I've been cooking for decades and
like to think I'm safety conscious. I know that a falling knife has no handle,
and whatever hits the floor goes immediately into the trash or laundry. I am
well-versed in kitchen safety. Even so, it hasn't stopped me from poisoning
myself in there every so often. Here are my screw-ups and the ways that you can
avoid them.
Mushrooms: Should never be slimy. Not even a little damp. Styrofoam or plastic packaging is the culprit. It creates a steamy, moist environment that rot mushrooms early. Try to avoid that stuff. If it’s your only option, turn a package upside-down in the grocery store to see how much water trickles to the surface. If you see any, try another container. Once you have a relatively dry one home, immediately take those shrooms outta there. A few drops of water can be wiped off with a clean paper towel, but if a shroom is still slippery after you wipe it, throw it out.
Chicken: Back before I learned to put dates on my refrigerated food, I ate old chicken soup and got immediately ill. I thought I was catching a flu so I got myself another brimming bowl. You can guess how that ended up. So always put dates on your food, because time flies especially quick in the kitchen, and remember that if you have to hurl shortly after eating, maybe it’s the food’s fault.
Eggs: How could I mess myself up by using cold eggs from the fridge in packaging that was weeks ahead of its sell-by date? Well, when the power goes out in your apartment and it's 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside, the eggs in your fridge can warm up to unsafe levels, but you'll never know it if the electricity starts up and cools everything back off before you get home. So since power outages are a thing, always check your raw eggs before using them. Put them into a deep container filled with cold water and see if they float. If they do, they are rotten no matter what the date on the carton says.
Herbs: Making herbal remedies is a fun pastime but you must tread lightly because herbs are very powerful plants. Most people don't think so because they're not as strong as the drugs the pharmacy doles out, even though most of them have actually been created from herbs. Last week I made a powerful herbal tea that knocked out my severe cold. However, I added waaay too much Sage and now I know what it feels like to go into labor. So research and consult specialists before you go throwing a bunch of twigs into a boiling pot.
So while you're enjoying your next kitchen excursion, remember to date label all your food and throw out floaty eggs and mushy mushrooms. And for the love of all that is holy, consult an herbalist when you're brewing a potion.
