Double Dipping & the Big Game

I am really not a sports guy.  For a series of non-interesting reasons, I never got into football.  I have to strain to think about who is playing in the ‘big game’ tonight in the Superbowl.  This is not about the Superbowl; no, it’s about food.

Yesterday I made a batch of hummus from a recipe that I got from a friend of mine; let’s call her, ‘Amy’.  Amy’s Hummus has become a staple here at Rancho del Evil Chicken.  It is AWESOME.  Anyway, as I was folding a small piece of toasted, wheat pita and just about to dip I announced to my family, “Don’t worry, I am not Double Dipping.”

“It doesn’t matter.” My 14 year-old daughter told me, “Mythbusters blew that out of the water.”

“…How can this be?” I asked trying to wrap my mind around, well… exactly how it could be.

“They tested and the amount of added germs is negligible.”

“But… how?”

“It’s true, Dad.” My 11 year-old chimed in.  “They did a whole segment on it.”

“Hmm…” I thoughtfully said as I scooped a liberal dollop of hummus onto my pita.  If this was true then I had to find out.  So I did.  Here is what the Mythbusters have to say: http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/db/food/double-dipping-is-germ-warfare.html.  It turns out it is negligible and would only be a problem if we all started playing “Bobbing for Hummus” where ones bacteria laden mouth comes into direct contact with the contents of the dish.  So there you have it Gentle Reader, tonight when you are at your Superbowl (or Anti-Superbowl) parties know that you can Double Dip with confidence. 

Information such as this should not be contained; no, the PEOPLE need to know.  Case in point CNN is still reporting about the horrors of Double Dipping: http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/05/sport/super-bowl-five-things/.  Double Dipping is not the problem; hand washing is.  I just hope that John Q. Football fan has no open sores and has washed those crusty, sausage-like fingers before he goes wrist deep into that salsa.  Trust me on this; he simply does not remember where they’ve been.  That's not a slight against football fans it's just common guy knowledge.

Enjoy the game!