New Year Pantry Plans Part One

A New Year and a New Broom with which metaphorically speaking will be the start of a real push on getting a bit more organised here.  It will probably take me at least a month realistically but if I can get it done before then so much the better.  I want to try to simplify things for myself in the long-term.  I am determined to make the most of these quieter months in all sorts of ways. Bearing in mind that in the past we have spent longer periods of time in the caravan down in Cornwall.  However,  I am not sure whether will get to the caravan this year.  We did not last year, but I would if possible like to be there for my birthday on 3 May 2025 when I reach the grand old age of 65 for at least a month, which would take me away from the garden.  I still have a lot of living to do, lots of places to go and things to achieve.  Will just have to see how things go.

First off this New Year, I am determined to gain control of the Pantry and for me to get it patched up, painted out and re-organised and then completely refilled.  I have been trying desperately to get this done for some months, and have started and then got derailed, mostly due to the fatigue and other issues and have not been successful as a result. I am determined that it is going to be one of the first things to be achieved in this New Year 2024.  Because not all the stuff is in the Pantry I have been having trouble locating items that I know that I already have which is frustrating to say the least.  Take the stuffing mix for instance on Christmas Day.  I have some packs of this already inhouse but could I find them.  This however also made me realise that I am more than capable of knocking up items to tackle this.  I am therefore going to be making  up more homemade Pantry mixes for my Pantry shelf myself for those items that I do use regularly.

I am fed up of the chaos and so things have got to change.  This is me trying to give myself a shakedown and motivate myself into getting stuck in.  Hopefully nothing will get in the way.

I will also be making the most of those items I do have in stock (and which I can find_ and will be looking to make preserves for the Pantry shelf out of some of those in-house. I am talking about Mincemeat, Chutneys etc. that are ideal to make so that they will be ready for use through this year and also be ready and matured in time for next Christmas.  It will also give me something to do in the quieter months of the year. I also intend to make use of reductions/bargain items as the source for making a lot of preserves both from the Veg shop and the supermarkets and making the most of that also. My prime thought is that I will be buying ingredients or potential ingredients rather than ready made items.  For instance I am baking more these days but I buy no baked goods in.  I do buy reduced bread for croutons, bread sauce, homemade stuffing mixes etc. as well as use this for Fruit Bread.

I need the full year before Christmas 2024 to have those items I do want the choice of  in my Pantry.  It makes me twitchy when stocks get low as I have always strived for food security.  Food security involves making choices for a good standard across the range food for your family and adjusting your purse to the coins that contains.  I have always strived  for food security and achieved this and it has got us out of so many messes.  However current times are hard and I think you have to do what you can with what you have.  Food security is for me one of the main things I am after achieving. However, realistically I think things will be equally as difficult this year hence another reason for me taking advantage of the full year this year to stock my Pantry. Hopefully as a result we will be eating more seasonally too.  

Having no freezers means that I am reliant on buying in meat fresh and/or "Fridging" some for a few days. Fortunately my fridge is a proper larder fridge (a Samsung) and it is one of the better fridges I have had. It gets really cold. I cannot get an American freezer fridge in this house (we have tried in the past just not enough room to get through the gate), and ideally I would be working out of at least two larder fridges (as I have before), but I am lucky to have the one.  If I can get another larder fridge in due course I will do as I also intend to have a go at preserving some meat items this year.  In the past we have made our own bacon and our own Gravadlax.  I want to have a go at Pastrami and also Chorizo and Salami.  I also intend to get to grips with the garden as well.  So a lot of ideas and hopes.  Will see how it transpires at the end of the day. These are realistic plans based on what I have available to me at the time of writing this post.  If however things should change there are even further plans waiting in the wings on the backburner. There are always other options, sometimes you just need to focus on what you can do rather than what you do not have or cannot do.

Therefore for me, at this start of this New Year my focus is going to be on the Pantry and maximising the items I do have in there.  Fingers crossed and toes plaited that can get this accomplished soon.

Will see how things go and will give an update soon.  Today (New Year's Day) I have had the day off.  Tomorrow things will start with a vengeance!

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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