pasta sauce recipes

Penelope_Penguin

As with anythign, it's a case of using your own judgement.

I'll add this to the thread on food safety to keep ideas together.

T.F.S.B.I.G.W.S.

Anyone know if thyme goes off if left in a cupboard for years (in a closed jar)?

Primrose

Thyme won't "go off" but as it dries out it becomes more crumbly and will eventually, if left long enough, turn to dust and lose all its flavour. The same thing happens with other dried herbs. Obviously a closed sealed jar will help protect it from the environment to a certain extent but sooner or later all dried herbs lose their efficacy. The best test is sniffing it. If some of the fragrance still remains it's usable; otherwise just toss it.

itsallinthemind

Yesterday I grabbed LOADS from the co-op, they had ceiling high of all types of potatoes, plus most other fruit and veg, all whoopsied at 10p. Even peppers and grapes-yum!

Made me question something. I know potatoes, onions and carrots for instance, when delivered in dirt, kept nice and cool and dry in somewhere dark like a shed will keep over winter. Co-ops bags always are wet inside and feel refridgerated. For future whoopsies, I wonder can I dry them out and store, if so not for as long? How long-ish?

TIA x

Primrose

itsallinthemind wrote: »

Made me question something. I know potatoes, onions and carrots for instance, when delivered in dirt, kept nice and cool and dry in somewhere dark like a shed will keep over winter. Co-ops bags always are wet inside and feel refridgerated. For future whoopsies, I wonder can I dry them out and store, if so not for as long? How long-ish?

TIA x

I think the first thing you should do with any such potatoes is take them out of any wet or damp bag immediately. If the skins look damp I'd wash the skins to remove any possible damp spores and let them completely dry out, although if they've been in those conditions for a while previously, rot could already be starting to set in. Once you've satisfied yourself that they look and smell OK (you can smell a rotting potato a mile away ) store them in a hessian bag or paper sack in a cool dark place. Check them regularly. Once one start to rot, the rest can quickly follow.

BallandChain

I bought a 1kg tub of Clover margarine and it's best before date is November 2010. It's been in the fridge a few months and sealed. However, on opening it today OH noticed some mould in the corner of the tub, scooped that bit out and threw it. He thinks it's ok to eat but I'm not sure. I did a search here on MSE but can't find anything about mouldy margarine. It doesn't appear to have gone through the marg, just a bit on top in the corner of tub. Would you eat it? It doesn't smell funny and I did have a bit on a piece of bread earlier and it tasted fine.

amersall

Yes, i would eat it, if it tastes ok and doesnt smell then it will be fine. It is the same with cheese, i slice mould off around the edges, if it is a piece i have opened and forgot about, and the cheese tastes and smells ok.My son turns his nose up!, but i still use it.

BallandChain

Thank you! I was beginning to question it myself as I know cheese is ok so long as the end is chopped off. With the high water content in margarine thought it might be different. lol, if I'm still here tomorrow you know it was ok!

7roland8

Think i'd rather go without myself.

babyshoes

I am fairly blase about best before dates, but I don't 'do' mould. Others will disagree and say it is fine, and it probably is, but I just find myself gagging if I eat something I know had mould removed from it.