20 October 2010
6 month check up
Whoa, where did those two months go?
This is what the kittens looked like a few days after I brought them home. Scruffy, dirty, flea infested, confused, sad.
Then, a month later.
Then Klaus starts loving food.
"We could get used to this."
My favorite picture ever.
And now, at six months.
In other news, I got a new old stove! It's pink!
My previous one had issues, so they brought in an equally aged but apparently more functional unit. The only thing I miss is the fold-down burner cover that doubled as more counter space.
And finally: I was never one to wash my vegetables. I didn't really care. Until I fluffed up this head of romaine lettuce from my CSA group in a bowl of water, and after thirty minutes, out floated this:
Yes, it's a blurry bug. I think there were actually two.
Other than that, it's cloudy, rainy and officially fall in Southern California. Lots has changed, and lots has stayed the same. Isn't that the phrase, "the only constant in life is change"?
I feel like I'm actually becoming something of an adult.
18 August 2010
update three
Well, it's been over three weeks since I began the experiment to eat solely from, and then later focus on, the food in my pantry (defined as the cupboards and freezer).
I had to replenish some things about ten days ago, and then I went on a short but lovely vacation to Oakland to visit the boyfriend (loooooooove). Now I am back, and I didn't think it was possible, but I can still fuel my body from food that exists in my house. This goes to show how much we end up buying and not using for ages. I live in a small studio with little storage space, and my relatively small stockpile is lasting me one month. Just think about people with two fridges and walk-in pantries!
Here is my pantry on July 31st.
Here is the pantry today, August 18th.
Huzzah! The top shelf takes the longest to use up, because I have multiple containers of certain things (Masala Simmer Sauce; canned tuna) and others have specific uses (canned pumpkin; orange sauce). But bean count (my priority): from 7 cans to 1. Woohoo!
I get CSA veggies (and a loaf of artisan bread made locally in an outdoor woodfired oven!) this Friday, so I think I might have a chance to use up some of the jarred sauces. That is my new priority. Even with only the basics I think I can squeeze out another five dinners. I'm thinking those chicken curry breasts in the freezer, tuna sandwich(es), black beans + brown rice, the last portion of vegetarian chili from last week, chicken with that homemade tomato sauce I just discovered in the fridge... not to mention pasta and rice. I still have multiple bags of pasta and rice. I may need to get another carton of yogurt after I use up the last of the eggs for breakfast tomorrow and Friday... but I still think I can pretty much get by until next Monday.
So, let's see how long I can go before needing to do a big food shop. I'm feeling re-invigorated with this challenge... probably after four days of eating out in the Bay Area. While certainly delicious, it is nice to eat at home, with little fuss.
09 August 2010
update two
Update #2 for TGKSE.
After a week and a half this experiment is still mostly going on, although it's a lot less exciting! I made it until the 7th (well, night of the 6th) without buying anything, and by then I desperately needed milk so I stocked up on breakfast supplies and a few other things. It was a smaller shop than usual, because I had enough stockpile left to get me through another week. I am going up to visit Kevin on Friday so I didn't want to buy too much that was perishable. My focus is still to use up the cans and pantry items I already had in the apartment. I have fixated on getting rid of the ten cans of beans I have, so I've been getting creative in finding ways to eat beans every day and not get bored of them. I made a pretty good cold summer salad with roasted corn, kidney beans, basil, and lime juice that lasted for three lunches. I'm going to run out of fresh veggies and fruit soon, but apart from that I'm doing well. I'm out of town from Friday night through Tuesday night, so I won't need to buy any more food for the house until after I get back. While I'm up there, though, I am looking forward to eating out a bit. I haven't had a restaurant meal in about a month.
I got turnips in my CSA pick up over a week ago, and I am only now actually using them. I'm currently roasting a chicken breast with turnips, potatoes and garlic in olive oil with herbs. It feel a bit like Christmas with all the roasting!
So that's the update; thrilling, I know. I am very ready for another mini-break from life. I can't believe my last (extremely short) trip, over 4th of July, was over a month ago now. Where does the time go? And is there a phrase more repeated than that one?
02 August 2010
TGKSE... update one
So, my first update on The Great Kitchen Stockpile Experiment.
I had a few hiccups to deal with yesterday; mainly, the fact that my fridge is defective. This has been an on-off-on problem since I moved in eight weeks ago. The lovely maintenance guy, Oscar, didn't want to admit the fridge was broken, but it was. His whole theory on how the fridge stays cold was pretty much bull. Anyway, I called my landlord yesterday after the third day of 60 degree temps inside the fridge, and today I came home to a brand-new fridge. Is that good customer service or what? Let's hope it works.
So, I had to break one rule and buy one (ONE!) thing because of the whole broken-appliance fiasco. Because I have to have a cup of coffee in the morning. Does this mean I'm addicted? NO. Does this mean I have caffeine withdrawals if I go without it? NO. I simply very much enjoy my 1-2 cup(s). With milk. And the little left in my milk carton had conglomerated into lipid globules, so I walked into Ralphs in resignation and bought Horizon Organic's mini aseptic milk cartons. God knows what they do to the milk when they make it shelf-stable, and I don't support Horizon's "organic" methods and it tastes sweeter than normal... but in a pinch, it made do in coffee this morning. So I spent $3.99. Other than that, still living off the food I have.
Because my yogurt is questionable, having been at 50 degrees or higher for a couple days, I've been waiting until it can enjoy a 37-42 degree atmosphere and hardens again to decide whether I want to eat it. I did just buy it, after all. I've instead been eating through the two ancient cereal boxes in the pantry for breakfasts lately, and finishing off Kevin's carton of soymilk. Check and check.
Last night I finished off the Mulligatawny leftovers, which lasted three dinners. A rousing success for one lonely chicken breast. And this morning, anticipating no bread or turkey for lunch, I sauteed up an onion with garlic, cumin and oregano, and added a can of kidney beans (1 down, 2 to go). Mixed up with brown rice already in Tupperware, it made an edible-if-not-thrilling lunch. Next time I'll add salsa and maybe some cheese, once it hardens again.
Tonight, I sauteed a piece of fish I thawed out (too quickly, probably) in the fridge in some butter, and heated up some frozen veggies from Trader Joes. For dessert I had the last slice of the Chocolate Cake I bought ten days ago to celebrate the end of Kevin's summer research. Yes, by day 10 it was less than stellar, but still quite yummy.
It feels really good to use up stuff I've had for weeks or, even, months (the fish had been in the freezer since at least March). Assuming I don't die of disease from eating a piece of fish that sat at 60 degrees all day... I'm looking forward to more depletion of the stockpile. Rice and beans... here I come.