I learned a lot about food from my mother. We may not have seen eye-to-eye on a lot of things, but when we got in the kitchen, we almost always had a really good time.
As she aged and dementia increasingly took hold, the kitchen was one of the only places where we could still go and "connect" on a limited level.
I'm grateful that we had that to share...
In The Early Days
When I was a kid, my mom had a private catering service, and I was handed a knife and taught how to peel potatoes and chop veggies when I was maybe six or seven years old.
Bounty at our local farmer's market
By the time I left home at 18, I'd already forgotten more about food than many people learn in an entire lifetime. Of course, this was also part of my greater training in the "World According To Mom" which included her mission "I'm NOT setting some helpless man who can't cook free into the world!"
And I'm definitely grateful for that.
There was no waste at our house. Not ever. Period, end of story. Although we were by no means poor, my mom was morally opposed to the idea of throwing "perfectly good" food away. Of course, she had been raised by parents who lived through the scarcities of the Great Depression, so here attitude was understandable enough.
No Waste = Leftovers!
It wasn't actually until years later that I learned that many people don't like leftovers, and refuse to eat them... and even consider them "used" food, or can't stand the idea of eating "the same thing," even two days in a row.
But I digress.
Sailboats on the bay
To me, dishes made from leftovers are often the most flavorful... because the original ingredients and spices have had a chance to "settle" and become thoroughly mingled.
The most useful lesson my mom taught me about cooking leftovers wasn't a recipe, or a style... but how to approach making something good with whatever you had on hand.
She said that most people who complain about the quality or taste of their dishes made from leftovers start with an "idea" of something they want to make, and then try to make the ingredients (i.e. the leftovers) fit that idea. And usually? Not possible, or not successful. According to her, the best leftover dishes come from pulling out everything you have available... and starting from "this is what we HAVE... what can it be turned into?"
All these years later, it's an approach that continues to stand me in good stead!
These days, I cook mostly with my wife. One of the things she has brought to the mix is having been raised in the LDS Church, as a result of which I have learned the joys of just how many things can be given a new lease on life by being baked into a pie.
Personally? I am more the master of stews, soups and pan frys. Either way, nothing goes to waste... and the food is always good!
How about YOU? Do you like to cook with leftovers? Are you good at it? Or are leftovers just an annoyance to you; something you eat out of necessity? Do you avoid wasting food, or do most leftovers at your house get tossed? Do you actually COOK with leftovers to make new dishes, or are "leftovers" just something you eat cold, from the fridge? Leave a comment-- share your experiences-- be part of the conversation!
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@denmarkguy yip, I also come from a "waste not, want not" family. We are a fairly large family so when learning to cook, which started at about the age of 11, I always made things in large portions and that has remained a habit... so there are almost always leftovers.
You are spot on re. The flavour development in eating the leftovers the next day... and over and above that, knowing that there are leftovers and I get a night off from the kitchen is always a bonus haha.
Repurposing things into pies is a fantastic idea!!
I am definitely a part of the leftovers club and have never really understood people who simply refuse to touch them... lol
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In the US, the broad "rejection" of leftovers might be connected to the fact that there are so many cheap eats out...plus, this is a very wasteful society.
In fact, I just had leftover spaghetti... it was actually better than on "opening night!"
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Nothing beats spaghetti!!!!!
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Growing up we grew carrots, potatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, sunflowers, tomatoes and a few other things. It was something special and also created some wonderful bonding time as well.
My family was near really big on leftovers. It always was down to me finishing it off or it being tossed into the garbage. I think it came from their upbringing of always having to make leftover foods last and stretch out further then they should have. They just can’t stand the sight of eating something the same for next day. SO more times than not it was just something found a month later in the back of the fridge that no one ever dared to open growing up.
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Once in a while we do end up with a "weird science experiment" or two at the back of the fridge — that mystery container with something that used to be three brussels sprouts.
Of course, my opinion is colored by the fact that I never had an issue with eating the same thing over and over. In fact — when I lived alone — I would often cook meals that would serve me for 3-4 days.
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I eat leftovers, but I don't usually make something new with it, I heat it up and eat it again. I don't have the energy to make complicated dishes every day. I plan on eating the same thing for days after. That's the desired result.
The only danger is if I make a huge tray and don't freeze some right away, because I can't always eat it fast enough.
If you mean leftover ingredients, I don't really do that? I shop for what I need. The only time that comes up is, say, when I used to make spanakopitas (allergic to spinach now 😭), and I needed three ounces of ricotta cheese. Then I would use the rest of the ricotta in pasta later, because you can't just buy three ounces. :)
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We strive for something pretty close to zero waste with food; challenging and not always possible. But we give it a good try.
I quite often cook enough for several days, and we just reheat. There are also certain things that lend themselves really well to becoming freezer food... so they become our own personal "TV dinners."
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Throwing away food is possibly one of the most disgusting actions a human being being can do.
(I feel quite strongly about this, btw lol)
I have had 2 restaurants - and even then I incorporated my menu to cover left over foods from the day before.
(stews ect. were daily specials! )
I never used left over food from customers, but I must confess - I was tempted!
It makes no logical sense to throw away good food.
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Precisely! And here in the US we seem to waste an abnormally large amount of food... although people seem to be getting better about it. Now if we could just make people understand that "best if used by" doesn't actually mean "rotten and inedible if not used by."
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If we could make people understand how to use their noses and their common sense!
check out the photo at the bottom of the post - this is normal
........and I'm not dead yet.... how bizarre.
https://steemit.com/blog/@lucyreloaded/the-funny-differences-in-cultures
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stew always tastes better the second day.
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That is a fact.
So does a good chili.
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Of course. Cause this way, you're focused on the possibility. This starting point inspires creative thinking. It's expasive, unlike trying to follow some recipie, but ending up missing some ingredients, then ending up dissapointed.
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I just like that it invites us to consider making a variation... rather than just "reheating old bits and pieces."
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Miserable at cooking leftovers and miserable at cooking in general. I'm a microwave man lol
But nonetheless a very interesting read. Thank you @denmarkguy
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Absolutely! Not everyone gets into the cooking thing... my mother pretty much forced cooking on me when I was a kid, and then it turned out I quite enjoy the creativity.
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I like to cook from the fresh at most of the time, but I think to reuse is a good thing. Sometimes I mix egg in utensils and it tastes good. My brother often prefer eating leftovers and he is a big fan of rice. So I can say leftovers are tossed in my house. Lol
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I do warm the previous leftover of food before cooking new ones unless the food has being days that cooked it. Like on monday I cooked melon soup( called Egusi in my dialet) and that is what I have being eating with other mixtures. Aside soup, I try cook meals that will last a day or two.
Left over do have a nice taste because ingredient used must have gone through some fire to bring out more sweetness although not fresh.
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Glad to see cooking gives you so much joy. I am more or less 🍳 (eggs and pan).
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I was an adult before it occurred to me that eating leftovers was so ething worthy of conversation. Of course we ate leftovers! It was good food and, in most cases, better after a day or two. It was rare for anything to be around long enough to "go bad", bit the chickens did not mind if it did. I know my Mom was conservative because money was limited and because she grew up during the Depression, but the habits I grew up with were good ones because of those childhood habits.
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what a creativity!!
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i love food. Thanks for sharing
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When I cooked more often, daily really, I always used leftovers. There are SO many things you can make with leftovers. I even used to save dessert crumbs and heels of bread and make amazing bread puddings (I'm off carbs now, so I haven't baked in months)
I had a friend that hated leftovers. We were there once for a cookout and there was a pile of steaktips and potatoes leftover and she was about to tip them in the bin and I stopped her. Expensive steak in the garbage?! She said, "I don't do leftovers" Well, I took those home and @winstonalden and I ate off those for two meals. Silly really.
In many ways cooking, for me at least, was like artwork and gardening, a bit here some scraps there and tadah, a meal!
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Awesome food for cooking
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Did you actually read the post before commenting? Am not surprised why your reputation has gone because you must have received many flagging down. Please learn how steem works please or you might be frustrated out of steem
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R8 @ inspiring.
People just randomly comment even they dont realize the key fact.
That may let them down.
Its very important to invest time before commenting when a blogger writes it for long while.
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Sadly, people do it a lot, Gideon... as I am sure you are well aware.
I think part of the problem we face on Steemit is a LOT of people just see this as a giant "cash machine" and they have zero respect for what you actually have to DO (social interaction and engagement) to earn a fair share.
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