Sunday, September 7, 2008

Foodstuffs in Bags

Have you ever opened up a ketchup packet in a screwed-up way? A way that forced you to squeeze the tiny bag from a variety of angles so that the contents could finally be released? And when the ketchup does come out, it's in one big, messy splatter?

Imagine having to deal with that ketchup packet for weeks on end, every time you want to enjoy a nice pancito with jam, perhaps. Or put tomato sauce on your pasta. Or use pretty much any kind of condiment.

Spices, herbs, pasta sauce, Parmesan cheese, every condiment imaginable...all in a queue lining the bottom shelf of my refri. Although this quirk is old news for anyone who has been living here for a bit, I still hold much contempt for this unsightly and inĂștil method of food storage. While it may not be a uniquely Chilean phenomenon (perhaps commonplace in all of Latin America?), all I know is that I find myself dealing with these offending bags on a daily basis. I hate these bags:

1) Because they are ugly!


2) Because they are messy!

On weekend mornings, I like to make a nice breakfast. Lightly toasted marraqueta bread, palta, Gouda cheese, coffee...all looking splendid with place mats and napkins.

But wait! I seem to have forgotten the jam!

I open the door to the fridge and there it is, Watts Mermelada Mora Sin Azucar, sitting in a pile of its own waste (a.k.a. the excess that has managed to leak out onto the bag itself and the refrigerator shelf.) I reluctantly place it on the table, trying to find the best angle so that it won't fall and spill. I struggle to ignore the crust that has formed around the crude opening and squeeze the jam onto my bread, mumbling obscenities to myself.

"You know, you can transfer it to a jar or something," E. suggests. True. But I never seem to get around to it.

Taking a step back: I know we're used to superfluous packaging in the U.S. Using bags is probably a cheaper and less wasteful option than packaging things into glass jars and elaborate plastic containers.

But where would the fun be without all the petty differences we like to bitch about?