Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 27, 1990 TAG: 9006270017
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: TONI BURKS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But the part of your kitchen the doesn't show - inside the cupboards and refrigerator - still needs regular cleanups to be sure stored foods are safe and of good quality. These suggestions will help with the job.
Cupboards:
- Sugar will keep two years when stored in a tight-lidded container.
- All-purpose flour usually will last six to eight months in a tightly covered container. Discard flour or any other grain product if you see signs of insects.
- Store whole-grain flours and other whole-grain products in the refrigerator or freezer. The small amount of oil they contain can become rancid, giving an off-flavor. They also are more attractive to insects.
- Store tea bags in an airtight tin for up to 18 months. Unopened ground coffee in a can will last two years. Opened ground or freeze-dried coffee crystals last about two months; for longer storage, refrigerate.
- Don't store spices over the stove. It may be convenient, but heat and moisture steal the flavor. Whole spices retain flavor for about a year; ground spices about six months.
- Check boxed goods for "use by" dates. If there's no date, remember that boxed pasta lasts a year or more; dry cake or similar mixtures about a year.
- Store commercially canned tomato products, fruits and fruit juices for up to 18 months.
- Other commercially canned goods can be stored for two to five years if the cans look healthy - no dents, holes, rust, bulges or leaks.
- Home-canned foods should be used within a year.
- If in doubt, throw it out. Never taste suspicious-looking or smelling canned goods or anything that spurts liquid when opened.
Refrigerator:
- Check the temperature. The refrigerator should maintain a temperature of 40 degrees or less.
- Fresh poultry and fish keep only one to two days, fresh meat three to five days. For longer storage, wrap in moisture- and vapor-proof wrap and freeze immediately after purchase.
- Most leftovers will keep three to four days.
- Canned hams needing refrigeration last about nine months. Don't freeze such a ham in the can.
- Vacuum-packed meats last two weeks unopened, five to seven days after opening.
- You can safely cut a small mold spot from hard cheese, salami, firm fruits and vegetables. Keep knife out of the mold and cut away one inch around and below the spot. Discard other moldy foods.
Freezer:
- Discard old, frozen-over packages. Keep packages if they're not past the "use-by" date. Date the packages you save and place them up front to use first.
- Defrost freezer at least once a year, more often if necessary. When the freezer is frosted over, it can't work efficiently. Also ice crystals can invade food, causing loss of quality.
- Be sure the freezer maintains 0 degrees or less.
Sink:
- Never store food of any kind under the sink. Leaky pipes, household chemical spills, insects or rodents can cause contamination.
- Associated Press
\ MARKET SHOPPING Home-grown goodness is what shopping at farm markets is all about. And there's plenty of food selections this week.
Green beans, new potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, black and red raspberries, lettuces, greens, radishes, rhubarb, squash, zucchini, eggplant, onions, red and green cabbage - all are good choices for summer celebrations.
Squash and zucchini are great when added raw to salads, stir-fried with some onion and tomato wedges and garlic to tender-crispness or when combined with other fresh ingredients in a casserole. The same is true for cabbage. But use it, too, in a favorite summertime coleslaw.
The berries are fragile and extremely perishable so plan to use them soon after purchase in shortcake or cobbler, as a cereal topping or blended into yogurt.
As usual, there are vegetable and flower plants for late gardening, and hanging baskets of blooming flowers to add a lot of color to screened porches and patios.
\ CHEERS! Planter's punch was the first of the Caribbean rum drinks to become popular in this country, and it's still a warm weather favorite. You'll like the convenience of making it a pitcher at a time when company's coming.
Planter's punch
1 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
2 cups dark rum
1 1/2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice or lime juice
1 Tbsp. grenadine syrup
Ice cubes
Combine sugar and water; stir until sugar dissolves. Chill. In a pitcher stir together syrup, rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, lemon or lime juice, grenadine syrup and ice cubes. Garnish with orange and lime slices, if desired. Makes 6 10-ounce servings. - Associated Press
by CNB