Non-Consumer Photo Essay — Seasonal Eating, Soy Sauce Packets and Medieval Torture

by Katy on August 13, 2012 · 19 comments

I recently realized that seasonal eating and eating whatever’s on sale this week is pretty much the same thing. Asparagus in the Spring, basil in the summer, and cherries whenever they’re $1.48 a pound.

Yum.

I reorganized my kitchen cupboards and am on a kick to eat up what we already have. Which is why I tasked my husband to use up all those little soy sauce packets when he made teriyaki chicken tonight.

Now, onto all those tiny packets of wasabi and ginger.

I walk past this newly painted mural at least three to four times per week and always get quite the ouchy feeling when I glance up. Because although it’s been a few years since my sons were in the backpack, I am 100% sure that the straps do not go directly across the nipples.

That would have to be defined as a design flaw.

Ouchie.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }

Kristen | The Frugal Girl August 14, 2012 at 6:11 am

When I remember, I ask our sushi place not to include the packets of soy sauce. They just put the ginger and wasabi right in with the sushi, which I much prefer to getting it in little packets.

And I’m thinking that mural must have been painted by a man or by a woman who never wore a baby carrier!

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Katy August 14, 2012 at 6:33 am

I think the soy sauce packets are from pre-packaged sushi boxes.

And I didn’t mention it, but the baby-carrying woman is missing most of her left arm.

Katy

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Kristen | The Frugal Girl August 14, 2012 at 1:29 pm

Maybe she’s reaching back to adjust the straps of her carrier. Hee.

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Dusti August 14, 2012 at 7:02 pm

I ask them to leave the packets out, too. Then when I get home, I put those packets in a canister with all the other packets I politely refused. When that canister fills up, I put the packets in the room where I store all the heavy winter clothing mom sent me the 17 years I lived in Mobile Alabama.

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Anne August 14, 2012 at 6:46 am

I’m thinking the artist had somewhat of a breast obsession, judging by the entire picture.

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Paula in the UP August 14, 2012 at 6:50 am

$1.48 for cherries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOWZA! So jealous, they barely make it under $2 a lb here!

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Katy August 14, 2012 at 7:01 am

It’s going to be a *cherry* good week! 😉

Katy

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Paula in the UP August 16, 2012 at 6:58 am

Haha! Can always count on you for a witty come back!

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Laura August 14, 2012 at 8:22 am

We save all the little packets in a box out in the garage. If there’s ever an emergency, we’ll have condiments galore (including mayonnaise to make canned tuna or chicken salad). We also use them when we go camping – much easier than carrying along bottles of this or that. And yes, we do use them for cooking from time to time as well when we’re low on something.

But I get where you’re coming from – they do tend to multiply after awhile.

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Diane C August 14, 2012 at 4:47 pm

Those mayo packets are not likely survive the heat of your garage. You could in for quite a surprise in the event of an emergency. Not worth getting food poisoning over.

As for the soy sauce, thrift one of those glass pour jars that they use in restaurants. Fill it with said packets and store in the refrigerator.

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Mary August 14, 2012 at 10:30 am

I’m not allowed to buy soy sauce until I use up all those little packets. I thought it’d take a week, but it’s been a few months. Maybe I should cook more Asian food, but then it requires squeezing out all those little packets.

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Katy August 14, 2012 at 10:44 am

It dribbles out, no squeezing necessary! 😉

Katy

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Mary August 15, 2012 at 12:02 pm

And usually dribbles all over me and the counter! I’m package opening incompetent.

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Maryanne August 14, 2012 at 3:10 pm

Haha! That mural is quite something! Yeah, and ouch…

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Sue O August 14, 2012 at 4:53 pm

Keeping Portland a little weirder than usual…

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Diane C August 14, 2012 at 4:54 pm

Love, love, love the cherry photo!

The mural, not so much. Imagine how much that would hurt if she was still nursing. Ouch!!

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Erin August 14, 2012 at 5:44 pm

It took me a long time to be okay tossing all the condiments we don’t use on the rare occasion we get takeout, but now I am totally ok with it. I try to remember to ask them not to include them, but I usually forget – if I was in an organized mode I wouldn’t be getting takeout 🙂 In any event, it only takes one look at a drawer full of those little packets at a friend or family member’s place to remind me it is clutter that is just not worth keeping.

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HeatherS August 15, 2012 at 4:28 am

I used to save the small packets of soy sauce with the intent of using them but after having one leak all over the inside of one of my kitchen drawers, I decided I don’t feel so bad just tossing them out if we don’t use them all. I don’t know why I never thought to ask them not to include them! Will try that next time.

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Karen August 15, 2012 at 1:55 pm

I have a comforting and frugal ritual I do when I have too many of those soy sauce packets. I open them up one by one, toss into a canning jar and add crushed up ginger root, some salad oil and rice wine vinegar plus a bit of sugar to taste and voila, I have a nice supply of soy ginger dressing. It takes a bit of time but the family loves this stuff on shredded cabbage.

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