Introducing My Freezer

Before I moved here, the only freezers that I have were the ones attached to the refrigerator. Before I moved here, I didn't cook every day. Before I moved here, I used to cross the street to the nearest supermarket to get what I need.

Now all that has changed. I never knew households actually own these industrial size freezers. Over here, everybody has one, X parents have 2. But I can see why it is necessary. Most people here only shop once a week so having a huge freezer is handy. Excess summer vegetables are prepared & frozen. Left overs are frozen. Meats are purchased in bulk, cut up & then frozen.

Just to give you an example. I will open up my freezer & invite you inside.

This is the size of my freezer. The little machine next to it is my washing machine. It's like David compared to my Goliath of a freezer - it's a quarter the size of my freezer.

Enter at your own risk. You never know what you're going to find. As you can well see, it's completely filled to the brim.

On the left in the white tupperware are the springrolls I made with the leftover wonton fillings. Everything is labeled & dated. There is so much stuff in here I can't keep track of what's what if I don't. Once I took out a pack of legs thinking they were chicken legs, turned out to be duck legs. When they are frozen, everything looks the same. What's called hache de porc is minced pork. It may come as a surprise to you but minced pork is not easy to find in the supermarkets. The ones that are available are usually marinated to be made into sausages not just plain minced pork. So whenever I see these, I would buy 4-5 packs. I use them a lot - in wontons, springrolls, spicy szechuan noodles, laab moo & my recent favorite nam prik ong.

Inside the ice cream tubs are mousseron mushrooms that I had prepared. There are about 6 of those. On the right in the baskets are packets of meat bought in bulk & then divided into meal sized portions - chicken legs, pork chops, beef steak, veal etc.


This is what you see after I remove the top baskets. On the right is half a baguette. Yup we freeze bread too. It's pretty common here. Just pop them into the oven for a few minutes & they're, almost, as good as new. Can you can make out what's next to the baguette ? Well it's a rabbit. Rene gave it to us & I'm still waiting for an occasion to cook it.

Right next to it is the packet of spring rolls wrappers. That's a recent acquisition which reminds me I have to make some spring rolls....but where am I going to put them in the freezer ? Just above the wrappers are home made sausages, also given to us by Rene. Next to it is a whole chicken. Don't know about you but I must always have a whole chicken in my freezer. That's my security blanket. I don't feel comfortable unless I have one handy.

Then to the left of the spring roll skins, wrapped in white are lamb chops. X buys food at a specialty store that caters to restaurants & professionals so as such he buys them by bulk. Right at the bottom of the freezer sits packets & packets of magret de canard, leg of lamb, veal chops...It's a black hole down there. I don't even remember what else we have. Oh platters of tomato farcies, spring rolls, chee cheong fun, ngo hiang, curry puffs......you know for in case there is a war. Not forgetting vacuumed packs of pumpkin, french beans & spinach - all from Rene's garden & kept for in case we run out of food...haha if that will ever happen. I almost forgot, I have tubs of soups too - don't diss them okay, they are extremely handy when I'm sick.

I don't believe I'm actually saying this but it would be my dream to get a walk in freezer. Once upon a time, I would have said walk in closet. Not forgetting I have another smaller freezer that sits on top of my refrigerator. By the way, if you think my freezer is over the top, wait till you see my pantry.