Where in the world is my ______?
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It happens to me at least once a week: I go in the drawer where I keep my measuring spoons and they’re not there.
Usually, if someone hasn’t put them in the wrong drawer (ahem), they’re either in the dishwasher, the dish drainer or under some other dirty dishes in the sink. It’s a solid score if they’re in the dish drainer or the dishwasher is clean, because that means I can use them right away. But if they’re anyplace else, I have to stop what I’m doing and wash them.
That’s not a big deal, really, but it made me realize we probably all have kitchen items that always seem to be dirty when we need them. That must mean they’re pretty important to us, because obviously we use them all the time.
I’ve attempted to solve my measuring spoon problem by buying a couple of inexpensive spare sets so I can rotate through them and wash them less often. Of course, I always prefer my nice metal set but I do find that they are sometimes too big to fit inside certain spice containers. So one of the more shallow sets is nice to have.
I’d be interested to know what item you are constantly looking for in the kitchen and always finding in the dishwasher or sink. So tell me, how would you fill in the blank?
April 6, 2012 - 5:55 AM
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Slotted spoons. I have four, but I use them all the time!
Metal Spatulas! This is mainly a problem because I have two that I like more than the others, and even if there are other clean ones I want to use one of my favorites.
Measuring cups! Specifically the 1/2 and 1/4 cups. And I have 3 sets of measuring cups and still never seem to have clean ones when I need them…
Uh oh, that doesn’t bode well for my plan, Laura. Haha!
I can generally find the things I need pretty well, but I have had an awful time with manual can openers! I had a trusty one I carried through several moves, and had for probably a decade. We decided it was time to replace it because after years of use, it was rusting and the metal finish was flaking off into food from time to time.
Unfortunately, for the past year, we’ve gone through 4 can openers, all of which stink. We’ve tried cheap ones, and expensive ones. They either don’t cut into the lids correctly, they turn the labels into confetti that fall all over the place, or they bend the cans, making it impossible to actually open the can, or worse…they won’t hold into the cans and drop a half-opened can of tomato sauce on the counter.
Further complicating matters…I like being able to run them through the dishwasher so they can be cleaned and sanitized regularly, but I highly dislike can openers that have large grips that can hold water and food funk. And almost all the higher-end ones have those kinds of grips. It’s oddly frustrating to me…and I do not want an electric can opener either. I may have to resort to getting some P-38′s.
I used to search for the right knife until I put a magnetic strip on the wall. Works a treat and looks great too.
Lately when anything is missing I just look in my teenagers’ rooms.
cinnamon! All of my spices are in the lazy susan, but I have so much that it takes me a while to find the spice I need. So I have bought multiple cinnamon since I’ll use them anyways. I really should get labels for the tops of the jars!
@ OJ, I think that’s why I have an electric can opener even though they do take up more space. Have you bought any expensive ones? I wonder if a fancy one would make a difference.
Speaking of food gunk, that’s my problem with this wire mesh colander I got. It has extendable arms so you can suspend it over the sink, which is why I bought it, but it gets bits of potato/pasta/etc under the rim that won’t come out. It drives me nuts.
@Tass, when I read your comment I pictured that kid Jeremy’s room in the comic strip “Zits.” Haha!
ahem? They go in the 3rd drawer down.
OJ, P-38′s? I have not seen one in years, but did know someone that had one on his dog tag chain, years after discharge.
Lindsey, we tried a couple of the higher-end ones, and didn’t much care for how they performed either. The one that I used forever came from Walmart…wasn’t anything special, but it worked the best of them all. I might have to resort to an electric one though.
As for mesh collanders, I have the same problem. Whenever we shop for new kitchen stuff, I look at the construction and where food stuff could get stuck or how difficult they would be to clean. There’s been several items that we’ve not bought because it looked like little thought was put into that end of the usage spectrum.
Look! I’ve been busted by my husband!
OJ, I have taken to thinking more about that, too. We learn as we go, I guess.
My sister, who can’t comment on the blog from her work computer, says her item is the 1-cup measuring cup. I have two sets of measuring cups, as well, for the same reason.
It sounds as though we have the same wire mesh colander, Lindsey. The aggravation of trying to get the stuff out of the rim makes me not want to use it at all. The item that seems to be dirty all the time is my Star vegetable peeler. You can’t run it through the dishwasher because it will rust. It looks like one of the first peelers ever made – just aluminum (I think), nothing shiny, no plastic, but it’s the best peeler I’ve ever owned.
It always seems that cutting boards are the one thing that are always dirty or in the dishwasher clean. I have 6, but you’d think that i would have enough, alas that is not case.
Other John – try looking at Target. I have a heavy metal hand operated can opener with the smooth plastic coated regular sized handles that I got there recently. I think I know the kind you are looking for as I am not fond of the one with the grips either.
plastic cutting board.
(The back story — our tupperware cabinet is, without question, the scariest place in our house….I only open it as a last resort…)
I have several measuring spoons for this very reason; I have a set of adjustable ones from Pampered Chef and some metal ones as well. The other things I’m always looking for are the liquid measuring cup and silicon spatula.
OJ, we have an Oxo can opener and love it. I think I got it about 10 years ago and it performs great. I bought one for my office last year because we only had crappy ones and the quality is still great; I know sometimes that a newer version of a product is not as good as the older one.
I have a Pampered Chef can opener that is GREAT! Once opened, the cans DO NOT have the jagged rims that can shred your fingers. Check one out from Pampered Chef. Well worth the money and they don’t get food gunk on them.