10" Plates

Dear Friend, Tasted Good! Hats off to the In Good Taste team for pulling off another great event with wonderful food, an evening with friends, a very comfortable setting (given the circumstances) and 10" plates. Yep, 10" plates!

A 10" Plate, You Say? A year or two ago, a group of forward thinking planners decided to start collecting 10" dinner plates to be used at community events. The thought was that each member would start canvasing the local flea markets, yard sales and discount outlets and buy up all the dinner plates they could find. Then, when there was a community event that was serving food, you break out the plates. Saving the environment of hundreds of paper or plastic dishes, saving the landfills and showing a greener, gentler side of the community. And so far it seems to be doing just that. There Has to Be More To It Than That... Well, yes, in a sidebar conversation with Tim Smith the other day, he pointed out that the 10" plates are more than just reusable dinnerware. He has observed that people take their time picking out just the right plate for their personal meal. Each plate carrying a certain lure for its soon to be diner. Some pick by color, some by design, some by the perceived volume of food it will carry (large or small), some by a small blemish or nick and most by a deep nostalgic memory of another time. But each choice is as unique as the individual making it.  Unique Plates + Unique Individuals = Great Community And as these unique diners mingle, with their prized plate mounded with finely crafted food, they make up the greatness that is a community. A community of individuals, as different as the plates they carry, coming together to share a meal, compassion, ideas, humor and good ole' conversation. All the while reminding us not to take each other, or our 10" plates, for granted. Coming together as one. A future we can all agree on. Did You Know? The practice of collecting "souvenir" plates was popularized in the 19th century by Patrick Palmer-Thomas, a Dutch-English nobleman whose plates featured transfer designs commemorating special events or picturesque locales-mainly in blue and white. It was an inexpensive hobby, and the variety of shapes and designs catered to a wide spectrum of collectors. Read more.

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Dave Southwick