[Guest Post] Freshness in the kitchen by Michelle Rebecca

Freshness In the Kitchen

For all of the food lovers who like to experiment with new recipes in their own kitchens, the digital age is bringing more resources from the culinary world, where more and more home cooks and experienced chefs alike are able to easily learn from others online, on television, or at public cooking events. There is a big focus on information sharing, as well as other trends in food culture that are worth looking at.

One of these trends that comes along with the emergence of organic and natural foods is the idea that food used in the kitchen should be as fresh as possible. Here are some basic tips experts suggest for cooking with fresher ingredients for every recipe.

Keep Oils and Spices Cool, Dry and Dark

One important tip for any cook is to keep items like vegetable oil or other essential oils in places that help to preserve their natural chemistry. This means keeping them away from excessive heat or sunlight. With powdered spices, humidity or heat can be a problem. Putting these ingredients away in specific storage areas can help them last longer and provide more flavorful foods.

Seal Multi-use Food Containers

Another idea that goes along with the above is that cooks should take time to seal any opened containers for storage. One example is to use the handy small tools available for wine bottles after uncorking a nice red or white wine. Wine that gets used over time in cooking can benefit from being sealed and stored in a decent climate. The same idea applies to many other materials, from powdered or ground ingredients to larger bulk ingredients that store better when sealed.

Keep Fresh Produce On Hand

This step is notoriously tricky, and many of those who use whole foods in the kitchen will testify that there is definitely a challenge to using fresher fruits and vegetables. Those who fare best often have a specific organized strategy that includes planning out meals, labeling ingredients, and shopping smarter with smaller store trips. In some cases, the need to buy local, seasonally available produce adds to the challenge, since cooks get larger amounts of one ingredient, rather than a more diverse basket of foods.

The first step is to know about the shelf life of various fruits and vegetables and how long they can keep — this avoids a lot of food waste. It also helps to know about many different ways you can prepare one food, so that there is more of a chance cooks can use their whole inventory before it gets old. For example, peppers or tomatoes, which can be used raw in salads, can also provide helpful additions to soups or all sorts of other hot dishes.

Admit Defeat

One additional recommendation is for cooks who find that they have a hard time throwing out older ingredients. Many of these individuals will have to balance their thriftiness with reality if various foods get too old to provide good ingredients for meals. This is not to promote waste, but to point out that in many cases, storing older foods can cause organizational problems. In extreme cases, keeping outdated food around can lead to the risk of unsafe or unappetizing results.

Labeling, as mentioned above, is an important step, but there’s also a lot of decision-making involved. Setting up one’s own food rules can help a cook to be consistent about what is used and what is thrown away: these kinds of kitchen rules aren’t set in stone like law help details, but they can still help if followed with attention and a consistent commitment to food safety and good presentation.

Michelle is a blogger and freelancer. She’s written about almost every topic under the sun, and loves constantly learning about new subjects and industries while she’s writing. In her spare time she enjoys spending time outdoors with her dogs. Follow her on Twitter and Google+.