The
other day, I needed a phone number. So, I walked over to the fridge.
It
was a number we had on a piece of paper held in place with a magnet.
And while there, I noticed that several of the things decorating
my refrigerator really needed to be tossed away.
Business
cards from places several hundred miles from where we now live
(and almost without question never to be used again). Menus from
restaurants that we grabbed while getting takeout on a night here
or an afternoon there in order to have on hand later, only to
find the food wasn’t that good and we never went back. Magnets
and more from spots that long ago closed their doors. And a recipe
for Playdough.
That’s
the spelling on the recipe. Playdough. A recipe which, since to
my knowledge it’s never been used, I can only imagine is a make-at-home
version of the classic Play-Doh.
At
first, I looked at it and chuckled, thinking something close to
“wow, go figure, make it in my own kitchen” while removing it
from under a magnet. Realizing we had never made it, and likely
had no reason to make it any time soon, I began moving toward
the trash can. And during those few steps is when I read it.
A
cup of salt? Really? That’s uh… that’s… that’s just a lot
of … wait, hold on… cream of tartar?
I
am fairly certain the only times I have ever used cream of tartar
involved snickerdoodles. I haven’t baked them in years. And while
I am now currently writing these words while attempting to hold
a significant snickerdoodle craving in check, I will purchase
cream of tartar because I lost that fight and needed the cookies.
I will not head to the store so I can toss a couple of tablespoons
into a batch of homemade playdough.
There
is another side to this story. An opposite view in the argument.
And I have to admit, that other side has some compelling thoughts.
Colors get mixed and blended and mushed together, forcing a need
to get some new batches if you want blue or green and not all-purpose
sludge. Same idea for when it dries out. (Just asking… anyone
ever use Play-Doh as spackle? Really. Just asking. Train of thought
question while thinking about dried out Play-Doh. Nothing else.)
I haven’t priced it out, but since I am aware of many different
sets available for purchase, I can only imagine what it might
cost to pick up a few cans. For these reasons—and plenty more,
I’m sure—it can be incredibly appealing to have the ability to
make a batch of dough in your own kitchen, break it into several
balls and then add different food colors to each ball.
But
a cup of salt? Tablespoons of cream of tartar? I’m honestly wondering
why it doesn’t just shoot for a trifecta and add in some cardamom
or other rarely used ingredient.
Whatever
happened to Silly Putty? And does anyone ever think about Mr.
Bill? These questions are on my mind as I consider Play-Doh. I
really don’t know why people would need a large supply of it.
I don’t know why making it at home from scratch is important.
You keep a puppy or a baby, despite the messes and aggravation,
because they’re cute and you love them. Anyone care to take a
shot at explaining the lasting appeal of Play-Doh?
Never
mind. Because honestly, jokes aren’t really important here. Play-Doh
is fine, and I wish the company well. (Have fun kids!)
Instead
I just find myself wondering about the stuff I have in my kitchen.
From cream of tartar to food coloring, I’m not sure if there was
ever a time while I was growing up that I couldn’t have made this
recipe. All of the ingredients were virtual musts to have available.
Including the food coloring. Today? Not so much.
I
can’t recall ever having cream of tartar in an apartment or house
since I moved away from my childhood home. My recipe has six ingredients
and I’m missing two of them.
Several
months ago, I saw a coffeecake recipe I wanted to try. Needed
some cardamom for it. And that set off an unexpected adventure
of amazing scope and effort. Most stores didn’t carry it. Couldn’t
find it. And as the search became more organized and intense,
we moved from wanting to make a coffeecake into an epic quest
to just find some darn cardamom.
Quite
honestly, if ever comes the day that I need some Play-Doh in the
house, I’m fairly certain I’ll head out to the store and buy some
Play-Doh. I won’t make a list and set off to pick up some cream
of tartar and a 25-pound sack of salt.
That
said, I would like some snickerdoodles. So if you’ll excuse me,
I have some shopping to do.