| BRAGG: Failure on resolutions leads to organizing |
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By: JEANNE BRAGG, Post Columnist
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Posted: Sunday, January 29, 2012 3:36 am
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I haven’t done a very good job working on my New Year’s resolutions.
In fact, I had to look up my New Year’s article to remember the third one: Learn to speak Spanish. I’ll pull those Spanish tutorial CDs off the shelf soon and listen to them while I’m in the sewing room, but it’s almost the end of January and I haven’t taken the first step yet.
I didn’t put anything remotely related to organizing and getting rid of stuff on my New Year’s list, but oddly enough, I’m in the mood to do some of that now. I have out-of-town company frequently and have determined they’re probably tired of trying to find space and hangers in the guest room closet to store their clothes. Maybe, I’ll figure out what too do with some of those wallpaper remnants and end-of-fabric bolts to see if I can make them take up less space.
It took a while to take down all those blasted Christmas decorations because we left town for almost a week afterward. In addition, we had two birthdays during the first eight days of January, so with the exception of indulging myself by reading a couple of simple books, Blue Nights by Joan Didion and Loose Diamonds by Amy Ephron, I haven’t been sitting too still.
Somehow after all the fuss of the new year, I got in the mood to rearrange some cabinets in my kitchen and laundry room.
I use my Crock-Pot at least twice a week, especially in winter months, but it is stored in my laundry room. While it doesn’t take me two seconds to retrieve it, I realized I hardly ever use some cake pans that are stored in a prime kitchen location any more. I use primarily bundt or angel food pans these days. I don’t think I’ve used an 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan in two years, so I cleaned out the “cake pan” cabinet and put my Crock-Pot and rice cookers there.
Yes, I have two rice cookers.
I only had one for a year or so, but based on recommendations from walking buddy Pat (who never steers me wrong) I bought a bigger one. I use the smaller one at least once a week because it works great for two or three of us, but I needed something bigger when I have a big crowd.
Though I am thrilled with the capacity of larger one, which is a Panasonic I found at Essex, I am disappointed that it does not have an “off” switch like the smaller one does. It only has “on” and “warm.” If I want to make it stop heating, I have to pull the plug out. Drats. I should have researched that better. But I’m stuck with it, and it fits easily in the space where those unused cake pans used to be.
The often-used ice cream machine replaced the Crock-Pot in the laundry room, and though I don’t use it often either, it’s easy to reach when I do.
I also found a place (a seldom-used drawer) for yet another new gadget: a Presto Salad Shooter. My friend Melanie Shipp and I had a conversation regarding shredding cheese and raved about the facility of the salad shooter.
I sometimes use pre-shredded cheese because we all know it is so easy. But I do prefer grating my own if I’m making something special for myself or good friends. The cheese that comes shredded in the store contains “caking” agents to keep it from clumping. I prefer the clear, distinct flavor of cheese all by itself.
I found the Salad Shooter on the same shopping expedition to Essex and didn’t get around to using it until after Christmas. While I haven’t sliced cucumbers and radishes for salads yet, I think it might be just the ticket for making homemade pickles (a mandolin slices them too thinly). And I love the way it shreds cheese. And the plastic parts clean up easily in the dishwasher and sink, too.
So, farewell – adieu. I’m off to “organizing” a little more. For some reason, I’m really in the mood.
I might even get out the ladder to help me address a sticky maple syrup mess I discovered just before Thanksgiving on a shelf too high for me to see.
It certainly needs to be addressed, and “Strike while the iron is hot,” as Daddy used to say.
‘Til next week.
Correction: Last week, the author originally referred to Manchester’s Bean’s Creek Winery incorrectly. The Post regrets this error. |
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