Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: dishwashers

[Lynn Nadeau / Maraiah (welcome]

At RoseWind Cohousing, long built in Port Townsend WA, for 16 years we've 
relied upon a counter-level sanitizer located in the corner bend of a steel 
counter. A dish pan of soapy water collects flatware, another is used with a 
dish brush to do a quick prep swish on our Corelle dishes, as well as serving 
dishes and other items that fit into the racks. In minutes, the rack emerges 
steaming, with the Corelle drying itself almost immediately. 

A rolling cart stores the plates and bowls, and is wheeled in from the serving 
counter area to the dish drying area. We don't have  space to air dry all the 
dishes, but use freshly-laundered white cotton dish cloths to give a swipe to 
the dishes prior to stacking them on the cart. 

A triple pot sink is used for pots and items too large for the sanitizer racks. 
A double sink, of normal residential type, provides yet another location for 
hand washing late or odd items. 

Monday cooked meals are usually about 25 diners; Thursday potlucks vary in 
attendance. We once did an all day benefit fundraiser that served, in sequence, 
250 meals: the sanitizer kept up with the dishes, returning them to the serving 
line ready for the next sitting! 

Our kitchen is open to our dining room, but noise isn't a problem. Once dinner 
is done, the focus is on the kitchen, and the sound of the dishwasher is just 
accepted. Usually about a dozen people are pitching in on the clean up in some 
way: dishes, packing leftovers, putting things away, wiping tables, sweeping: 
it is a sociable time, and although the cook(s) are the final ones responsible 
for it all being done, there is always tons of help. Those who still want to 
sit around chatting don't seem to have a problem doing so. 

We've had almost no need for repairs, and I've never heard anyone here wish we 
had another sort of machine. 

Maraiah Lynn Nadeau
RoseWind, where the town is a riot of blooming fruit trees, emerald green 
grass, and daffodils. Sunny and 52 degrees.