Washing Spinach
A reflection on the spinach catastrophe is coming along as soon as I cool down a bit – talk about steamed! I’m ready to kill every news outlet that said nothing about “eat local.” But first, for those legions of sensible people who buy their spinach at the farmers’ market, a tip on washing . I’m sure the (currently radioactive) bagged stuff only got so popular because it’s so easy to use.
There are two tricks to easy greens-washing.
1. Chop first. Dirt and sand fall off more easily when pieces are small, especially if they’re pieces of something as corrugated as spinach.
2. Use a large basin of water. Dunk the material and swish it around, then lift into a colander. Clean the basin. Repeat until no more dirt falls to the bottom. If you live where water should be conserved, just use two big bowls and pour the water back and forth until the very last rinse.
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“If you live where water should be conserved, Just use two big bowls……..” I’m quoting from September 22nd 2006, tips about washing spinach.
And I ask :don’t we all live on planet earth where water should be conserved?
Thanks for your comment, Sara
with the basic impulse of which I am in complete agreement.
That said, we all live in different parts of planet earth and not all resources can be accessed from everywhere. Where water comes from river diversions, wells sunk into deep aquifers and other sources whose tapping has multiple ramifications, mindfulness of conservation definitely rates a “should.” Where it comes from self-renewing, single access sources like dug wells and surface-captured springs – AND is returned to the earth though well-designed septic and grey water systems – the only thing you’re conserving by using less is the power it took to pump it. That too is usually in the “should” column, of course, but when it comes to power consumption, this blog tries to offer options and let participants choose for themselves. ( I usually hang my laundry on the line, but don’t try to part me from my processor)