Who ever heard of a "pork 'n bean spoon?" Let me explain: Rugged outdoor-types of both genders---hikers, bird-watchers, photographers, fishermen, hunters, nature-lovers, and others, using up lots of energy, always have to be prepared "out there" to eat something, and it is often a can of pork and beans, Beanie Weenies, or canned fruit, carried in their roomy jacket pockets. Thus they need a SPOON always at hand!
A real self-respecting outdoorsman will be caught only once in the wild without an eating
tool. You see, sticky, gooey fingers are not compatible with cameras, binocs, and hunting
equipment.
So the plan is to find yourself a small well-made spoon that will fit handily into your shirt or jacket pocket---and not fall out. Available are three piece spoon/knife/fork sets but they are bulky. You can get a combo of the three built into a pocket knife. Again---bulky, and most
outdoor people already have a trusty, favorite pocket knife. One Arkansas knife company executive's firm sells a nice small spoon/knife set which he and his wife favor when traveling.
In Viet Nam, where the soldiers ate a lot of canned rations, including the much-coveted cans of peaches, they always had their spoons in their fatigue shirt pockets. Often as not, these spoons were plastic.
Here are some options for you: (1) the plastic spoon (2) take an old unused spoon out of the back of the flatware drawer...perhaps a discolored one (impressive in the field.) You can hack saw an inch off the handle end and then round it off with a file. Thus it will be small and easy to use, (3) Or you can go to Kitchens 'R Us, like I did one glorious day with my wife and I spotted the pork 'n bean spoon to end all---the quintessential one---rhe "ne plus ultra" of outdoor spoons, and bought it!
This is a beautiful little 5 inch spoon, highly-chromed (not to worry-- your purist outdoor
companions will simply be dazzled!), light weight but very strong. The handle sort of looks like a very heavy (adverb not wanted) chromed wire. It comes out of the scoop part, makes a handle, and then is twisted several times like a wire at the end, making a loop, and there are no raw edges to snag clothing, if you do a "quick draw" when you are very hungry! And are you ready for this? It has a matching fork for those special outdoor dining occasions!!
This set will last for a hundred years...and still look good! It is the perfect set for highway trips and even taking it overseas, if you don't lose it at check-in! (Note, you can also get a leather thong for wearing your spoon around your neck on outdoor trips...or as a symbol of your cooking club! LOL!)
I carry my spoon in my pocket around the house, in case my wife brings me a little can of fruit, or pudding, or diet jello---and I hate to ask her to go back for a spoon.
Ladies, keep one of these little chrome beauties in you purse, even if you don't eat out in the field or on a picnic very often. Then while searching through your purse at a restaurant, as women are wont to do, cleverly lay your outdoor spoon on the table...and dazzle the girls! And dear readers, when we next meet on the street, or anywhere, just smile at me and open your jacket, and I will knowingly SEE your new pork 'n bean spoon in your shirt pocket, and maybe give you a little nod or a WINK!
Well, guess that about wraps it up this time. Hmm-mm. It's happened again. Writing about canned fruit has made me hungry. I think I'll just go to the fridge and find a cold can of fruit cocktail, get my trusty P 'n B spoon, a peanut butter Oreo, and settle down with a good book. Until next time, happy trails with your new spoon!!
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by Mil, 3/23/12
Sent from my iPad
You should have been a pork n' beans spoon salesman!! Haha you had me wantin one.
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