Latest Nanny Directive

As I do my share of cooking, I thought it would be nice to have a roast chicken dinner for New Year's Day.OH was very happy as I generally don't mess it up too badly.

I must admit that I rarely take any notice of labels on anything - its just busybody babble as far as I am concerned. However, and I really don't know why, I saw on the chicken wrapper that I shouldn't wash the chicken before I cooked it.

I washed it, as I always do, and bunged it in the oven. At some small space of time in the future I mentioned the instuctions to OH. She told me that apparently you aren't supposed to wash chickens any more.

I think it is understandable that I asked why. Despite my youthful looks, I have been roasting chickens for several decades on more than one continent and I washed every one of them. Nothing has ever been wrong and nobody ever suffered any adverse effects (As far as I am aware!)

Apparently you are not supposed to wash your chicken as the bugs that you wash off will live in your sink 

Now, I know that I have had some non-mainstream moments in my life, many of which I don't remember too well, but I cannot dream of a situation where I would have eaten anything out of my sink! I don't know about you, but I would sooner wash the bugs and other detritus off into the sink than have them stay on the food that I am going to eat.

Is there some kind of industry in this country whose purpose is to invent stupid rules? I sort of think that there is and that they are doing very well. Apparently you are now not allowed to put your own salt and vinegar on your chip shop grease bundle because the owner doesn't know where your hands have been! Thinking about it, they might have a point there