04 June 2008

Salmonella Roulette

My kitchen helpers assisted me with a new pumpkin/whole wheat/applesauce muffin recipe this morning. (In the oven as I type. If they turn out, I'll eventually post it over at CSPP cooks.)

As a reward for their labors, they get to lick the spoons when we're done. There are raw eggs in the batter. So how horrible of a mom does this make me? Helping and tasting in the kitchen are some of my favorite childhood memories and I want my kids to have those memories (and skills!) too. I know: I could just let them sample the ingredients, and the batter before the eggs are added. But it's just not the same.

I have had salmonella once--from the college cafeteria salad bar. Wasn't fun. And I don't mess with the raw stuff when I'm pregnant. But in nearly three decades of sampling cookie dough, I've never once gotten sick off it.

Anyone else willing to admit to gambling with salmonella? Or will you all castigate me so thoroughly that I am compelled to change my kitchen practices?

7 comments:

Rebekah said...

LOL. How we love to castigate!

I cite eggs as my excuse for not letting the babies lick the spoon. The truth is that I can't stand having them hover around vulturishly while we're cooking, or looking at them with cake batter all over their clothes, faces, and hair. I also can't be bothered to clean them up afterwards. But they are clever and demand their spoons whenever I make a pudding, in which they have observed the eggs to be cooked.

Really, I am scared of eggs, despite all the apparently benign cookie dough back in the day. The prospect of untold hours of disgusting illness for numerous people is too risky for my lazy self.

Dawn said...

I let them eat off the spoon, too. Mostly because they can clean themselves off and the sink can't. And it earns me 15 scream-free minutes.

What they don't get clean, I give to the dog. Please eat in my kitchen, anyway. ;)

If any of us ever get sick, I feel really sorry. I'll just think of that tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day.

Susan said...

Are you kidding? Bring on the raw cookie dough! I even make home-made mayonnaise out of raw eggs and scold the ones who choose Miracle Whip instead of "real."

Jane said...

Count us as raw cookie dough eaters and spoon lickers. I also still use a raw egg in my Caesar Salad, because it just isn't the same without.

Glenda said...

The only reason I don't want them hovering, is I get less to sample. Plus my homemade ice-cream (which we make for every birthday and any other "special" event we can contrive) has 4 raw eggs.

Do what you have to do, and if I'm over and you're making cookies, I'll save your kids for you and lick the spoon. :-)

Unknown said...

I always lick the spoon, much to my husband's horror. I do it when the kid isn't looking, though.

Reb. Mary said...

Hooray for fellow spoon-lickers :)

And the muffins did turn out: 100% whole wheat, only 2 TBS oil and 1/4 c. sugar in all 18 muffins--and they tasted good! So I'll try to post it sometime.