Tuesday, November 12, 2013

A Refrigerator of Mixed Emotions

I'm not planning on cooking today, and I'll be photographing a wine dinner tonight at Leroy's, so I'm taking advantage of another Daily Prompt to get me through today's post. I'm almost halfway through the month...

BlogHer NaBloPoMo Daily Prompt for Nov 12 

Name five things inside your refrigerator right now and how you feel about them.

1.  Justin's Organic Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

These have been in my refrigerator since yesterday. I'm surprised they've lasted that long. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are probably my all-time favorite candy. Should I feel better about eating Justin's organic peanut butter cups as opposed to Reese's Peanut Butter Cups? Yes. Although too close in calories and fat to make a difference, and I don't know the price difference off hand, I think I actually prefer the taste of Justin's and like the organic, preservative-free ingredient list. 

After the photo was taken, I had to eat them ;-) I still feel a tinge of guilt, especially since it's before noon.


2.  Homemade Caramel Sauce

This has been in my refrigerator since last Christmas and the sugar has crystallized. It has actually been in two refrigerators because it survived the refrigerator clean-out when I moved in February. It was a Christmas gift from Alec, Nina, Sonoma, Kai, Hillari, Max and Olivia, and I feel bad because I haven't used it on more desserts. Homemade gifts are very special. I vividly remember all of them riding up on their bikes to deliver it on Christmas Day. Good friends who love to cook and be creative. Although I feel bad for not enjoying more of it, many good memories are associated with this close group of friends, with many more to come.



3. Homemade Limoncello

Another gift from a friend, who is sadly no longer my friend. This bottle has been in my refrigerator since sometime this past summer. I still have feelings of hurt because I don't know what caused to this friendship to end. This was someone I thought would be a good friend forever, but she just suddenly stopped communicating and won't tell me why. I guess I should finish off the last glass, but maybe it's that last sip that keeps some connection alive. I miss her.



4. Cafe Du Monde Coffee and Chicory

This also survived the move from the last refrigerator to the current one, and is about 2 1/2 years old. This can of coffee brings back great memories of my first visit to New Orleans with John. Wonderful food, our early morning walk in the dark to Cafe Du Monde, more walks all over town exploring and taking photographs, meeting up with Mr. and Mrs. Bunkycooks, and coming back home to make our own beignets, chicory coffee, and many more recipes from our John Besh and Donald Link cookbooks, like gumbo and grilled oysters. This also gives me the itch to travel.



5. Summer Truffles

Unopened. Something John bought and forgot to take with him when he left. Feelings of hurt, but many good memories of our time together - cooking, concerts in the park, photographing food and wildlife, traveling, Halloween, and loving our Newfs.



Share your thoughts about something in your refrigerator....

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Refrigerators are hard cold scribes but so often their confrontational detachment connects the soul to missing parts, the perfect ingredient, the ingredient that turns your heart to mush. This comes at a good time - found Miss Winnie's custom home made dog chow in the freezer yesterday ... The refer is newly cleaned but did find some nearly petrified organic sun dried tomatoes from the raw vegan days. Makes me hungry for raw pasta sauce again. About a cup of soaked and drained sundried tomatoes, 4 plum tomatoes, 2 tablespoons italian spices, 2 medjool dates, 1 shallot, 2 cloves garlic, 4 tablespoons olive oil, salt and a splash of sherry - puree - then throw in a couple handfulls of spinach, finely chop on low. Serve over pasta or homemade squash noodles. Great post! - Carmen

Sue said...

Funny, before reading this I just cleaned out the fridge in anticipation of Thanksgiving
Five things in my refrigerator
1. A bottle of Tsingtao beer-reminder of our Chinese New Year party this year, good time.
2. Spiced and pickled blackberries-recipe from Food and Wine, must remember to use the blackberry vinegar in a dressing
3. Raspberry hot pepper jelly from last Christmas
4. Gochujang-Korean red pepper paste, a memory of our Korean barbecue this summer.
5. Late harvest Riesling-should remember to serve it with Thanksgiving dessert.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful post, glad our caramel sauce made the warm and fuzzy category, and you found it before it hit the fuzzy stage :-) because of our recent move, we don't have much that's been hanging around for a while... I do admit I have a weakness for those vibrant green Italian olives, can't keep my paws out of them! -Nina