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January Is...
National Egg Month, Wheat Bread Month, National Soup Month, Fat Free Living Month, National Hot Tea Month, National Oatmeal Month, Bread Machine Baking Month, National Staying Healthy Month, Prune Breakfast Month, Coffee Gourmet Month (International), Diet Month, Lose Weight & Feel Great Month, California Dried Plum Digestive Month, National Meat Month, National Egg Month, National Candy Month and Retail Bakers Month.
January 1
Happy New Year, National Bloody Mary Day
January 2 National Cream Puff Day January 3National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day January 4National Spaghetti Day January 5National Whipped Cream Day January 6National Shortbread Day, National Bean Day January 7 National Tempura Day, Fruitcake Toss Day January 8National English Toffee Day January 9National Apricot Day January 10National Bittersweet Chocolate Day January 11National Hot Toddy Day January 12National Marzipan Day January 13National Peach Melba Day January 14National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day January 15National Strawberry Ice Cream Day, National Fresh Squeezed Juice Day January 16National Fig Newton Day, International Hot and Spicy Food Day January 17National Hot Buttered Rum Day January 18National Peking Duck Day January 19National Popcorn Day January 20National Buttercrunch Day January 21National Granola Bar Day January 22National Blonde Brownie Day January 23National Rhubarb Pie Day, National Pie Day January 24National Peanut Butter Day January 25National Irish Coffee Day January 26National Peanut Brittle Day January 27National Chocolate Cake Day January 28National Blueberry Pancake Day January 29National Corn Chip Day January 30National Croissant Day January 31National Brandy Alexander Day
Credit: gone-ta-pott website
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January:
Time To Get Organized
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 Ah January, a time for diets and new gym memberships. A time for resolutions and changes to one's lifestyle. But not for me. I adore chocolate (and most foods in general) too much to do that to myself. But one thing that I do like to do for myself in January is to take a good look at my kitchen. For me January is a time to purge, organize and renew so that I have a full year ahead of better cooking in a streamlined kitchen. My kitchen isn't as big as I would like for it to be (as most food lovers lament) so I try to make the most of my space. I have gathered a few tips below for you to join with me as I start the process of improving my kitchen this January. Don't try to tackle it all in one day if it's too daunting a task. Break it down into small steps and take on a few each week.
Purge, purge, purge -- It's time to get honest with yourself. Will you really use that lone packet of gelatin before it expires? What about that container of spices that you bought for a recipe that you ended up hating? Have a dish or cooking utensil that was gifted to you, but you never use it? Throw them away or find new homes for them. Lastly, check your canned food for expiration dates. While you're at it, what about the food and water you have stored with your emergency kit? Does it need to be replaced? Is your fire extinguisher expired too?
Organize -- Think about the recipes you cook most often. What tools and dishes do you use while cooking and serving these meals? Make sure all those items are stored in places that are easy for you to reach and find. I have a ceramic holder that is 7" round by 6 " high that sits on my counter. It holds wooden spoons, spatulas, graters, a microplane, wire whisks, a hand colander, slotted spoons and a soup ladle. Use the upper shelves in your kitchen to store items that you only use on special occasions. If you are worried about forgetting where everything is, jot down a few notes that you can leave in your junk drawer. Or put a reminder on your calendar about where you have stored the roasting pan for your Easter rib roast.
Cooking goes much faster when you can quickly find all the ingredients and tools you need. Over the year I find that my ingredients shift and move into new "homes" in my kitchen. This is the time I gather up all the bottles of various types of oil and vinegar and put them together in one area. I gather up my flours and sugars and put them together. I put all my baking ingredients together. And so forth. Then I alphabetize all my spices and replace any that are too old. I also look at my cooking tools and try to place items that are used for the same purpose (baking, making pasta, etc.) together. I have my kitchen knives sharpened. Lastly, I go through all the various containers of condiments, jam, etc. in my fridge and I organize those as well.
Renew -- Once I have a better idea of what I have and the new space I have now that I have purged and organized, I like to peruse some of my favorite online shopping sites to get ideas and learn about products I didn't even know existed:
Kuhn Rikon: kitchen gadgets
The Container Store: kitchen organizers
Ikea: interior organizers
Revol: porcelain cookware and accessories
Think Outside the Box -- Maybe the unused second oven is the perfect home for that large paella pan. Perhaps you can add small shelves to the side of a piece of furniture or a wall to create the perfect spot to store glasses or your collection of tea cups and saucers. Paint a wall with magnetic paint so you can post recipes, family pictures and inspiring pictures of dishes you want to cook. It's your kitchen so you make the rules. Don't be afraid to be different. This is your space.
Lastly, if time and budget permit, I try to think big. Will this be the year I install pull-out shelves? Maybe invest in a bigger pot rack?
What do you do to keep your kitchen organized? I'd like to hear from you about what steps you take to get your kitchen ready for a year of great cooking. Join our discussion on Facebook.
Be sure to check out the coupon from SF Travel at the very bottom of this eNewsletter. All the best in food, wine, and travel.
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Sally's Recommendations
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Project TreasureRecipes are great gifts to pass down in the family or to share with loved ones. Project Treasure makes it easy to collect recipes from family and friends and present them in a beautiful keepsake box. Project Treasure sends a note to family and friends inviting them to write recipes and messages for the recipient - the messages are printed on high quality, beautiful paper and assembled in a gorgeous treasure chest for delivery. $49.99 It makes a beautiful personal keepsake or coffee table conversation piece! A video that shows the process is available at this link:
 | | Introduction to Project Treasure |
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