Monday, February 25, 2008

Martha wishes she were so well stocked

Here's a good questions: Exactly how many rubber spatulas is too many rubber spatulas? Because between the two of us, Katie and I have 18. Well, I'm estimating here. It's roughly about 18. Which, I think, may be too many. Is 10 whisks too many? How about 15 wooden spoons? Do you think that maybe we have too much stuff if we have to have a utensil jar just for spatulas and wooden spoons and a separate jar for whisks and half of a drawer devoted entirely to regular spatulas and slotted and non-slotted spoons? Not to mention the drawer full of kitchen gadgets (garlic presses, potato peelers, that sort of stuff).

What I'm getting at here is that Katie and I finally combined our kitchen stuff and if you need it, we got it. In triplicates. With more in storage.

I mostly blame Gina and Amanda for this. Why? Because at one point I was living with Amanda and Katie with Gina and then they each got married and moved out, leaving behind half of their kitchen stuff because who can remember what's yours and what's mine (True store: Amanda and I actually did rock paper scissors for one casserole dish that is now sitting in my cupboard) and also who wants to pack up the cruddy Tupperware? Answer: Apparently not Gina. I threw two trash bags of cruddy Tupperware away on Saturday.

The really funny thing about this is that Amanda and Gina aren't actually the big cookers in the group. Katie and I are. And yet, I think that we could safely say that half of the stuff in our kitchen wasn't purchased by either of us. This would not be such a problem if our kitchen wasn't slightly larger than a breadbox. Right now you can fit two people in there snugly but I think if we brought in one more wooden spoon we'd have to kick someone out. Katie is the better cook so I would volunteer myself.

Full Disclosure: I came in with three crock-pots. So I like a good roast.

10 comments:

Laura said...

Even I think 18 rubber saptualas is too many. I have 4...2 big ones, one little one and one of those spoon/spatula ones. I think I need 2 more for really heavy baking days, but that's enough.

I love that you got rid of the yucky tupperware! I used to have so much of it, even though I only used the same 5 or 6 containers all the time. I now have one small drawer full of containers, plus a few large ones in a cupboard and that's it. It's so freeing!

Valerie said...

At the end of your post, I had sort of lost track of whether you were asking or telling.
If you asking, yes, 10 wooden spoons are too much.

Heather said...

I agree--18 and 15 and 10 are too many for one kitchen. I'm sitting here trying to think of a recipe that would require all of them...I got nothin. But I do happen to know some one who is lacking in rubber spatulas and wooden spoons and wire wisks. If you want to donate them to someone in need, I can be your connection.

The Cahoons! said...

I remember you telling me once that if you were a kitchen utensil you would be a spatula. (this was you right...) If it was, I am now seeing that you are clearly obsessed.

Amy said...

Now I know why Gina said she didn't care to get her tupperware back when she brought Jason and I dinner after we had Kamryn. If I would have known, I may have held onto those tupperware pieces and stashed them away. :-)

Gina said...

Now it's time to defend myself. I actually have nothing to say. Yep...I'm guilty of having too much Tupperware (that is "had"). However, I did, at one time, clean out that Tupperware cupboard and threw a ton of stuff away. So somehow...it grew.

The thing is that it's hard to cook for one or two people, so I always made a lot and saved it, so the tupperware actually got used.

So thanks, Rachel, for sharing my Tupperware hoarding habits and love of leftovers.

In case you're fearful about coming to visit me because a piece of Tupperware might jump out at you, don't fear...we'll offer you leftovers. Come visit!

courtney said...

can i put on my "i've been paid several times for food items and thus see fit to call myself a professional cook" chef's hat and say, for the record, that THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS TOO MANY RUBBER SPATULAS. there IS such a thing as too many everything-else's.

here's a link to a non-profit in my adopted hometown of alameda that would love to receive donations of your overstocked kitchen items: http://apcollaborative.org/default.htm

Mr. Hall said...

Hey, you could use a couple of those wooden spoons to bang on the ceiling when your upstairs neighbors are thundering around the apartment! Or you could send one upstairs as a peace offering (not that you need to make peace, but it sounds better than my begging you for an extra one, considering that the 1 wooden spoon that was in my apartment snapped the last time I used it to make bread--that was some heavy dough!).

rachelsaysso said...

Okay, I actually counted and the final tally is:
Rubber spatulas - 13
Wooden spoons - 6
Whisks - 6

Courtney, looks like your charity is going to be getting a package soon.

Anonymous said...

Hey I'm in the market for a spatula and at least 3 wooden spoons. The reasons remain a mystery. When can we meet on a dark corner and exchange?