Breakfast. How do you screw up breakfast?

[PaTrainFan]

So what constitutes "authentic" China?

For what it's worth, Webster's definition is as follows:

Definition of china
1: porcelain; also : vitreous porcelain wares (such as dishes, vases, or ornaments) for domestic use
2: earthenware or porcelain tableware

Some would say that porcelain is ceramic, but of higher quality. I, however, haven't a clue. All I know is it;s better than disposable plastic plates. And as one who recycles everything, I'm doubtful that happens on Amtrak.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

So what constitutes "authentic" China?

For what it's worth, Webster's definition is as follows:

Definition of china
1: porcelain; also : vitreous porcelain wares (such as dishes, vases, or ornaments) for domestic use
2: earthenware or porcelain tableware

Some would say that porcelain is ceramic, but of higher quality. I, however, haven't a clue. All I know is it;s better than disposable plastic plates. And as one who recycles everything, I'm doubtful that happens on Amtrak.

Unlike airlines I've never seen Amtrak staff bothering to combine or exclude similar items and instead they just mix everything together into the same trash bags. Having watched the process several times I think you can be relatively certain there is little or no recycling going on with any of Amtrak's long distance diner trash. It's kind of depressing to see it dumped off and piled high over and over again along the route. Amtrak's references to green business practices are apparently little more than marketing speak and ethical gibberish.

 

[PaTrainFan]

So what constitutes "authentic" China?

For what it's worth, Webster's definition is as follows:

Definition of china
1: porcelain; also : vitreous porcelain wares (such as dishes, vases, or ornaments) for domestic use
2: earthenware or porcelain tableware

Some would say that porcelain is ceramic, but of higher quality. I, however, haven't a clue. All I know is it;s better than disposable plastic plates. And as one who recycles everything, I'm doubtful that happens on Amtrak.

Unlike airlines I've never seen Amtrak staff bothering to combine or exclude similar items and instead they just mix everything together into the same trash bags. Having watched the process several times I think you can be relatively certain there is little or no recycling going on with any of Amtrak's long distance diner trash. It's kind of depressing to see it dumped off and piled high over and over again along the route. Amtrak's references to green business practices are apparently little more than marketing speak and ethical gibberish.

Recycling is labor intensive and time consuming. Even the small amounts we deal with at home for curbside pickup can be a PITA. And there are some who have a valid argument that not all recycling is genuinely pro-environmental or cost efficient. However given the incredible mounds of garbage thrown out on a daily basis on Amtrak trains, I join in your feeling of discouragement.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

So what constitutes "authentic" China?

For what it's worth, Webster's definition is as follows:
Definition of china

1: porcelain; also : vitreous porcelain wares (such as dishes, vases, or ornaments) for domestic use

2: earthenware or porcelain tableware

Some would say that porcelain is ceramic, but of higher quality. I, however, haven't a clue. All I know is it;s better than disposable plastic plates. And as one who recycles everything, I'm doubtful that happens on Amtrak.

So basically the same as "silver ware" obviously silver silverware is expensive. But metal flat ware that is silver in color is still silverware in a way.

 

[ehbowen]

Unlike airlines I've never seen Amtrak staff bothering to combine or exclude similar items and instead they just mix everything together into the same trash bags. Having watched the process several times I think you can be relatively certain there is little or no recycling going on with any of Amtrak's long distance diner trash. It's kind of depressing to see it dumped off and piled high over and over again along the route. Amtrak's references to green business practices are apparently little more than marketing speak and ethical gibberish.

You want marketing speak and ethical gibberish? I worked at the convention center here for nine years. During that time they had a "We're going green!" initiative and put up recycling bins throughout the complex. I was interested in that, so I asked one of the custodial supervisors where they put their recyclables, as I hadn't seen a recycling dumpster anywhere on the loading dock. "We just throw it all in the regular dumpsters," he said. "They just want to make it look like they're recycling."

 

[jebr]

Recycling is labor intensive and time consuming. Even the small amounts we deal with at home for curbside pickup can be a PITA. And there are some who have a valid argument that not all recycling is genuinely pro-environmental or cost efficient. However given the incredible mounds of garbage thrown out on a daily basis on Amtrak trains, I join in your feeling of discouragement.

The ease of recycling (or lack thereof) can vary greatly by area, though. Here we just keep a separate bin for recycling and bring it out to the recycling bin that's picked up curbside each week. It's no more difficult than throwing something away, other than the fact that we have to have a second bin.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I imagine we should be thankful, though, that the knives, forks and spoons are still "silverware."

Please, for the love of all that is good and wholesome, don't casually bring up silverware on AU. We've already been down that path before and the rabbit hole at the end doesn't go anywhere productive.

So basically the same as "silver ware" obviously silver silverware is expensive. But metal flat ware that is silver in color is still silverware in a way.

Ahhhhhhhh! :help:

 

[Green Maned Lion]

So what constitutes "authentic" China?

For what it's worth, Webster's definition is as follows:
Definition of china

1: porcelain; also : vitreous porcelain wares (such as dishes, vases, or ornaments) for domestic use

2: earthenware or porcelain tableware

Some would say that porcelain is ceramic, but of higher quality. I, however, haven't a clue. All I know is it;s better than disposable plastic plates. And as one who recycles everything, I'm doubtful that happens on Amtrak.

So basically the same as "silver ware" obviously silver silverware is expensive. But metal flat ware that is silver in color is still silverware in a way.

Silverware is silver. The stuff Amtrak and everyone else uses is properly but rarely referred to as "cutlery".

China refers to a high quality of vitreous porcelain made using a process that was invented in China. Ceramic plates are not China. And Amtrak's nondisposable tableware is neither- they use Corelle which is in fact a glass product (3 layers- a sandwhich of two different types of glass) invented by Corning and now made by World Kitchen.

Corelle is shatter resistant- much more so than China or ceramic, but when it does shatter, it does so in roughly 3.6 bajillion sharp shards.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

So what constitutes "authentic" China?

For what it's worth, Webster's definition is as follows:
Definition of china

1: porcelain; also : vitreous porcelain wares (such as dishes, vases, or ornaments) for domestic use

2: earthenware or porcelain tableware

Some would say that porcelain is ceramic, but of higher quality. I, however, haven't a clue. All I know is it;s better than disposable plastic plates. And as one who recycles everything, I'm doubtful that happens on Amtrak.

So basically the same as "silver ware" obviously silver silverware is expensive. But metal flat ware that is silver in color is still silverware in a way.

Silverware is silver. The stuff Amtrak and everyone else uses is properly but rarely referred to as "cutlery". China refers to a high quality of vitreous porcelain made using a process that was invented in China. Ceramic plates are not China. And Amtrak's nondisposable tableware is neither- they use Corelle which is in fact a glass product (3 layers- a sandwhich of two different types of glass) invented by Corning and now made by World Kitchen. Corelle is shatter resistant- much more so than China or ceramic, but when it does shatter, it does so in roughly 3.6 bajillion sharp shards.

On the routes I travel Corelle hasn't been used in years. So far as I am aware it's the same story with all routes at this point. Now it's all just a bunch of cheap single use plastic that is easily cracked by the metal cutlery/tableware/flatware/utensils if you're not careful.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I am aware of that, I just wanted to set the minutia dementia straight.

 

[tricia]

Silverware is silver. The stuff Amtrak and everyone else uses is properly but rarely referred to as "cutlery".

Or "flatware."

 

[chakk]

For breakfast on all of my Amtrak LD runs, I have my grits "al dente", as recommended by my cousin Vinny.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

So what constitutes "authentic" China?

For what it's worth, Webster's definition is as follows:
Definition of china

1: porcelain; also : vitreous porcelain wares (such as dishes, vases, or ornaments) for domestic use

2: earthenware or porcelain tableware

Some would say that porcelain is ceramic, but of higher quality. I, however, haven't a clue. All I know is it;s better than disposable plastic plates. And as one who recycles everything, I'm doubtful that happens on Amtrak.

So basically the same as "silver ware" obviously silver silverware is expensive. But metal flat ware that is silver in color is still silverware in a way.

Silverware is silver. The stuff Amtrak and everyone else uses is properly but rarely referred to as "cutlery". China refers to a high quality of vitreous porcelain made using a process that was invented in China. Ceramic plates are not China. And Amtrak's nondisposable tableware is neither- they use Corelle which is in fact a glass product (3 layers- a sandwhich of two different types of glass) invented by Corning and now made by World Kitchen. Corelle is shatter resistant- much more so than China or ceramic, but when it does shatter, it does so in roughly 3.6 bajillion sharp shards.

On the routes I travel Corelle hasn't been used in years. So far as I am aware it's the same story with all routes at this point. Now it's all just a bunch of cheap single use plastic that is easily cracked by the metal cutlery/tableware/flatware/utensils if you're not careful.

Including auto train?
This past November / December Corelle was still on the parlour cars. One attendant used it almost exclusively, the other pretty sparingly. Im sure some don't use it at all.

The parlour car also has wine glasses and nice mixed drink glasses they use.

The plates don't bug me in the diner, but the plastic wine glasses do.

 

[Manny T]

Sorry GML we are not in the UK!

In the UK, when referring to eating utensils, silverware is made of silver and cutlery is made out of anything else.

In the silverware category, it's common to distinguish between hollowware--bowls, pitchers, & serving dishes made out of silver, and flatware--knives, forks, spoons.

In the US, in colloquial speech, we have dropped cutlery and replaced it with silverware. It means flatware made out of anything. When I check out at Whole Foods with my lunch and ask the person at the register, "where's the silverware?" he or she points to the plastic stuff, and does NOT direct me to the nearest antique shop to buy sterling silver flatware for my lunch.

Hence whatever Amtrak gives us is silverware. The metal eating utensils certainly are ( they even look like silver!) but plastic tableware is silverware too--at least, in the US where Amtrak operates.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

In the US, in colloquial speech, we have dropped cutlery and replaced it with silverware. It means flatware made out of anything. When I check out at Whole Foods with my lunch and ask the person at the register, "where's the silverware?" he or she points to the plastic stuff, and does NOT direct me to the nearest antique shop to buy sterling silver flatware for my lunch. Hence whatever Amtrak gives us is silverware. The metal eating utensils certainly are ( they even look like silver!) but plastic tableware is silverware too--at least, in the US where Amtrak operates.

In the US we're only expected to learn one single language and we can't even manage to do that correctly. :lol:

 

[SarahZ]

In the US, in colloquial speech, we have dropped cutlery and replaced it with silverware. It means flatware made out of anything. When I check out at Whole Foods with my lunch and ask the person at the register, "where's the silverware?" he or she points to the plastic stuff, and does NOT direct me to the nearest antique shop to buy sterling silver flatware for my lunch.

I wonder if it's a regional thing? You and I are from the Midwest and use "silverware" to refer to "things we use to shovel food into our mouths". Everyone I know (in Michigan and Chicago) uses the same term.

DA is from Texas, and he and I went round and round about this many months ago.

I'd be interested to see what people in other states call it.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

We refer to spoons, forks, etc, collectively as "silverware", due to their color, not their material.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

In the US, in colloquial speech, we have dropped cutlery and replaced it with silverware. It means flatware made out of anything. When I check out at Whole Foods with my lunch and ask the person at the register, "where's the silverware?" he or she points to the plastic stuff, and does NOT direct me to the nearest antique shop to buy sterling silver flatware for my lunch.

I wonder if it's a regional thing? You and I are from the Midwest and use "silverware" to refer to "things we use to shovel food into our mouths". Everyone I know (in Michigan and Chicago) uses the same term. DA is from Texas, and he and I went round and round about this many months ago. I'd be interested to see what people in other states call it.

Oddly enough toward the end of that whole ordeal I realized that I had failed to properly identify and articulate the precise point of contention. It wasn't that you had referred to Amtrak utensils as silverware. It was that you had referred to them as real silverware in order to differentiate them from plastic silverware. Here in Texas we refer to generic metal and plastic utensils as "silverware" just like everyone else. We just don't call them "real" silverware. Also, side note, my family is kind of weird about silver. They still make a big deal about silver utensils and decanters and serving trays for some reason. :wacko:

 

[SarahZ]

Oddly enough toward the end of that whole ordeal I realized that I had failed to properly identify and articulate the precise point of contention. It wasn't that you had referred to Amtrak utensils as silverware. It was that you had referred to them as real silverware in order to differentiate them from plastic silverware. Here in Texas we refer to metal and plastic utensils as "silverware" just like everyone else. We just don't call them "real" silverware. Also, on a side note my family is kind of weird about silver. They still make a big deal about silver utensils and decanters and serving trays for some reason. :wacko:

Oh! I can explain that.

When I said "real" silverware, I meant "silver-colored flatware instead of plastic sporks". Since some people (as Manny indicated) use statements like, "Where's the silverware," when talking about ANY kind of utensil, I used "real" to differentiate the Amtrak flatware from plastic crap.

I didn't mean silver-silverware. In that case, I would have said something like, "They use real silver," because "silverware" can also mean silver-colored flatware.

Now that I type that out, I completely understand how confusing that was. Also, I'm glad you brought it up because I was so angry with you (at the time) because I thought you were admonishing me about a dialect issue and I thought that was kind of a jerk move. Now that I know what the actual point of contention was, your admonishment makes sense. So thanks for calling me out on that!

 

[Montreal Ltd]

Way off topic but I love oxymoron, such as

Plastic silverware

Airline cuisine

Military intelligence

 

[PaTrainFan]

Well, I'm certainly glad I brought this subject up!

 

[jis]

Oddly enough toward the end of that whole ordeal I realized that I had failed to properly identify and articulate the precise point of contention. It wasn't that you had referred to Amtrak utensils as silverware. It was that you had referred to them as real silverware in order to differentiate them from plastic silverware. Here in Texas we refer to metal and plastic utensils as "silverware" just like everyone else. We just don't call them "real" silverware. Also, on a side note my family is kind of weird about silver. They still make a big deal about silver utensils and decanters and serving trays for some reason. :wacko:

Oh! I can explain that.

When I said "real" silverware, I meant "silver-colored flatware instead of plastic sporks". Since some people (as Manny indicated) use statements like, "Where's the silverware," when talking about ANY kind of utensil, I used "real" to differentiate the Amtrak flatware from plastic crap.

They do make some really deceptively good silver colored plastic sporks these days too

 

[SarahZ]

They do make some really deceptively good silver colored plastic sporks these days too

I've seen the silver-colored plasticware while grocery shopping. I might purchase some if I feel like classing up the office potluck.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

I didn't mean silver-silverware. In that case, I would have said something like, "They use real silver," because "silverware" can also mean silver-colored flatware.

In stead of "real silver", to differentiate from simply being silver in color, I use the term "sterling silver".

 

[Asher]

Thank god for stainless steel,it put and end to sterling silver around my house even though silverware is still the term when setting the table. I do prefer wood chopsticks.