On this date in 1887, Paper manufacturers John Dickenson introduced the first paper napkins at their annual dinner at the Castle Hotel, Hastings. 10 facts about napkins.
In Ancient Greece, they had edible napkins. They used a piece of dough called an apomagdalie to wipe their fingers after eating.
The use of paper napkins was first documented in China. A description of paper napkins appears in a list of the possessions of the Yu family, from Hangzhou. These napkins were known as chih pha. They were folded in squares, and used for serving Tea.
The word 'napkin' dates from the 14th century and derives from the Old French word for tablecloth, nappe. It literally translates as “little tablecloth”.
Until the 17th Century, most people ate with their fingers. At dinner parties held by rich people, a servant would bring a bowl of Water for diners to rinse their fingers and then they’d dry them with a napkin. In those days, napkins wouldn’t be provided. Guests were expected to bring their own.
By the 19th century, table linen had become a status symbol. They were expensive to buy and people often mentioned in their wills who was to inherit the napkins. Not only that, there were no Washing machines so they had to be laundered and it was quite a faff to keep them pristine and white. Lye or urine might be used to bleach them and then they had to be stretched on frames to dry.
Napkins may have dipped in popularity in the late 19th century as the fork became more widely used. In an 1887 edition of Good Housekeeping, Albert Aylmer claimed that the use of forks made the napkin a bit less essential for most meals.
It was around this time that paper napkins began to appear in the UK. British firm John Dickinson Ltd. acquired decorated paper napkins from Japan and printed their logo and marketing information on them. They became sought after souvenirs, but were seen as bad form in terms of dining etiquette. In 1896, Helen Thompson of Brooklyn Magazine noted some initial scepticism around paper napkins: “Paper napkins! Who ever heard of such nonsense! What good are they?” Although she did go on to say: “Now, however since their value has become known, every picnic party must be well supplied with these little squares of Japanese art. Hotels and boarding-houses have begun to use them, greatly to the delight of their guests, and it will not be long before restaurants, steamboats and even private families will have them in use.”
It was the mid 20th century before paper napkins really took off. Production methods had improved for one thing. Emily Post wrote in 1948, "It’s far better form to use paper napkins than linen napkins that were used at breakfast."
Conventionally, the napkin is folded and placed to the left of the place setting, outside the outermost fork.
Can you recycle paper napkins? Sadly, probably not. Paper can only be recycled so many times and things like napkins and Toilet paper are made from paper which has already been recycled numerous times and so the paper is reaching the end of its life cycle. Also, they may be contaminated with grease from food (apparently you’re not supposed to recycle Pizza boxes for the same reason). The best option, so long as they’re not greasy, is to throw used paper napkins in the compost bin.
Beta
(Combat Team Series #2)
Steff was abducted by an evil alien race, the Orbs, at fourteen. Used as a weapon for years, he eventually escapes, but his problems are just beginning. How does a man support himself when his only work experience is a paper round and using an Orb bio-integrated gun?
Warlord is an alien soldier who knows little but war. When the centuries-old conflict which ravaged his planet ends, he seeks out another world where his skills are still relevant. There are always wars on Earth, it seems. However, none of Earth's powerful armies want him.
Natalie has always wanted to visit England and sees a chance to do so while using her martial arts skills, but there are sacrifices she must make in order to fulfil her dream.
Maggie resorted to crime to fund her sister's medical care. She uses her genetic variant abilities to gain access to the rooms of wealthy hotel guests. The Ballards look like rich pickings, but they are not what they seem. When Maggie targets them, little does she know that she is walking into a trap.
Hotel owner Hamilton Lonsdale puts together a combat team to pit against those of other multi-millionaires. He recruits Warlord, Natalie, Maggie and Steff along with a trained gorilla, a probability-altering alien, a stockbroker whose work of art proved to be much more than he'd bargained for, a marketing officer who can create psionic forcefields, a teleporting member of the landed gentry, and a socially awkward fixer. This is Combat Team Beta.
Steff never talks about his time with the Orbs, until he finds a woman who lived through it, too. Steff believes he has finally found happiness, but it is destined to be short-lived. He is left with an unusual legacy which he and Team Beta struggle to comprehend; including why something out there seems determined to destroy it.
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