Well, I've never been in the proverbial closet, so the headline should read cupboards.
We had these cupboards built into the space where your knees would be if you were sitting at the never used breakfast bar on bar stools. They are so useful but looking a bit empty these days as the food stuffs winds down, now that I have no one to cook for me. (Food parcels are welcome)
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I chucked out a large container of some green peppermint lollies. Why were they there taking up so much space? What's in the container on the left? We used to drink Chinese green tea.
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This is the spice cupboard above the range hood, above the stove, err, hotplates and oven. You can only see the front row. There is more behind.
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What do I do with this? The peppercorns have run out. Do I buy a new grinder with some peppercorns within? Nope. I need to manually fill it. It's funny because it used to my job, whereby I would fill the salt and pepper grinders when they were empty. Ray found this far too late and liked to fill when a quarter was left in the grinders, so he used to beat me to it and it was another job I didn't have to do. I have always been a person who doesn't top up until something has finished. There are two exceptions, the car's petrol tank and my drink.
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My memory says look for a small cellophane packet of peppercorns to refill the device. I searched high and low and there weren't any peppercorns. I was getting cross with Ray for not buying a new packet of peppercorns, even though it is over three months since he couldn't. I took a third look and lo and behold, Ray did not fail me.
With my shaky hands, I could envisage a vast quantity of peppercorns needing to be vacuumed off the bench and floor. There must be a better way to fill the grinder and I worked out how.
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Small funnels are so useful, if you can find them. we hAVE
ReplyDelete. . . several, if we can only find them. Your cupboards look so well organised . . .
DeleteI use those small funnels for just such tasks. For similar reasons. Mind you the amount of pepper himself uses a bucket wouldn't be too big.
ReplyDelete"I have always been a person who doesn't top up until something has finished. There are two exceptions, the car's petrol tank and my drink."
ReplyDeleteDying. Not so much about the gasm, but the drink! Love it.
Ingenious. I would have ended up with a peppercorn tsunami.
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ReplyDeleteI always top it up at the end of each use of everything. My mentality for a rainy day
I have a funnel which is practically worn down from use. I can't pour straight, so it saves a lot of cleanup.
ReplyDeleteHere’s a tip, check the use by dates on the spices. We found some recently dating back to 2007!
ReplyDeleteBreakfast on a stool next to the bar was an intelligent idea for speed and cleanliness in small kitchens. But like you, I never saw anyone do it. In any case, The Age newspaper used to be too large to fit on the breakfast bar.
ReplyDeleteLet's try this again, I commented earlier and it wouldn't publish. I use funnels a lot, rather not make a mess than have to clean it up.
ReplyDeleteI used to have dozens of spices. I use only four. I sense we have something in common :) Good idea about the funnel. An ounce of prevention, and so on!
ReplyDeleteLooks like it will be a while before those shelves are completely empty.
ReplyDeleteAh, the ever handy funnel to the rescue! I don't have shaky hands and my grinder has a top that comes completely off leaving quite a wide mouth so I don't have trouble refilling, but I do refill things before they are completely empty. The shelves look pretty well stocked to me. Do you have a similar container of salt for that grinder?
ReplyDeleteI would have made a make do funnel with baking paper, then let go of it so it unravelled just as the peppercorns hit.
ReplyDeleteThere are easier ways to make a mess!
The breakfast bar cupboards are ingenious.
I designed my kitchen 20+ years ago and the breakfast bar was the only part I'd change
Where there is a will, there is a way.
ReplyDeleteThat was good to put doors where one would sit for a meal, not me though or you, I always prefer to sit at the dinning table.
Bar stools at breakfast bars very uncomfortable, and why just breakfast, three meals and two breaks a day, no wonder people install tables into their kitchens.
ReplyDeleteThat funnel is a great idea. I have often thought to myself that we should get one. I will be on the look out now. By the way, I thought that grinder was a location-based social networking and online dating application targeted towards gay and bisexual men.
ReplyDeleteEnjoying the previous comments 😄
ReplyDeleteThey used to give out funnels with new dishwashers to replenish the salt with.......don't think anyone bothers with that much now...... useful things funnels but always requires a house search round here to lay my hands on one.
Alison in Wales x
No, we got a funnel with our new dishwasher just a few months ago! And I actually put salt in it, which I have never done before. I think it does make a difference!
Delete😀 Ah, thanks for that Steve, I'm probably getting away with not putting salt in because of the soft water in our area.
DeletePs I read your blog often but don't comment cos I'm too idle to sign in !
Alison in Wales x
That funnel looks awfully narrow. Like the peppercorns might get caught in it. Aha! So THAT's where you keep your stash!
ReplyDeleteThe extra storage is much more useful than the knee space.
ReplyDeleteWe always seem to wait until the pepper mill is empty just at the time you need some pepper. It doesn't pay to procrastinate.
ReplyDeleteI used to have a grinder but now I buy ground pepper since the grinder long ago broke. I'm sure the flavor is not as pronounced in bought ground pepper.
ReplyDeleteI caught up on your posts, you have been a busy bee, bravo, I didn't empty Ricks belongings or his office for two years, and then slow like a snail ! If I understand well you rented a room to somebody ? I hope it is a nice person, but a good idea. You will see. I wish you all the best for your two appointments !
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