Cupboard Weirdos

[DinoLil]

I took delivery of fancy tomatoes yesterday. Really nice ones and a lot of them. The website I got them from has some very interesting recipes that I'm going to try out.

Anyway, it's got me thinking. I've had to buy some odd ingredients to make said recipes and I'm now the proud owner of about 10kg of fancy tomatoes and a bottle of pomegranate molasses. Pomegranate molasses! I know what a pomegranate is, but a bottle of pomegrante molasses?

I can see that my £4.50 bottle will probably be used for one tablespoon and live in my cupboard until I rediscover it when it's 15yrs out of date.

What weird things have you got in your kitchen cupboards? Or your fridge? I know I've got a jar of marmalade that I made about 5yrs ago lurking with an elderly cucumber in my fridge.

@TurraeaFloribunda Oooh, thank you so much - you have just reminded me of the pack of dried hibiscus flowers I have languishing somewhere. I fell in love with iced hibiscus "tea" on a trip to Egypt many moons ago - I need to make up a pitcher of it to guzzle in this fine weather.

I use sliced courgettes in layers for a dish we call mousagne - a cross between Italian and Greek baked lasagne. Also courgettes fritters are nice. I used to make soup with them when the kids were little. It’s very green so known as frog soup. Hope that helps.

Corrupts food! Is he mad?! 😂
Luckily my partner is into big flavours, I'd go as far to say it's a big reason we got together 😂
He even made the open pantry for me, what a star.
Oh, and I'm so pleased to have found my cupboard weirdo twin, big up the flavours!

I was having a clear out a few days ago and found an out of date bottle of sour cherry molasses I bought on a whim from Waitrose. I had to chuck that and the out of date pomegranate molasses. Neither of them are really everyday ingredients.

No, please make chicken vol al vents and invite me over!

My parents were given a jar of pickled walnuts and they were completely bemused so the jar sat in the kitchen for 10 years and was then thrown out.

They also had some crème de menthe in a bottle the shape of a flamenco lady in the dresser. It was there when I was 6 and last I checked it was still in there, untouched and I’m now 50.

Fortunately, he is happy to eat whatever I cook with whatever weird ingredients (and expresses appreciation for it, because he knows what's good for him), but his own cooking is super plain (but he eats meat and I'm vegetarian, so I'm spared his cooking). He is a sweet and simple soul: as long as he has salt, black pepper, mayonnaise and salad cream, he's happy! Whereas I, by contrast, basically treat most foods as carriers for condiments. I yearn for the kind of kitchen storage you describe - my poor cupboards are crammed fit to bursting point.

The chicken in white sauce is great for making a quick, low bother curry too.

That is amazing, that a genuine antique in the true sense!

We're the same in that he eats meat and I don't, he only eats it occasionally though. He's a good cook but I mostly cook now because I love it so much! The past few years I've taught myself to cook more complex recipes (thanks Ottolenghi 👍) and it's really paid off, I'm so proud to cook for people, it's a lovely thing to share. I love to garden and grow veg and combined with cooking, it's become a big part of who I am. Gardening and cooking are literally steering me through my middle years, it's a simple, nourishing way to live.

I do love the simplicity of this mindset as we get older.

2kh of vegetarian ghee

That bread is delicious, sort of fragrant and nutty, a bit similar to marzipan but not the same, just ‘perfumed’ in a similar way.

That's hilarious 😂

This is the best courgette recipe I know…https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/sep/05/pasta-con-le-zucchine-pasta-with-courgettes-and-basil-recipe-rachel-roddy?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

My Lebanese friend always sprinkles sumac on her fried or poached eggs.
And now, so do I, for it is delicious.

DH found a jar of unopened jam made in 1962 by his long dead Grandmother in his Mothers cupboard. We have a jar of caviar and a bottle of ouzo that DH bought when travelling round the world in 1989.

Oh rose water with half a cucumber grated in it makes a very lovely face toner/mask.

Pickled eggs- can't remember who mentioned them- I love them. Rubbery and eggy and sour. I'm not selling them to you with this I know but get over that and they're great.

I think you win the thread!

I was gifted a BIG box of saffron over a year ago but I still haven't got round to looking up recipes for it... ideas?

A few ideas of dishes that you can add saffron to (noting that a little saffron goes a long way): Cornish saffron buns; rice dishes such as risotto alla milanese, pilaf, pulao, paella, biryani, saloni mewa ka khichdi (an Indian sweet rice); kheer (Indian rice pudding); tagine; potatoes cooked in a yoghurt and saffron curry sauce; add to poaching liquid for poached pears; I think maybe it's also used in bouillabaisse?

Look up Fatoush - it's my favourite Lebanese salad and needs pomegranate molasses for the simple yet delicious dressing

@burblish thank you!

@DinoLil I've heard that pomegranate molasses is nice drizzled over ice cream, though I haven't tried it myself!

I've just made Bastani, Persian ice cream with saffron, rose water, pistachios and cardamom, it's a delight for sure 😀

@TheNightingalesStarling I always make https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/italianstylezucchini_9833 when I have excess courgette