Hello Foodie Friends. Each week we write about the fun of creating and cooking fabulous dishes. However, with making these dishes comes the mess and dreaded task of cleaning up which becomes someone’s responsibility. Many conflicts occur within a household on whose turn it is to wash the dishes. I remember in my childhood years fighting with my four other siblings on who would be assigned the chore of doing the dishes. Having grown up in an Italian household with five children, my mother ran a tight ship and made sure all of us were assigned cleaning duties. Fighting over who was going to wash the dishes was a common occurrence even after my mother made it clear whose job it was that evening. Through the years we learned that washing the dishes did not take that long when each of us helped out. When we shared and helped each other in our household chores, we then had plenty of time to go and do what we wanted afterwards. Through the years of doing chores together and playing together, we became good friends, a friendship that still holds today. “You know you’re an adult when you get excited when there is a new sponge in the sink”. Author Unknown. To this day, believe it or not, I enjoy washing dishes. I love bringing home new types of items to help me with this chore. One of the newest items we have is a silicone scrubber from Kuhn Rikon. Say goodbye to the smelly sponges you have under your sink. With this new sponge, there are 5,000 silicone bristles that help to clean your dishes and also can be used on multiple types of surfaces. The Kuhn Rikon Stay Clean Scrubber stays cleaner than your typical sponge since the non-porous silicone bristles dry faster and will not harbor bacteria. The sponge is BPA free, and is an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable sponges. Make short work of washing dishes, countertop messes and more with this reusable silicone sponge. Made of durable, heat-resistant silicone, it is gentle enough for use with nonstick cookware, yet can handle even dried-on messes with ease. And you can toss it in the dishwasher when you’re done cleaning for a sponge that is as good as new every time you use it. It is dishwasher safe, so you’re always cleaning with a clean sponge. This fun and flexible scrubber will stand the test of time. So, whose ever job it is to wash the dishes, try out this new sponge! Come visit Saratoga Springs’ CTTC, where we have Tools for Cooks! Have fun cooking and cleaning up! Remember my Foodie Friends, “Life Happens in the Kitchen”. Take Care, John and Paula.