What's Cooking with Jean
Wednesday, April 30, 2008 Pantry Predicament


I think there are two responses to reading a new recipe.
you scan a recipe.
you notice it has more than 4 ingredients.
you:

#1 go buy every ingredient and end up using it once (maybe twice) and then you have 25 different vinegars, 7 different mustards in your fridge, and 9 different opened boxes of rice and flour products.
OR
#2 you throw your hands in the air and say "this is why I will continue to make my 6 favorite dishes until I die!"

If money grew on trees and I had endless pantry space, I would always be a #1. But I think we should find a balance. I have contemplated studying this further and contracting myself out to houses across the nation as a "pantry stocker expert." Until then, I'll offer from our Food Section this morning, a feature article about what to do with "the biggest pantry -clogging culprits."
In the article was a GREAT resource that I wanted to pass along about spices:

How do you know how old they are? Your nose can often be your guide, but some spice companies are also stepping in to help you analyze and decide. At www.spicecheckchallenge.com, McCormick lets you enter a code from old spice jars that can help you decipher their use-by date. (It also offers other clues: Unless it's black pepper, any McCormick spice in a tin jar or with "Baltimore, MD" on the label is at least 15 years old.) At www.spiceislands.com, Spice Islands lets you register any of that company's products and then get recipe ideas plus an email reminder when that spice is set to expire.

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Posted by Jeannie :: 9:27 AM :: 1 comments

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