“Mom you don’t need back-ups for your back-ups!” my daughter scolded as she sorted through my kitchen cupboards.
I sighed. I could make do with just four bread pans now that I rarely baked bread. I also could make do with only three pie pans. But, I insisted on keeping the 1970s-style blender pitcher – it would fit my 2000 style machine — if that pitcher ever broke. I would also keep the extra microwave glass tray. I like having a clean tray on hand when food boils over.
As she sorted through the pots and pans, I agreed that I did not need all those iron skillets and pancake griddles. I urged her to take the griddles and pans with not quite flat bottoms. They would work on her gas stove. Only flat-bottomed pans that make direct contact will heat on our glass-topped stove.
Then she pulled out my three rectangular-shaped slow cookers, and said the infamous, “You don’t need back-ups for your back-ups.” I reluctantly admitted that I could probably make do with just one slow cooker. The other two went into the give away pile.
She filled her van with many of my back-ups and took them home. I gave away the rest, admired my roomy cupboards and vowed to keep them that way.
And I did, to my great regret, the day I discovered my slow cooker had become a no-cooker.
For several months, I searched yard sales for a replacement. I found nothing. Finally, just before a carry-in dinner of soups, I bought a new crock pot.
A week later I found an excellent crock pot at a yard sale. I sighed. I did not need a back-up for my brand new slow cooker. If it failed to work, I would be taking it back to the store.
A month later I decided to whip up a batch of cookies before work. I thought it would take 15 minutes. It took 45 minutes because I could not find the vanilla — and I knew I had just purchased a new bottle.
I searched through every shelf of my baking supplies in vain. I started to close the door when I saw the vanilla – on the shelf right smack dab in front of me. I poured out a spoonful and reached for the baking soda. It too had disappeared. I knew it was not in the cabinet. I had just studied those supplies.
I also knew I had used it that weekend.
I looked in the bathroom. No baking soda.
I looked in the refrigerator. I looked in the cleaning supplies. No baking soda.
I gave up and drove to the nearby convenience store. As I stood in line with an over-priced box of baking soda I remembered: I had used it in the laundry room to freshen the clothes.
Back home, I found the small yellow box on the dryer. I measured out the requisite teaspoon, revved up the mixer and the blades fell off one of the beaters.
Stunned I stared at the cheap mixer. In four decades of cooking, I have never had that happen before.
But I was prepared. Unbeknownst to my daughter, I had a brand new back-up in my closet that I had discovered at a yard sale. I had ignored her mandate and bought it anyway.
It only took two years for me to need it. It worked much better than the broken mixer. I tossed that one out and finished the cookies in time to take a batch to work.
Baking ingredients are not the only items missing from my kitchen of late. For weeks I have looked in vain for the top of my modern blender pitcher. I have no clue where it went.
A couple weeks ago, I opted to just put a plate on top of the blender to make a quick shake. That worked until I forgot the plate and sent strawberry shake to the ceiling.
I laughed at the explosion and grabbed a rag to clean the floor and ceiling. My husband sighed, “Next time, just ask me and I will help you with the blender.”
I saved him the bother. I remembered my ancient, extra, blender pitcher and pulled it out of the cupboard. He stood there astonished that it fit the much newer blender base. I shrugged, scrubbed off the grime of storage and have used it ever since.
I’m keeping the other pitcher. I still hope to find its cover. I never know when I might need a back-up.