Pantry Raid

I’m amused at the number of visitors to my home who make a beeline for my kitchen and start opening drawers and doors to eyeball the contents of my pantry, refrigerator and freezer as if I’ve hidden the crown jewels in there. It always ignites looks of amazement, puzzlement and enlightenment. Compared to the contents of your typical mainstream kitchen, mine looks more like a laboratory with live food fermenting in glass jars and of course  there’s the distinct absence of all of the big name labels – such as Palmalat, SAXA, Kraft or Kellogs. School friends muse in absolute disbelief “where’s the [insert ubiquitous processed food eg Vegemite, Milo, Heinz baked beans, flavoured yogurt, soy milk, orange juice, Cadbury chocolate and San Remo pasta??] ”  

Instead we have  home made kefir, sauerkraut, unprocessed milk, goats yogurt, fruit, vegetables in brown paper bags or wrapped in cloths to absorb moisture, meat and various raw cheeses stored in glass containers, pastured eggs, raw cacao powder, maple syrup, and litres and litres of bone broth.  The fridge door houses home-made concoctions of pesto, salsa verde, tomato sauce, spicy coconut dips, mayonaisse and packets of dry kefir starter.

Lately I’ve been asked by a few friends/clients if I can go through their pantry, refrigerators, and freezers to get rid of any unhealthy items and replace with healthier alternatives. If your willing to take up such a challenge – a fridge and pantry raid- I’d be more than willing to oblige. But I will warn you- this not for the faint-hearted I’ve discovered….the emotional attachments people have with “food” can run deep….but I promise to be gentle the first time around……