Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Time Flies, but when does it sour?
I was struck the other day, while in the grocery store selecting some milk, that Christmas is getting very close. The latest expiry date I could find was Dec 22nd. That means that by the time this 2 litre carton of milk turns sour Christmas will be a but a few days away. I usually judge the passage of time by the expiry date of milk, "wholly cow (no pun intended) this milk expires on the eleventh of January, I'm getting old" My Birthday is the 12th.
I often couldn't tell you what the date is, but the trusty dairy producers are always there to let me know what date is right around the corner. Some people may set a reminder in their favorite calendar program on their computer for someone's birthday and then send off a card a week before the date. I buy some sour cream a few months before the big day I need to remember and toss it in the back of the fridge. Then when I look in and see a green tinge under the lid I know, "Easter is drawing near, I better pick up some chocolate eggs". Or, let's say there is going to be a meteor shower in a few weeks. Buy some milk and drink half of it and leave the rest in the fridge. Halfway through the second week, every time you open your fridge you will be met with the increasingly foul smell of the meteor shower drawing near. Then you simply need to look to the heavens in the evening. Just remember to keep your nose plugged.
There are a few items that you shouldn't use as dairy alarms. Even though mayonnaise looks a bit like heavy cream, it's not. When that alarm goes off the only way you'll know is with a ride to the hospital with a blaring sound in your ears and mad rumble in your tummy. Butter is a dairy product but it takes a pretty well trained dairy alarmist's eye to see the subtle queue when the butter alarm goes "off".
But seriously, milk never lasts to the expiry date in our house so I get a good idea of what day is coming with regular trips to the dairy case. I'm sure by the weekend Dec 25th will be the new day to shoot for.
By Chad
I often couldn't tell you what the date is, but the trusty dairy producers are always there to let me know what date is right around the corner. Some people may set a reminder in their favorite calendar program on their computer for someone's birthday and then send off a card a week before the date. I buy some sour cream a few months before the big day I need to remember and toss it in the back of the fridge. Then when I look in and see a green tinge under the lid I know, "Easter is drawing near, I better pick up some chocolate eggs". Or, let's say there is going to be a meteor shower in a few weeks. Buy some milk and drink half of it and leave the rest in the fridge. Halfway through the second week, every time you open your fridge you will be met with the increasingly foul smell of the meteor shower drawing near. Then you simply need to look to the heavens in the evening. Just remember to keep your nose plugged.
There are a few items that you shouldn't use as dairy alarms. Even though mayonnaise looks a bit like heavy cream, it's not. When that alarm goes off the only way you'll know is with a ride to the hospital with a blaring sound in your ears and mad rumble in your tummy. Butter is a dairy product but it takes a pretty well trained dairy alarmist's eye to see the subtle queue when the butter alarm goes "off".
But seriously, milk never lasts to the expiry date in our house so I get a good idea of what day is coming with regular trips to the dairy case. I'm sure by the weekend Dec 25th will be the new day to shoot for.
By Chad
