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Kitchen clearout
CUPBOARD LOVE
When the sun starts to shine, we really don’t
want it to shine on our food cupboards.
WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN
TO GOOD CUPBOARDS
Nasty surprises can lurk at the back of our
kitchen cupboards if we’re not careful.
Mould, flour weevils and rice weevils can all
invade our ingredients. But if you clean and
organise your cupboards regularly, you can
avoid any horrors.
First, take everything out and check sell-by
dates. Bin what’s past its best – yes even herbs
and spices. They may not go off, but they do
lose their strength the older they get. Whole
spices last longer than ground.
Flour can go rancid (you will smell it) and can
be invaded by weevils which turn into moths so
be particularly careful.
Sugar keeps for a long time but after two years
it is probably best to bin it. It will often turn hard
the older it gets and solidify into a lump so to
soften it, put the sugar in a glass or ceramic
bowl with a moist paper towel and cover it with
a lid or plate. Microwave for 20 seconds or until
soft again.
Dried pasta will usually have a two-year expiry
date, but you don’t risk much by adding a few
months on to that date.
Dried beans and pulses have been known to
last decades – in fact researchers at Brigham
Young University found that only after 30 years
did the overall quality of pinto beans decrease.
Cans, too, can last for years – the only things
to watch out for is eating anything out of a
rusted, bulging, leaking or badly dented can.
Honey lasts for a very long time, but it may go
thick and caramel-coloured – to make it clear
and runny again put into microwave and give it
little blasts until it is restored.
Jams and jellies will last too, if the knife or
spoon you use to dish them up is clean and
free from bacteria. Always use an implement
for pickles and things like sun-dried tomatoes –
dip your bacteria-laden finger in and that’s how
mould will start.
CLEAN-UP TIME
So, once everything is out, clean your
cupboards with a lemon you’ve saved from
cooking – just remove any spills then rub the
cut side of a lemon all over.
Get rid of stubborn stains or
sticky residue with a sprinkling of
bicarbonate of soda topped with
some hot water – leave until the
stain has softened and wipes away.
You can also use bicarb with a
sprinkling of vinegar for persistent stains.
Leave for a while after it has stopped fizzing. If
you have just moved into a new home and the
cupboards smell musty, fill a shallow bowl with
white or cider vinegar and leave overnight. The
smell should have gone by morning.
Finally, empty and wash any storage jars and
leave to air-dry before refilling.
Now you should have an idea of what foods
you use most often and those you don’t. You
can rearrange your cupboards so the most-
used ingredients go at the front.
As for your kitchen equipment cupboard,
again take everything out.
Be ruthless – if you never use that breadmaker
put it on ebay or give it to a charity shop that
takes electricals. If anything is broken and
you’ve shoved it in the cupboard thinking you
will get it fixed one day, well today’s the day to
put that in motion – or put it in the bin.
Many people may own a larder or pantry –
these have had a resurgence recently.
Larders should keep things cool and produce
like tomatoes, eggs, soft herbs, butter, onions,
potatoes, olive oil, honey, cheese, bananas,
courgettes, peppers, mushrooms and root veg
all benefit from being
kept in a cool, rather
than cold, place, ie
the fridge.
Old ingredients, spills, sticky stains – we’ve all been guilty of letting our cupboards get into a state.
HILARY SCOTT shows you how to give your cupboards some love – and what basic ingredients
you should put back in.
TOP TIP
Can’t get the lid off your jar?
Pop on a pair of rubber gloves.
They will give you the
extra grip you need
to get it off
USEFUL ORGANISERS
Keeping cupboards organised can
be easy with specially designed
equipment. Lakeland, Dunelm and
IKEA are good places to buy.
Expandable shelf organiser helps you
see at a glance what’s in the cupboard,
£15.99. LAKELAND
Roto caddies are clever
stackable turntables
that let you ‘rotate’ jars
and cans making it
easy to store, review
and access, starts from
£15.99. LAKELAND
Variera plate holder,
£6. IKEA
Korken storage jar,
£1.75. IKEA