h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A vital criterion has been dropped, and so some items have snuck into this list that shouldn't be here. Perhaps I am a horrible germphobe, or perhaps I am too gregarious that I like to visit with folks I wouldn't want to lick.

Proposed Rule: The finger food item should be such that it is self contained and does not lead to double dipping, or other potential germ sharing activities.

There are some items which are only eaten because they are carriers for some sauce or dip. If its a sausage, a rippled potato crisp, a tortilla chip or crudite (which are just vegetables for dips) they should be of a sufficient size that, they can be dipped into a sufficient amount of sauce/dip, with only the part held by the dipping diner left over. This way, no one will be tempted to re-dip the otherwise not-as-tasty object in order to eat the entire object happily with its full complment of whatever the item is designed to be the carrier of.

This means the host needs to have a general idea of the size of his dishes, and needs to be careful that the dish isn't so shallow that erstwhile dippers accidentally shove (because of course, they are concentrating on conversing) dip/sauce all over the serving plate, or (horrors!) do a knuckle-dive trying to sufficiently flavor their carrier item.

In the US there are these large 4 gallon tins of flavored popcorns that are often brought to parties and workplaces around the holidays. Small seving scoops and dishes to put the scooped popcorn aren't ever provided. No one washes their hands before dipping in, nor after grabbing some and after eating that serving and getting more, presumably adding some saliva to the dirty-computer-keyboard, sweaty-steering-wheel mix.

Ick!

Sea Change, I think you are a germ-phobe.

The solution is, of course, lots of those tiny foil dishes intended for baking mince pies at Christmas, spread on a tray with a selection of dips inside. The partygoer puts the dipping items on a paper plate, with a palette of their favourite dips round the edge... It doesn't matter to you if anybody else chooses to share or adulterate their dip, as you'll have your own!

Well that is a solution! The only downside is that after the party you have a bunch of dip-filled tin foil cups to toss out. Of course you could have a big dish filled with dip to toss out if you don't.

Why, yes, Dona-Sister Maria, I AM a germ-phobe.

I am willing to bleach the tins and reuse them next party.