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[Dave Polaschek]

As sort of a spin-off of the Cooking for One thread, maybe this will start some discussion.

One of the things I enjoy doing is shopping at farmer's markets and impulse-buying ingredients I don't have a plan for.

Later in the week, I open the fridge, and see a pile of ingredients, which don't always seem as though they'll go together well at first glance. Between that, and a well-stocked spice-rack, I usually manage to put together something tasty. It's even more fun when you're at someone else's house and faced with ingredients you didn't buy.

I like to think of this as refrigerator roulette, and think I'm pretty good at it. Think of it as Iron Chef for the single guy, with a bunch of ingredients, rather than one single ingredient, and with an emphasis on using up as many leftovers as possible.

So, got a fridge full of stuff you don't know what it could make? Post a list. I'm sure one of us will come up with something.

[Pagan]

I'm afraid I don't buy that way, Dave. I may see something I don't have on a list (or in my head), but I won't buy it unless I have an idea how I will use it, when I will use it, or what else I'll cook it with.

Plus, as a single person I rarely cook more food than I'll eat at one meal (unless it's soup,  spaghetti sauce, or something like that). That keeps me from being tempted to overeat, and makes sure I don't have leftovers that may spoil before I get back to them.

[Dave Polaschek]

I don't necessarily mean leftover cooked stuff, but I find I often have partial packages of stuff left over. Like 3/4 of a head of lettuce because I wanted a slice on a cheeseburger. Or five tortillas because I made three burittos for myself and they only come in packages of eight. Or a half-pound of hamburger.

I find myself with lots of "spare" ingredients because many ingredients are not packaged for single people. Yes, you can avoid some of that by shopping in delis or meat-markets or buying your veggies fresh, but if there's a single person around here who hasn't tossed out a couple ribs of celery because the only way to buy it is a bunch at a time, I'd be surprised.

[badmuggafugga]

When I saw the thread title of "Refrigerator Roulette," I immediately thought of confronting a fridge full of formerly-beautiful impulse-bought produce that turned over the space of only a few short weeks into a disgusting mass of dark ooze between the beer cans and the ketchup bottle.

Maybe I'm just bringing my own issues to the table?

[Dave Polaschek]

...disgusting mass of dark ooze...
...issues to the table?

I hope you're not bringing the dark ooze to the table. That's not Good Eats.

But it reminds me of lyrics that a friend of mine wrote...

As lettuce turns to liquid it takes on an earthen hue
It surprised me from the crisper drawer
And turned my thoughts to you
Its earthen hue or color was the same as is your hair
This is the connection I made in the Frigidaire

Why won’t you let us be together
I thought our salad days were swell
Your food and I await your return
I hope it’s soon, the kitchen smells

Weeks ago our love was fresh we made a lovely pair
As the apple of your eye my absence you just couldn’t bear
I know that it sounds cheesy but our love it was my bread and butter
Now you’re in a stew, and you are gonna leaf me for another

Our expiration date has passed
This song has reached its coda
Now my ice box pays the price
Stronger than the baking soda

The little yellow box is not a match for such a foe
If you must leave romance behind
Eat your food before you go

Words and music by Scott Yoho ©1992 Auto Order Music (BMI). He'd give me permission if I asked.

[dubber308]

I thought this thread would be more akin to Russian Roulette. You know, wondering if that un-identifiable, gelatinous, blob of former, uh... whatever it was, is going to attack the next time you open the fridge.