Kitchen

[CherryHugs]

I dont have the three tier plastic thing I used to have that used to be what my Mom used, to store apples, onions, potatoes.

Not sure what to do with them now!  Any suggestions on how you store apples and potatoes would be appreciated!

I dont really buy onions anymore except frozen.

Thank you!!

[kaydee50]

I put my apples in a Debbie Meyer's green bag.  They stay edible for more than a week.  I do not refrigerate them.  Only buy a sweet potato which I use within a day or 2 so can't help you there.

[phoenixbrd]

I have so much produce that storage is a continual issue.  I have one three tiered wrought iron baskets and another two tiered that sits on the kitchen counter for potatoes, onions, and fruit as well as two refrigerators. (I bought the wrought iron baskets at Costco for much less that was offered in other stores.) Avocados frequently are in the window sill that looks out on the yard.   I'm attempting to shop more frequently and store less especially now that I'm juicing daily.

[RedTop]

Potatoes and onions are stored in different areas of the garage.   I only buy 4-6 apples at a time, and they are in a bowl in my unheated TV room.  

[Carmie]

Apples are stored in the refrigerator.  They need to be kept pretty cold or they will go bad real fast.  We eat the bruised ones first.  I sometimes keep apples for a month or two.

Potatoes need a dark cool place, as do onions.  I keep them in two separate dark canvas bags that I store in the unheated basement stairway hung on the wall.  I try to buy small bags so they get used up quickly.  I always seem to have different varieties though for different dishes.. baking, all purpose, Yukon gold and little reds.  I check them a few times a week and  remove the sprouts so they keep longer.

[peachesncream]

I always keep apples in the refrigerator (a lower bin). They keep for a long time that way, and it doesn't seem to affect the taste at all.  

Potatoes are a different case. I've read that refrigeration changes the texture, so I keep them in the pantry in a brown bag or a bin (not in plastic). We don't have basements where I live.

[SharkE]

don't see to many in my part of Tx. either. From the Mid-West and plenty up there. Never rains here , so, don't really know the reason.

[peachesncream]

I live in Texas, and I've wondered about the lack of basements (I was born in KY, where every house had one). I found this article that explains it. 

4 Reasons Why Homes in Texas Don’t Have Basements

Reason #1 – The Frost Line

The frost line is the depth at which groundwater in the soil won’t freeze during the winter.  So to avoid frozen pipes and the potential for breaks, home builders in northern states must sink their foundations (and the pipes) deeper into the soil to get below the frost line.  And once you’ve dug that far down, you might was well put in a basement.  However, in Texas the frost line may actually be less than a foot deep below the surface.  This means digging any deeper is really an unnecessary expense.

Reason #2 – Clay Content in the Soil

If you paid attention during your Texas History 101 class, then you might remember that much of the Lone Star State was at one time covered by the Gulf of Mexico.  And as the coastal waters receded, much of the state was left with “expansive soils”—consisting of clay formations that can heave and flex during the rainy season; exerting up to 15,000 pounds of pressure per square foot! These same soils may also contract and settle during the hot dry months of summer.  In fact, it’s not uncommon to see homeowners in Texas actually watering the soil around their foundations to prevent them from cracking during a drought.

Reason #3 – The Water Table 

In terms of geology, the top layer of an underground formation (soils, rocks, etc.) that is permanently saturated with water is considered the Water Table.  And much of the eastern half of Texas, as a result of being only a few feet above sea level, has a water table that is very close to the surface.  For example, you can actually strike water just ten feet down in many areas around Houston.  So basements sunk too near a high water table, often flood.  Even though droughts have pushed the water table to lower depths in recent years across Texas, home builders and contractors must take into account all types of historic climate conditions (dry, wet and ordinary seasons).

Reason #4 – Bedrock of Limestone

Moving from the eastern side of Texas westward, you find another geologic formation that results in a lack of basement building…limestone.  Although limestone is actually softer than many other types of rock, it is still rock.  And excavating a hole into rock, deep enough to sustain the construction of a basement, will always be more costly than simply digging in dirt.  Now don’t get me wrong.  I’m not saying that digging out limestone can’t be done.  In fact, some of the newest homes in the upscale areas around Austin (Lakeway) are being constructed with basements.  However, the expense of rock blasting and removal usually puts the price range of these custom homes much higher than what the average Texan is willing to spend.

[Fressa]

I use the Debbie Meyers green bags. Work great!!

[Kachina624]

I have an attached garage right off my kitchen.  I keep fruits and vegetables out there in the winter.  It's very cold but not freezing.