Envirodyne, based in Chicago, makes sausage casings, plastic food packaging, plastic cutlery and drinking straws.

If confronted when trying to pass off mismatched plastic cutlery as a "leftovers" theme, I usually mumble something defensive about not falling prey to the "birthday party racket."

The only déclassé touch was the plastic cutlery that Concorde passengers, like everyone else, must learn to live with as a result of Sept. 11.

This Italian flatware might be the only plastic cutlery that would not look out of place on a formal dining table.

Only then can Mr. Kelly negotiate with Envirodyne, a Chicago company that makes sausage casings, plastic food packaging, plastic cutlery and drinking straws.

I moved files from the side chair, cleared the stuff on my desk onto the window ledge, put out my finest paper napkins and the plastic cutlery.

Diamond plastic cutlery?

To prevent infection, plastic cutlery can be thrown away after use.

Both airlines cited cost-cutting, international quarantine, and environmental reasons for the choice, and said that the plastic cutlery is commercially washed and sterilized before reuse.

The plastic cutlery, available in several colors, is $1.99 a place setting at Bed, Bath & Beyond.