A subject that I never thought was news has come up a few times this week and that was using what some would call waste products in your cooking. Examples being leftover gravy, nubby potatoes, wilted greens, meat bones, etc. And there is a small window when you can use them and when it's time to let them go. My mother was very frugal and hated waste. She would wrap and save the tiniest piece of cheese for a quick snack. I learned this behavior and it's always made sense to me but there was always a bit of shame that came with it. Like I was eating spoiled food or cheating my partner out of fresh ingredients. Now it's considered smart and efficient! But if you truly cook all week then you have an assembly line of sorts going with your fridge stock. For example if I buy a bunch of cilantro and use most of it but keep the stems for another few days, then I keep that in the back of my mind not to go way past their peak. I know I only have a short window of time to do something like use it in a salad dressing or to flavor rice. It's like a blinking yellow light before it turns red and you need to stop, throw it out. The art is in letting as little turn to garbage as possible before that light turns.
Leftovers are different, a sort of cook's secret treat. They often taste better than the night before even though the colors aren't as bright. Like this chicken with mushrooms and braised baby bok choy. Super tasty the next afternoon for lunch with just a squeeze of lemon juice on top to wake up the flavors. It might not be good tomorrow but it's alright now.
