The desire to organize seems to hit me every year in the month of February. Perhaps it’s because I spend more time indoors during the cold months (though that is a bit of a misnomer for this particular snowless winter with its 50 degree weather). Last weekend, I defrosted the basement freezer. The only surprise there was all the room I had once the frost melted.
This weekend, I tackled the long neglected spice cupboard. I tossed a bunch of expired herb and spice mixes. When was the last time I made spinach dip for pete’s sake? We don’t do dip. Not even during the holidays. I think I bought them for my fantasy life where I entertain – a lot – and serve dip.
Then there was the fish seasoning I bought in an open air market on the island of St. Martin. You know how the person who isn’t crazy about fish to begin with is usually the one who ends up finding bones in the ‘boneless fillet’? In my house, that would be Old Roady. So I rarely serve fish. That wonderful blend of spices, now several years old, ended up in the trash – another victim of my fantasy life where Omega 3 is an integral part of our diet.
I was pleased with myself for all the purging and cleaning until I read Sara Noel’s Frugal Living column in my local paper and this statement sent me running back to my cupboard: McCormick’s website states that if their spices are in a tin can, they are at least 15 years old.
Okay, so mine is Durkee brand. Can I fool myself into thinking it’s NOT 15 years old?
I tried to decode the expiration date using Durkee’s FAQ page, but the number and letter sequence doesn’t make sense. Add that lack of information to the price tag still glued to the bottom – $1.67 – and I’m thinking I could have tossed this can of paprika 14 years ago and never missed it.
Now I’m in a quandary – throw out the can or keep it. I found the same one pictured on ebay labeled ‘vintage’. It’s a collectible. A few more years and it will be positively antique. This red tin can would look lovely in my fantasy Country Living kitchen.
Anita K Greene 