A Midweek Pantry Clean and Some New Staples

I spent Tuesday morning going through the pantry because the shelves were getting out of hand again. Cans stacked on top of each other, half bags of rice tipping over, and spices that I forgot I even owned. It took longer than I thought, but once I cleared everything out and wiped the shelves it felt much better. I sorted things into categories and made a list of what was actually running low. The air smelled faintly of old cardboard and cinnamon that had spilled sometime last winter, and every time I moved a stack something small would clatter to the floor—a lone bay leaf, a twist tie, a single dried chickpea that rolled under the fridge before I could catch it. I ended up kneeling with the dustpan for a while, listening to the low hum of the refrigerator and the occasional creak of the floorboards when I shifted my weight.

Ren helped for about half an hour before he had to jump on a call. He pulled out a couple of boxes of pasta that had been pushed to the back and we decided those would be good for this week. After he left I started putting things back in a way that made more sense. The canned tomatoes went on one shelf, the grains on another, and the baking supplies all together on the top. I found an old jar of peanut butter that still looked fine so that stayed. While I worked I kept finding little reminders of past shopping trips—an unopened packet of birthday candles from March, a half-used notebook we’d used for grocery lists until the pen ran out. Every so often I’d pause to write something new on the list, like “chia seeds” or “vanilla extract,” the pen scratching loud in the quiet kitchen.

Nana sent a small package earlier in the week from Millhaven. It got here a day late because of the dust storm that was moving through the area. Inside was a jar of preserved sunroots along with a note saying they were having a good season this year. I set the jar on the counter and figured I would ask Lissa if she had any ideas for what to do with them. The glass felt cool against my palm even though the afternoon sun was already warming the countertop, and the handwritten note had that slightly smudged look that comes from being handled at the post office. I left it there next to the fruit bowl so I wouldn’t forget.

Once the pantry was sorted I went to the store for a few things on my list. I picked up more rice, some olive oil, and a new box of tea. The store was busy but not too bad for a weekday. I also grabbed a few apples and some yogurt since those always go fast around here. On the way home I stopped for gas and noticed the price had gone up a little again. The apples were crisp and a little tart when I bit into one in the car, and the tea boxes rattled softly against each other in the reusable bag every time I hit a bump.

That night I tried a simple pasta dish with the tomatoes and some garlic I already had. It turned out fine, nothing special but easy enough for after work. Ren said it was good and we ate it while watching the new Hanks documentary about Eisenhower’s third term. It was interesting but we only got through half before we both got tired. The garlic sizzled loudly when it hit the oil, and steam fogged the window above the stove for a few minutes. We ended up eating on the couch with the lights low, the only sound besides the TV the occasional clink of forks against bowls.

Yesterday I called Lissa to catch up and mentioned the sunroots. She said she would look up a couple of recipes and send them over. We talked about her work schedule and how her commute has been lately. Nothing too exciting on her end either. I finished putting the last few items away in the pantry and felt like the kitchen was finally back in order. The phone rested warm against my ear while I wiped stray flour off the counter with my free hand, and outside the window the late-afternoon light had started to slant across the floor in long stripes.

This weekend we might go out for a walk if the weather stays decent. I still have that jar sitting on the counter and keep meaning to open it and see what they taste like. The rice and pasta should last us a while now that everything is easy to find again.