under chemo/ with lower inmune systems....this can be deadly stuff.

Hugs,
Jean

Thanks for the reminder
 

Perhaps some restaurants or bars don't even bother to wash the lemons/limes.

When we had a restaurant we had TONGS in the trays of garnishes in the bar and the pantry staff wore gloves. Little things to notice when you are out having a drink. Never hurts to peek into the kitchen!

No way anything else was cut on a meat/fish board!

We never had a health code violation. We had thermometers in every cold box so knew things were at the right temp.

What a perfect excuse- just have neat alcohol.

I also heard that melon skins are really teeming with bacteria.

As a waitress for many years, I can tell you that I was disgusted to learn how lazy many other foodservers/bussers I worked with were about food cleanliness, etc. Knowing what I know, I became very finicky about what restaurants I ate in or what I ate in those restaurants once I started chemo. As a waitress, I always washed the lemons and limes before I cut them, but I promise that most food workers don't. I never drop the lemon in my tea at a restaurant...

As a bartender, I was always mortified by the olive jars, and how little interest or energy was put into caring for the way they were stored, or how old they were.... same with the marischino cherries.

I don't remember the tomatoes being washed by the kitchen before cutting and adding to salads, same with cucumbers or anything with an edible peel that was cut and readily served. Lots to think about!

This thread just reminded me of something. In all of my vehicles, I carry a bottle of hand sanitizer (I'm sure alot of you do the same thing) and whenever I get back in the car, I use it. I'm not trying to sound like Howard Hughes here, but think how many germs on on that grocery cart handle, that gas pump handle, the restroom doorknobs, the counter-top at any supermarket. Even children, they love to slide their hands across everything, then the next they do is rub their eyes. At chemo. one day, I watched a cardiologist accidentally drop a coin on the floor, and his son picked it up and handed it back to him. (The wife/mother was the patient) The doc. put the coin back in his pocket, and immediately whipped out a bottle of hand sanitizer as if from thin air and worked it into his hands, and then held it out to his son, you know it, "Aw, come on Dad!" Dad said,"Just do it", the kid did, and it reminded me of all the bacteria on coins and currency. For some of us it's not a big deal, but always wash your hands or use sanitizer after handling money, or I hate to say it, but anything you touch in public. It's better safe than sorry. I was always so paranoid about bringing some germ back home to Nikki. My best friend had a great idea. He left a bottle of hand sanitizer on our front porch rail, and any one that came to visit just automatically used it. Aw man, I went off track again. Sorry my comments had nothing to do with lemons or olives. Love, Bill

Pinkgirl,
Yes indeed about ladies bags. Another important one that no one even considers and this one really upsets me when I see it done. Mother's with their infant carriers. They place them on floors of resturants, parks, I have even seen them place them on public bathroom floors. Then they go come with them and put them every where and anywhere in their homes, tables, counters etc. Let alone the poor innocent child who is subjected to the germs that are crawling up the carrier. It makes my skin crawl.

Bill, so true my husband, son and I carry the small hand sanitizer.
We buy them in CVS and they fit perfect into the glove compartment,
and my purse.

Brenda and Steph, if we really consider all the bad stuff out there we
more than likely would stop eating out!

Regards,
jean

Oh, believe me, I eat out less and less every month!