The OP mentioned a bite off a shared fork…
Well, I have no fear of germs. I have no particular fear of strangers, barring threatening demeanor or overtly hostile action. I have been somewhat outside of the envelope on public behavior a lot of times myself. Odd folks are often interesting folks, in my experience.
So, in very large measure based on an assumption that the person fits into my rather broad definition of ordinary folks, probably so. I would pick up a bite on whatever unused implement was handy, or ask for one, and feed it to the person myself. I would immediately follow the sample with my own opinion of the dish. “Looks better than it tastes, don’t it?”
Or, in a different mood or sense of the person, I might huddle down over my dish, and shout “Mine, damnit! All mine!” Don’t get me into a competitive weirdness competition.
Tris
“When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.” ~ Dom Helda Camara ~
I wouldn’t let them use my fork or let them use their own unclean fork, but if it were something finger-foody or if I were able to scoop some of it off and put it on their plate, then sure. It’s not like I’m going to eat the whole thing anyway.
But I would think the person was rude and weird and would probably laugh at him after he left.
Here’s the part that’s important to me. If someone just walked by and asked for a bite, I wouldn’t share, but if it was after a brief and friendly conversation, I would. Why? I dunno. I guess at that point it would seem like we were “friends”, and I enjoy sharing with my friends. Plus, I would be impressed, interested, and amused by the guts it takes to even ask.
They would have to use their own fork and be realtively normal looking, but otherwise I’m pretty mellow.
Since hepatitis A is generally transmitted by the fecal to oral route, I’d say the risk would be pretty close to zero. Assuming he hadn’t been scratching his posterior with the fork.
I listened to the NPR report, it was rather interesting. 45 people shared their food immediately upon request, 15 did after some extended conversation, and 1 refused.
This took place mostly in very upscale restaurants, and generally after the requestee lavished the dish with admiration, saying it looked amazing. The sharing generally took place in a social, conversational context.
Apparently 75% of the people willing to share the food offered it up to the sharees (a couple who enjoyed good food and reviewed restaurants did this) on their own fork! The rest allowed the sharees to take some via the sharees fork.
Maybe if she were a hot woman. But not if she were with someone.
Seriously, I wouldn’t even think twice about it. Yes I would and yes I have. Any of you eaten in an Ethiopian restaurant? It’s almost mandatory, as the food is on a kind of communal platter. And if you eat in a group, there’s a pretty good chance you won’t know them all.
Also, I regularly eat in a breakfast place that has an unusual specialty called a “Dutch Baby”. It’s very interesting looking and really delicious. Over the years I’ve had several people at adjoining tables ask about it, and I usually offer them a bite. Most try it.
BTW, I would also sooner kiss and swap spit with a stranger than a close blood relative. But maybe that’s just me.
Would you put this past some people?
So is this a bad thing? I mean from a medical perspective. What kinds of nasty bugs can you get from saliva, that you can’t get from airborn transmission or more direct physical contact – short of sex that is – like shaking hands and having the new bug on your hand make its way to your mouth via food or silverware?
Several years ago we were at Buskerfest (or something like that) in Denver. Mr. S had bought himself some fries, and was munching on them as he walked down the street. Out of the blue a girl (late teens, early 20s or so) walking by snatched a few of his fries and said, “Hey, thanks!” I wasn’t with him at the time – he said she was so cute and funny about it that he didn’t care because she made him laugh. It was just so weird.
Maybe she was flirting with both of you.
BTDT. What is the big deal? I have been to restaurants where the next table had a wonderful looking dish. I asked what it was and was offered a bite. How better to find out if I want to order it? I have also offered a bite off my plate to someone that was asking about the dish.
In these cases, we used a side dish, and a clean fork.
This is so Seinfeldian.
Yes, I’d definitely give them a bite, but I’d probably let them use my spoon. I’m also the type that would invite them to sit down and chat for a while. Mr. K would prolly not do any of the above.
Risk of infectious disease transmission from sharing a fork is fairly miniscule, frankly. Not zero, but not much increased over the background risk of just mingling with the public in an enclosed space. Certainly less risky than kissing someone. Or being within 5 feet of them when they sneeze.
No, but if I’m going to be that worried about catching diseases, I’d best just not go out in public at all.
It’s all about relative risk.
I came here looking for Autolycus’ dirty little secret, but this is interesting.
When I was a young man it was fairly common to share tastes of unusual foods. Even with “strangers”. I think it’s pretty cool.
Peace,
mangeorge
Sure. I like food a lot, and I like people who are enthusiastic about food. If they engaged me in conversation about my dish and lavished it with praise, I’d probably offer before they could ask.
I’m surprised to find myself, apparently, in the minority here.
The answer is HELL NO! It’s my food–get your own!
I once stabbed a cow-orker in the back of the hand with my fork because he was reaching for my last tempura shrimp. (It turned out that he, being one of those who eats his favorites first, thought I didn’t like it. I was actually saving the best for last.)
In other words, “Mine-mine-mine-mine-mine!”
I would probably be okay with sharing some food with a stranger. I think the important part of the experiment is the perceived personal connection with the people who are asking, after you’ve spoken with them for a while they seem to be less than strangers, and if they are complimenting your food it’s as though they are complimenting you indirectly, which almost everyone enjoys. Many would want to extend that feeling to them in a sort of “Yes, I have made a good food choice, taste it for yourself so you can see” type of way. It’s like when that creepy guy tells you that your hair looks nice, you shudder, and then think to yourself, “Yeah, maybe my hair really does look nice today…”
Some people are charming and very good at engaging other people very quickly. That’s what the real message of the story is. I had a friend once who could get a stranger to open up about almost anything within minutes. No doubt he could get a taste of your soup, using your spoon, if he wanted to.
But to answer the OP question…No way! Definitely not!..uhm unless of course I was charmed and manipulated into it, in which case the answer is Of course! Definitely!