Kitchen Garden Forum

I agree with you on the jams and pickles - never could understand this one either. But something I discovered recently having been away for a week I had 3 ripe bananas left in the fruit bowl. I took one with me to eat on the train and the other 2 I individually wrapped in cling flim and put in the fridge (nothing to loose) and even a week later I had one this evening and it was perfect.

Beryl.

I wonder if it's an age thing, this putting stuff in the fridge that doesn't need to go in.

When I was a child there was still rationing so we had to make stuff last...and we didn't have a fridge. I never put fruit, veg, eggs, etc. in the fridge and the butter stays on the worktop so it spreads easier. My daughter puts everything in the fridge. Mind you, she nearly vomits when I cut the mould off the Wensleydale cheese before eating it....the cheese, I mean.

I think you are partially right Solway, we only had the larder when I lived at home - no fridge at all. I do think however, the manufacturers/supermarkets are to blame for keeping jams, chutneys, ketchup etc. in the fridge as they always say 'refrigerate after opening'. This I think is to cover themselves.

Beryl.

Stuff that used to keep in the cupboard doesn't anymore.
Frank Coopers Oxford marmalade goes mouldy!

I suspect "healthy eating" is the cause, less sugar?

Or a warm kitchen Peter.

Beryl.

Beryl wrote:Or a warm kitchen Peter.

Beryl.

Nail on head IMHO.

Same kitchen as half a dozen previous pots of the same marmalade, which were fine.

How about a letter of complaint then Peter.

Beryl.

Nah, they'll just point me at the warning on the label to "once opened refridgerate and consume within n weeks", so not worth the stamp.

When we were young my mother kept spare butter etc in a food safe down an old air raid shelter. I hated being asked to go and get it - down a flight of steps and into the dark with spiders etc! The milk was put in a saucepan of cold water which was periodically renewed during the day. My grandmother had a back scullery which was COLD and perishable things were put on a stone in there.
I do agree about eggs. Mine are kept in an unheated porch but they are from our own hens and we know how old they are. Supermarket eggs are never that fresh.
I think we expect to eat unseasonal food these days, so we only have ourselves to blame if the taste is substandard.

jane E wrote:I think we expect to eat unseasonal food these days, so we only have ourselves to blame if the taste is substandard.

I quite agree. Especially when it comes to being hoodwinked by various claims about some foods. I bought some eggs a while ago which I paid quite a bit more for, they were organic and came from free-range hens, raised on silk cushions with Sky+, scented candles, blah blah blah. But they had fed them on fish meal, and so the eggs tasted of fish, a flavour that tainted everything. Feeding anything on fish meal is completely unacceptable, in my view. And yet organic.