Fess up now - How many of you are keeping a fruitcake cold?

[sudsmaster]

Point in hand:

The price of a loaf of bread has easily doubled in the past year.

But I can get two loaves of my favorite bread (whole wheat light textured) at Costco for the price of one from Safeway. Problem is, I can't use two big loaves before the bread gets moldy and/or stale.

Solution: I open one loaf, freeze the other. Once the other one is frozen, it goes into a long food saver bag and is almost completely vacuum packed and sealed, and then back into the freezer. When I've finished the first loaf, the second one come out of the freezer... I cut the bag to release the vacuum before thawing (otherwise the bread will crush into a giant dumpling)... and it tastes every bit as good as the first loaf. The food saver bag was cut a bit long and is basically clean so I can save it for the next bread purchase, and when it's too short for that it can be used for other smaller foods.

Without a chest freezer I probably wouldn't attempt it.

Another case: Pork butt (shoulder) boneless. $1.89/lb. Works great in the slow cooker. But the amount for sale is about 12 lbs, far too much to fit into the cooker, let alone for one person to finish off in an appropriate amount of time. Solution: 1/2 the pork butt purchase (it comes conveniently in two halves) goes into a food saver bag and gets frozen. The other gets marinated overnight and slow cooked the next day. In a few months when I'm ready for more pork, just thaw out the frozen half and repeat. PS-It's delicious, esp. with a Cuban style marinade...

 

[sudsmaster]

My favorite fruitcake is the light yellow kind that Harry and David include with their fresh fruit gift packages. Really delightful, not dark bitter and heavy like some traditional fruitcakes. Haven't had any for years, though. And it wouldn't be necessary to freeze it, because it doesn't last too long, gets eaten up rather quickly.

 

[xraytech]

Well, I must admit it I have 3 refrigerators and a deep freezer in constant use here.

In the kitchen I have a 1993 Kenmore 18 fridge/freezer that is full of the daily use items.

In the basement summer kitchen I have a 2004 Kenmore 22 cu ft. bottom freezer, the freezer is packed full of pizza shells, and the fridge has surplus produce I buy on sale, any food I've prepared that wont fit upstairs, partly used gallon jugs of pickles and sauerkraut, and usually 20 pounds of Imperial margarine. Also downstairs I have a 1979 Sears Coldspot 23 cu ft. chest freezer packed to the brim with meats from the slaughter house, french fries, the few convenience items I buy, home made pies, and, spaghetti sauce and other items I prepare and freeze.

Also out in the garage I have a late 80's 22 cu ft Amana botom freezer fridge, thefreezeis full of those reusable ice pack, and the fride i uually tleast 3/4 ull of bernd pop

 

[ronhic]

We're a single refrigerator family here...though there have been times when I wished we had another small freezer or chest freezer as the Westinghouse, whilst not exactly tiny, is nearly half filled with pickles.....

 

Still, we're doing our bit. The photo below was taken a couple of weeks ago as the solar panels were being fitted to our roof. We've had 2.5kw of panels fitted and there is capacity in the inverter for another 4 panels, taking it to 3.5kw in total. ACTEWAGL (Australian Capital Territory Electricity Water/Australian Gas Light) pay us 45.7c perKW generated....and we pay 14.5c perKW to buy it back.....

 

.....the sell rate is guaranteed for 20yrs

 

Interestingly, since we've had it fitted, we've been more careful with power as the system is large enough that it should also cover our gas and water bills,  making our utilities effectively 'free'...and the loan we took out to pay for it is actually the same expense that we were paying in utility bills....so in 5yrs, even with incremental power/gas/water costs rising we will have nil or negligible cost...

 

[luxflairguy]

So Chris, do you and your partner have a sweet and sour relationship? Or is all full of dill? LOL!

 

[mixfinder]

Plan Ahead

I am used to two refrigerators and one freezer. I prefer the back up fridge and freezer to be manual defrost. It uses less energy and the food doesn't dry out as quickly. I have game night Tuesdays, a standing invitation for close friends. I encourage them to bring along friends or family that would make a good fit. My joy of cooking is sated, new clusters of friends form from these chance meetings. It's a non threatening way to invite people who have indicated a desire to know more about our church. It feels safer than fearing  Sunday morning being hauled down to the altar and flogged until you spill all your sins and who doesn't like to see the priest out of his robes? The distraction of holding cards or game pieces in your hand, talking and concentrating on the play seems to unlock the brains fear of interaction and inner glimpses are revealed. I'll cook for anyone at the drop of a hat and Sundays are usually a good day for family and friends to gather for an informal opportunity and fun. Only thing better are guests who bring along some laundry. Like Greg and Eugene I use the garage fridge as the raw food holding unit until ingredients are requisitioned to the kitchen for prep. Finished foods and those held until time of service are kept inside. Wine is stored in the garage which is cool and whites are put in the inside fridge to chill. I have an ice maker and keep soda on the shelf so it melts the ice as it chills and augments water intake. My little burg is all farm folks so buying from the Manager's Specials section of the meat department is seen as wise. I notice in Greg's suburb the QFC and Safeway have reduced meats stacked to over flowing. My guess is the more affluent and the less skilled shy away from dead meat. Having a freezer allows me to maximize the food budget and have more company without being a finacial burden. I live in America's garden bowl where a short drive to the Yakima Valley or Columbia Basin can fill the trunk with wonderful, ripe and flavorful produce which is frozen at it's peak for later use. I am so thankful my children are raised and gone because I simply could not afford to feed them at the prices today. Today's news reported the food cost has risen 4% which is not so in our area where I could say a 40% increase is more like it. It is the first time I have truly felt hard times are coming and having back stock to weather dry spots feels prudent. No one on the face of the planets likes to shop more than Peter and its good to have a place to store it all. I know how easy it feels to be at Greg and Lynn's where the guest is made to feel completely at home joining in the kitchen melee if it looks like fun. I know Eugene is the same way where food just seems to flow of their hands like a concert all the while there is a relaxed air on the kitchen. For those of us who like to make our guests feel like they have just sat down at a four star hotel they never realize they're doing us a favor by just coming to sit a spell.

[this post was last edited: 4/17/2011-00:41]

 

[mixfinder]

Help!!! Thief!!! Robbery!!!

I'd like to report a robbery! The fruitcake thread has been hijacked and Robert is sitting in Pittsburg looking for a crime victim's advocate.

 

[maytagbear]

What would be appropriate technology??

For several reasons, I no longer drive. The nearest full line supermarket is three miles away (no, it isn't uphill both ways.) The gas station across the street is far from a full line market.

I am lucky to get to my full supermarket twice a month.

My new refrigerator is 19 cubic feet, +/-. (That includes the freezer space.)

A few years ago, CR said that the small fridges were not as energy efficient per watt used as a full size (American size, ok?) fridge. For a while, I had thought of getting a 4-5-6 cubic foot fridge, but it would have required me to get a 9 cubic foot freezer. My electricity provider distributes electricity that is mostly (not totally, but mostly) made from dirty coal.

As I have said before, appropriate technology! As I see it, the only "one size fits most" energy statement might be: "Choose carefully." The landlord's fridge was from the 80s. And noisy, and worse yet, Almond.

Incidentally, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says 37F in the fresh food section, 0F in the freezer section. 37/0 is generally "4" or "5" on the controls of most American refrigerators.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[luxflairguy]

Do we need to start a support group?

 

[mixfinder]

Support Group

Yes Greg, I need a support group, arch supports, over the calf support socks, a truss might be in order as I think I have out lived my athletic supporter days, a body shaper support garmet, a neck brace to support my tired bones and maybe even some foam pads to put on my eye glass supports so they don't make divots in my nose.  As to the rest just check me into Pritikin and skip the overeater's anonymous support group.