The Second Shelf: Eye Level

The second shelf is at my eye level, so I try to keep anything perishable on this shelf to remind me that it needs to be eaten, cooked, or otherwise attended to! This week, I found gorgeous eggplant and cauliflower at the farmers market. Yes, both the green and the orange are varieties of cauliflower: the orange is called “cheddar” and the green is a variety known as “romanesco,” which if you see in person, is a geometric work of art. My strategy is to display my farmers market treasures, front and center, where I can see them and be inspired to cook them!

Storing your veggies in a bowl, while very pretty, does shorten their shelf life. If you don’t plan to cook them right away, it’s better to keep them wrapped up and tucked away in the produce drawer.

Behind the bowl of veggies (and bottle of sparkling water), I keep homemade vinaigrettes and jars of olives and other pickled items. When I’m not displaying gorgeous produce, I also like to keep leftovers on this shelf to remind us what is available!