Do you remember this past May when I mentioned I'd made crystallized ginger from some aging, wrinkly fresh ginger? I had bought that ginger in mid-January, and with every week, it became more and more unappealing for fresh use. By slicing the roots in a sugar solution, I was able to transform something that looked like it was destined for the compost bin into a "gourmet" ingredient.
This afternoon I added a few tablespoons of minced crystallized ginger to a carrot and peanut salad. (Carrots and ginger are a natural pair, IMO.) I am out of raisins, so I was searching for something interesting and sweet to add to our salad for tonight. This candied ginger that was near-free to make nudged my ordinary salad up a few notches.
I've mentioned a few times that I make flavored vinegars, here and here. Homemade herb vinegars are a simple method of transforming ordinary white vinegar into something that is gift-worthy. Today I decanted my chive blossom vinegar (which had been infusing since late June) into a couple of salvaged cider bottles. The sparkling cider bottles might have gone into the recycling container, but I could see they had possibilities.
Two winters ago, I showed you our cocoa and toppings bar -- a large container of homemade cocoa mix and several small jars of goodies to add to cocoa, oatmeal, granola, pancakes, muffins, or ice cream.
Formerly, these lovely, square jars held lemon curd. One of my volunteer jobs was preparing food for charity teas and luncheons. The woman who led our group bought commercial jams and spreads for the scones. At the end of our shifts, I would take home any jars or containers that looked like they had promise for an afterlife. I love these jars and still have the cocoa and toppings bar set up on my kitchen counter.
There's the green mantra to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Perhaps reusing is the best way to both reduce and recycle. For my cocoa bar or vinegar bottles, I could have easily found beautiful new containers in a store like Target or World Market. As well, I could have composted the wrinkly ginger root. But I find it very satisfying to know that I salvaged something that looked like trash and transformed it into my very own "treasure."
Reuse, Reuse, Reuse.
