How old is all this stuff in my refrigerator?

The article in Serious Eats about taste testing mustards inspired me to go look at all the mustards I have in my refrigerator. I remember having numerous mustard jars: Dijon, horseradish, creole, honey, the key word is remember, because they weren’t there anymore. They probably disappeared in one of my fits of tossing out food products that have been sitting in the refrigerator since recipe testing for the Yum cookbook three years ago.

I went to check out the mustards and I only have two left: Dijon and Creole. This hunt for mustards started me on tossing a ½ full jar of applesauce, a jam that all the sugar had crystallized, a clotted cream that was really clotted, dates, a mango soda, two week old cole slaw and a chocolate fudge sauce that has been there since Bush’s first term in office.These items came from part of one shelf. I dont' have time to tackle the whole fridge today. When I'll get back to it only God and Julia Child's spirit will know for sure.

I keep telling myself to take one of the strange and unique refrigerated items and find a recipe to prepare with it so I can move it out without thinking I wasted money but alas, that never happens.

Being a family of two, things tend to linger in nooks and crannies of the fridge. Some might ask what’s in your wallet, I ask what’s in your fridge and how long has it been there? Are you obsessive collectors of odd or hard to find food items just to have them handy should they be requested in a recipe?

I went through a rant like this last March but this is more about finally being able to let go and toss these products but it is usually an impulse activity. Maybe my rehab at the Betty Ford Clinic for chronic collectors of odd gourmet food stuffs has helped.

P.S. Just found this cheat sheet for reading expiration codes:  Expiration Code Cheat Sheet