Oldest item in you larder

Years ago I came home from work and my husband had all the tinned stuff out of the cupboard and was announcing the age on each tin to his mother. He never did that again!

If I could be bothered to look I'd be surprised if some stuff wasn't 20 years old at least... after all, 20 years syill only goes back to 2006!

Me!

I don't have a larder or a pantry, just have cupboards, freezer and fridge. Your Gin should be okay !

I’ve just thrown out a part-used bottle of yellow food colouring, BBE 06/2001.

I think the oldest dated items in my cupboard are ground white pepper, BBE 11/2015, and a tin of English mustard powder, BBE 03/2018. I have dried yellow split peas and red kidney beans that I’ve never used and are decades old, simply because the row of jars looks nice. I dust the jars! And an unopened bottle of sloe gin that I made in 2014.

During lockdown, I found some cochineal dated April 1995! And my hand even hesitated over the bin as I went to chuck it out!

Gwyllt

Honey of unknown date
Husband used to be a beekeeper. Clearing out sheds. Found some jars we must have brought with us when we moved in 2016 Goodness knows how old they were then. Must be like whiskey and matured either that it was the rusty lids but it tasted fantastic

I’m sure I’ve read of 3000 year old honey being found in an Egyptian tomb! Apparently it was still edible.

A tiny cardboard tub of arrowroot powder. It says 9-1/2p on the label. It came from my MIL’s kitchen. I don’t know why she gave it to me as I’ve never used arrowroot. I can’t bring myself to throw it away after all these years!

Potato wine made by my dear old Dad. He’s been gone 15 years now so I reckon pre 2009. I am too scared to drink it and the longer I have it the more scared I am cos I reckon it will be pretty potent!

I’ve got some elderberry wine that my son made when he was a child. He’s now mid forties. I am currently going through my spices. Last time I did it was just before the pandemic. I have been restocking recently. What I have noticed is that Aldi spices don’t seem to have as long a shelf life as Schwarz ones. I’ve just ordered one of those staggered cupboard racks that you put your spices on so you can see all of them ( really excited about getting it!). And when I buy new spices or tinned food I now write the bb date on the front because they’re always so difficult to find and read. I’m quite happy to used spices and herbs that are way past their bb date but just felt an urge to get my kitchen organised better. I’ve got a vanilla pod that I’ve had forever. Just going to see if there’s a date on it.

Honey of unknown date
Husband used to be a beekeeper. Clearing out sheds. Found some jars we must have brought with us when we moved in 2016 Goodness knows how old they were then. Must be like whiskey and matured either that it was the rusty lids but it tasted fantastic

Thank you petra! I should have thought of that.

Shrub

A jar of dried ground lemon peel, undated but I know I bought it when living in the USA in the early 1990s. I still use some occasionally and it seems fine. I've never seen it for sale here which must be why I've not replaced it.

Amazon sell it

www.amazon.co.uk/s?gad_source=1&hvlocphy=1006886&hvnetw=g&mcid=be13b3d625e73cbca34250a165247975&hvadid=791690894110&k=dried+lemon+peel+powder&ref=pd_sl_6dsj38mqx3_b&hydadcr=22545_2243650_336930&hvdev=c&hvocijid=7779565351392188528--&hvexpln=0&hvqmt=b&tag=gransnetforum-21&hvtargid=kwd-302400097323&adgrpid=189665163725&hvrand=7779565351392188528

A jar of dried ground lemon peel, undated but I know I bought it when living in the USA in the early 1990s. I still use some occasionally and it seems fine. I've never seen it for sale here which must be why I've not replaced it.

A jar of cloves dated October 1998. Some are taken out every Christmas to go in the glazed ham but there are still lots left!