Kitschy Kitchen

Food-related resources, methods, and supplies for the indie kitchen

The Laws of Containment

The new and improved coffee station

I call two of my three sisters the Marthas, because the level of their domestic near-perfection is astounding. They both work but somehow have time to impeccably decorate their homes by season, purchase specialty pans and dishes for every occasion (usually from Williams Sonoma), and cook/bake meals from scratch nearly every day.

During parties hosted by my sisters, I tease them about the specially designed ramekins and serving bowls and chip-and-dip plates they serve snacks and meals on. They do not allow branded containers on the table or counters. If I bring my own spread for crackers (dairy-free for my allergy), I must scoop it into the proper receptacle and provide an appropriate serving utensil.  I have historically found this practice hilarious, but I must admit, I am beginning to come around – mainly due to a few recent discoveries regarding proper containment….

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Greening Your Home – Cleaning Non-Martha Style!

There are many reasons to revamp your cleaning regimen (if you even have one) to include greener methods, from toxins in common household cleaners to asthma and allergies – and of course concern for the environment.  I started with a paranoia (or not) about my young son’s health and my own sensitivities as well as an overall goal to be greener in all of my home ec activities.  But after reading Green Up Your Clean Up, by Jill Schoff, I realized that the nagging skin rash I have had on my hands and legs, the one that splits my skin in the winter and has no mercy for the endless hand-washing I have to endure as a mother, is actually contact dermatitis.

The book notes that most household cleaners, including hand and dish soaps, and all-purpose sprays, contain detergents because they work better in cold water.  But these detergents have harsh and potentially toxic chemicals in them, and many people are sensitive to their effects – especially due to constant exposure for long periods.  Not to be doomsday-ish, but increased rates of allergies and asthma across the population may even be due to their continued use over time.

My son has always had some level of my sensitivity, and I started using hypo-allergenic laundry detergent years ago….

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The Paperless Kitchen

Many self-professed “greenies” take a decidedly firm stand against napkins and paper towels.  As a woman whose momma raised her right, to always place a napkin in the lap (after setting the table with it folded into a triangle on the left side of the plate with a fork atop it), I was a bit shocked to learn of this particular way of greening a kitchen.   After all, some people forego the napkins altogether.  But it takes a lot of kitchen towels to fill up a washing machine, I have noted, so using cloth napkins is an excellent and stylish way to conserve resources, and it looks rather Martha-ish as well – an added bonus if you’re like me.  If you want to go even greener, you can add a DIY factor and make your own, or support an artisan on etsy.

I used to have a bad habit of going through paper towels way too quickly, and now I find that I don’t need them half as much as I thought I did.  I have saved countless trees in the several months that I have foregone the paper napkin/towel circuit, and I am feeling pretty good about my “footprint” right now.  I also find I’m a little less messy, because I want to keep my beautiful napkins and towels pristine for longer.  Bonus.

P.S. Awesome towel available from BlueQ