Thursday, January 08, 2009

thawing, de-frosting, soaking burning...

I'm busily multi-tasking today. As well as working on the Spring 2008 issue of SlipKnot, I'm trying to catch up with assorted domestic tasks.

Watching the thaw yesterday suddenly reminded us that our freezer needed defrosting. And how! It is only a tiny one (about 25% of the total fridge freezer) yet I found some pastry in there annoucning "use by May 2006". I only ever buy pastry for use at Christmas, so it must be at least 3 years since we last defrosted. Oops.

I'm also trying to soak labels off assorted bottle and jars. In some cases this is because I'd like to reuse the bottle (I especially adore deep blue glass) in others it is because I want the label (I'm smitten with the fox on Thatcher's Old Rascal cider). But the labels and bottles are refusing to part company. Has anyone got any handy hints?

Meantime, I'm also trying to cook lunch whilst blogging. So far I have
* turned on the wrong hotplate and burnt the left over bubble and squeak from breakfast
* turned on the correct ring, but forgotten about it, so the pan has boiled over.

Think I'd better go and keep an eye on the stove!

3 comments:

picperfic said...

I just use warm water and washing p liquid for my labels, stubborn ones get scratched off with one of those metal scrunchies. Stubborn little sticky bits come off easily with Lakeland's sticky stuff remover, perhaps that would work for a whole label?

I always turn on the wrong ring on the hob and have ruined many a pan lid!

Anonymous said...

For labels that you don't want to keep, soak in a mixture of water and oxyclean over night.

For labels that you do want to keep, try a soak in warm water for an hour. Then gently try to peel the label. Let the label dry flat undisturbed for several hours.

Hope that help!
Kim
http://www.kimknits.net

TutleyMutley said...

been there, done that!
I burnt myself, turning on the wrong hot plate once.
Did you notice you were still in 2008 too?!
I've emailed you a short bit about Alison Murray, Rosie. I know it's too late for this issue (well and truly too late for the Spring 2008).