Time once more to eat the fridge and freezer out. A spring clean as winter begins. That lingering rind of parmesan; that small hunk of rubbery mozzarella – really, it should have been eaten in one mouthful rather than returned to the fridge. Frozen soups from mum. Carefully measured out containers of ricotta (for which recipe? Ah – pancakes). A small tub of mum's home-made pesto. Tortillas I bought on a whim and made one lot of toasties out of. A head of cauliflower that is weeks old but still miraculously fresh-looking – what is in cauliflower? Should we be making age-defying face creams from it? (I can’t see Estee Lauder launching a cauliflower moisturiser anytime soon. Not very glamourous).
So it looks like it will be cheese and pesto and cauliflower toasties for supper.
In the sweeties department, there are too many unlabelled cupcakes and chunks of larger cakes that need to be zapped in the microwave and splodged with cream so I can truly have a clean start before the next lot of baking. Some I can only vaguely remember baking; the pretty wrappers, frosted over with little icicles, don’t jog any memories. It will be a lucky dip – a real surprise when I take that first mouthful. ‘Oh, orange ricotta cake!’
And let’s not open the pantry doors. Last week I gave mum a bag of black rice that I thought would be like the skinny wild rice I hazily recall eating many years ago. This stuff, when cooked, turned an unappetising purply-grey colour and had a equally unappealing smoky flavour. I told mum to feed it to the chooks.
There are multiple containers of pasta of many different designs lingering forlornly; I’ve been on a real quinoa kick lately so the other carbs are being neglected (I know quinoa is not strictly a carb, but isn’t that how you think of it, too?). Still, pasta is a good store cupboard necessity and even if it is being momentarily ignored, its hour will come again.
I’m sure a clean slate and a freshly stocked fridge will give me some pep to create delicious new meals. Out with the old, in with the new. A cliché, I know, but there’s truth in those words.
It’s also apparently time to clean the shelves – yikes! Don’t look too closely. That’s one of the problems with this time of the year – it’s so dark I can’t see the muck properly. That’s my excuse (I bet you have some withered up bits of carrot tops and crumbs, too). Please don’t judge me. Proper actual spring cleaning is also on the agenda.
So it looks like it will be cheese and pesto and cauliflower toasties for supper.
In the sweeties department, there are too many unlabelled cupcakes and chunks of larger cakes that need to be zapped in the microwave and splodged with cream so I can truly have a clean start before the next lot of baking. Some I can only vaguely remember baking; the pretty wrappers, frosted over with little icicles, don’t jog any memories. It will be a lucky dip – a real surprise when I take that first mouthful. ‘Oh, orange ricotta cake!’
And let’s not open the pantry doors. Last week I gave mum a bag of black rice that I thought would be like the skinny wild rice I hazily recall eating many years ago. This stuff, when cooked, turned an unappetising purply-grey colour and had a equally unappealing smoky flavour. I told mum to feed it to the chooks.
There are multiple containers of pasta of many different designs lingering forlornly; I’ve been on a real quinoa kick lately so the other carbs are being neglected (I know quinoa is not strictly a carb, but isn’t that how you think of it, too?). Still, pasta is a good store cupboard necessity and even if it is being momentarily ignored, its hour will come again.
I’m sure a clean slate and a freshly stocked fridge will give me some pep to create delicious new meals. Out with the old, in with the new. A cliché, I know, but there’s truth in those words.
It’s also apparently time to clean the shelves – yikes! Don’t look too closely. That’s one of the problems with this time of the year – it’s so dark I can’t see the muck properly. That’s my excuse (I bet you have some withered up bits of carrot tops and crumbs, too). Please don’t judge me. Proper actual spring cleaning is also on the agenda.
I am trying to feel sorry for you with all those mystery cupcakes to eat up...
ReplyDeleteha ha! yes, it's a tough job, but someone has to do it... :-)
Deletei realise too, jo, that my freezer is chock full of plastic containers and bags... i have alot to learn from you!
DeleteGood one e, we all have these mystery moments in the freezer department I think!
ReplyDeletehi jane. taking the photo made me see there'll be even more 'mystery box' moments ahead!
DeleteI remember the cupcakes with the pretty wrappers :-)
ReplyDeleteoh! you're teasing me and my failing memory
DeleteI love cleaning out the fridge, freezer and pantry. We have very minimal space so any purchases that i thought were a good idea for a recipe that i wanted to make and never did need to be used.
ReplyDeletelizzie, my memory is so bad that if i don't use an especially-bought or stored ingredient for a specific recipe straight away, i really ought to label it! glad to meet someone else who loves a good clean out. i used the last of the apples and pears in a crumble this morning, so i feel very virtuous now!
ReplyDeleteI´m going through a similar week. And trying to decrease the ridiculous amount of packets and boxes in my pantry. The freezer needs some attention too, but doesn´t it always?
ReplyDeleteit does! good luck with your clean out too, paula
Delete