Neither my current home, where I’ve lived for 26+ years, or the apartment I lived in for 6+ years after college, have/had a dishwasher. I have always lived alone and rarely entertain* so theoretically piles of dirty dishes should not be an issue.
And yet ...
Let’s just say this article REALLY resonated with me and I will be re-visiting it for inspiration.
*I cook a lot to TAKE dishes to gatherings elsewhere, which is frequently the source of my mounds of dishes, because my ADHD lack of time management skills often means I’m racing out the door the instant something is finished, and then when I return home I’m just not up to dealing with all of it. Which creates a bigger problem the next day, and so on and so forth. I’m also on a septic system, so I don’t like to use too much water at any given time. It can be challenging!
So glad that I waited to read this on a quiet Saturday morning. It provoked much discussion as I interrupted my wife’s slog through yesterday’s NYT.
I especially liked the Buddhist quote which reminded me of why I prefer to clean the kitchen by myself. Like folding laundry, it’s one of the few things in life where it’s possible to see visible progress.
I do all the cooking, and I like doing the dishes. "Clean as you go" is the rule, so there are fewer to wash, after the meal... and I always finish cleaning up before going to bed. I Hate seeing (and smelling) dirty dishes first thing in the morning.
Doing the dishes myself means I always know where everything has been put away... so they will be where I expect them to be, the next time I need them.
I HATE washing the dishes and I live in a studio with no dishwasher. I’ve let dishes pile up in the past and I will do it again lol! I know how I am, so I give my dishes a good rinse after use so I don’t have to scrub off old food when I come back for a full wash.
That’s so funny, I was just reading those last pages from Company last night, and then this morning I see this! I appreciate this collection of thoughts. For me, the two things that came to mind while reading this: 1, I find that I usually don’t need to touch a pan or a dish to see the grease that remains. I can often tell by looking at how the rinsing water clings differently in certain spots. 2, it drives me nuts when my husband don’t visually confirm that the dishwasher has actually gotten the dishes clean. The number of times I’ve opened the cabinet and grabbed a wine glass only to find a fine layer of sediment dried on to it... 😠
Hahaha I relate to this annoyance! I had never thought of watching how water clings to something to know if it’s greasy, but makes sense. I love that we all have our own ways :)
What a wonderful essay! I too clean everything up after a meal, but I have never wiped down the inside of my oven... and I wish you wouldn't have mentioned it because now I will be conscious of it. My particular obsession is cleaning everything possible while I cook and before I sit down to eat. I am probably not the most relaxed person in the kitchen, but it helps me relax and actually stay seated when the meal is ready to eat. Also I can sort of trust my husband or son to rinse and clean the remaining dishes after eating, though neither has ever learned to load the dishwasher precisely and correctly even after decades of instruction, even though I can show them how their lack of thought leaves dishes less clean, or even (horrors) broken. And while I am fairly comfortable with my own wet dish stacking, I don't trust them at all, which means I actually have to get involved after all to dry and put away everything. The upside is that's about the only time my knife care management doesn't irk me.
it's such a personal thing! and i totally know the feeling of wanting a clean prep space to ensure a relaxed meal—part of my prep space is in the same room where I eat, and if I am staring at a messy/cluttered cutting board while trying to enjoy my meal, I will go insane
i love everything about this piece, marian. thank you. for all the links and meanderings, too. i do all the cooking and the sink cleaning every day. i do it much the way you do. when i come into the kitchen in the morning and see the tower of dried clean dishes in my drainboard, i am pleased with all the good food i ate and shared with my household the day before. and......my knife placement looks like yours!
I could eat your writing with a spoon. And then leave said spoon in the sink to be washed later with the dinner dishes.
Wow thank you!! The compliment I didn’t know I needed…… 💗💗
Neither my current home, where I’ve lived for 26+ years, or the apartment I lived in for 6+ years after college, have/had a dishwasher. I have always lived alone and rarely entertain* so theoretically piles of dirty dishes should not be an issue.
And yet ...
Let’s just say this article REALLY resonated with me and I will be re-visiting it for inspiration.
*I cook a lot to TAKE dishes to gatherings elsewhere, which is frequently the source of my mounds of dishes, because my ADHD lack of time management skills often means I’m racing out the door the instant something is finished, and then when I return home I’m just not up to dealing with all of it. Which creates a bigger problem the next day, and so on and so forth. I’m also on a septic system, so I don’t like to use too much water at any given time. It can be challenging!
This is VERY relatable 😂
So glad that I waited to read this on a quiet Saturday morning. It provoked much discussion as I interrupted my wife’s slog through yesterday’s NYT.
I especially liked the Buddhist quote which reminded me of why I prefer to clean the kitchen by myself. Like folding laundry, it’s one of the few things in life where it’s possible to see visible progress.
I do all the cooking, and I like doing the dishes. "Clean as you go" is the rule, so there are fewer to wash, after the meal... and I always finish cleaning up before going to bed. I Hate seeing (and smelling) dirty dishes first thing in the morning.
Doing the dishes myself means I always know where everything has been put away... so they will be where I expect them to be, the next time I need them.
I HATE washing the dishes and I live in a studio with no dishwasher. I’ve let dishes pile up in the past and I will do it again lol! I know how I am, so I give my dishes a good rinse after use so I don’t have to scrub off old food when I come back for a full wash.
“Know thyself” is the first rule of making a mess :)
That’s so funny, I was just reading those last pages from Company last night, and then this morning I see this! I appreciate this collection of thoughts. For me, the two things that came to mind while reading this: 1, I find that I usually don’t need to touch a pan or a dish to see the grease that remains. I can often tell by looking at how the rinsing water clings differently in certain spots. 2, it drives me nuts when my husband don’t visually confirm that the dishwasher has actually gotten the dishes clean. The number of times I’ve opened the cabinet and grabbed a wine glass only to find a fine layer of sediment dried on to it... 😠
Hahaha I relate to this annoyance! I had never thought of watching how water clings to something to know if it’s greasy, but makes sense. I love that we all have our own ways :)
What a wonderful essay! I too clean everything up after a meal, but I have never wiped down the inside of my oven... and I wish you wouldn't have mentioned it because now I will be conscious of it. My particular obsession is cleaning everything possible while I cook and before I sit down to eat. I am probably not the most relaxed person in the kitchen, but it helps me relax and actually stay seated when the meal is ready to eat. Also I can sort of trust my husband or son to rinse and clean the remaining dishes after eating, though neither has ever learned to load the dishwasher precisely and correctly even after decades of instruction, even though I can show them how their lack of thought leaves dishes less clean, or even (horrors) broken. And while I am fairly comfortable with my own wet dish stacking, I don't trust them at all, which means I actually have to get involved after all to dry and put away everything. The upside is that's about the only time my knife care management doesn't irk me.
it's such a personal thing! and i totally know the feeling of wanting a clean prep space to ensure a relaxed meal—part of my prep space is in the same room where I eat, and if I am staring at a messy/cluttered cutting board while trying to enjoy my meal, I will go insane
This was lovely. I didn't know I needed a read on doing the dishes, but my day—and joy levels—are better for it!
thank you !!!
i love everything about this piece, marian. thank you. for all the links and meanderings, too. i do all the cooking and the sink cleaning every day. i do it much the way you do. when i come into the kitchen in the morning and see the tower of dried clean dishes in my drainboard, i am pleased with all the good food i ate and shared with my household the day before. and......my knife placement looks like yours!
thank you Jude! glad I'm not the only one with bad knife hygiene......