If you have a love of cooking like I do, you’re excited about the days getting longer. Honestly, with the exception of cooking for the holidays, cooking in the winter seems more like a chore to me. However, cooking in the spring and summer is cooking for fun. In fact, I can’t wait to start grilling outside! But, before we all explore our love of cooking in the spring and summer, we need to address the art of cooking and prepare the kitchen.

Daylight savings time is the perfect opportunity to review all of the items in your kitchen, especially the herbs and spices. Of course, you have herbs and spices because you hope that they will give you flavor for all the wonderful fresh ingredients coming your way. However, as we will see, that isn’t necessarily the case.

So, let’s get started.

First, you should review all your spices. Go to your spice rack, chances are there are spices that have been in your cabinet for years! If you can’t recollect buying the spice within the last year, the potency of that spice has degenerated, so I would recommend that you throw it away. All of the spices that are left in your cabinet after this review, open them up and take a sniff. Does it still have some pungency or does it smell musty? Again, no point in putting stale spices on fresh ingredients! Get rid of it.

For the spices that are left in your cabinet after this review, place a sticker on each one with the letters: DST. When you return to standard time, you can review the spice and know for certain when it was inspected last.

Some of the spices that are left in your cabinet can be combined into new flavor combinations. And why not? It’s YOUR cabinet and your spices. Who said you can’t combine them? You do when you cook! Be daring and have fun. you never know, you may just come up with your own secret spice! Once you’re done, make a list of the spices that you need to purchase to refill your stock.

What else should you do?

• Clean your oven
• Remove the crumbs and brillo the racks
• Review your plastic, Tupperware and utensils
• Review serving wares for cracks and cleanliness
• Have knives sharpened or sharpen them yourself
• Clean pots and pans with brillo if needed
• Clean cookie sheets for better reflection of materials
• Clean out freezer of old items
• Organize your pantry, throw away Christmas gifts

Beside turning your clock back, daylight savings time is a reminder of the art of cooking. Cooking should be fun, and if you are prepared for the season by turning your kitchen forward too, you will love and enjoy the fresh ingredients that the coming season will bring for your cooking pleasure!

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