So here is a typical sight in most tapas bars and restaurants. Bread baskets stacked up just like this. And it happens to be a personal peeve of mine because, well, ewwwww…

Have you ever thought about it?

Bread baskets are used repeatedly day after day and are seldom if ever washed out. Just stacked up again and again after use, after being on dirty tables, cleared away on dirty plates, being handled by all and sundry, and on one memorable occasion, even used to practice football moves and then returned to the stack after having landed on the floor several times. Ick.

Adding insult to injury, we are sometimes charged up to 1.50€ per person to have bread served to us in filthy baskets. What gives?

And what can be done about it?