Southern Style Cooking: Olive Oil Cake (and the Tale of My Broken-Fridge Cleanout)

Saturday, October 30, 2021

Olive Oil Cake (and the Tale of My Broken-Fridge Cleanout)

The Not-So-Chilling Tale of My Broken-Fridge Cleanout

Taysha Murtaugh,
Editorial Director

On a dark, eerie morning just one moon ago, I rose from my bed feeling unsettled. Something was wrong. With bated breath, I crept into my kitchen, pausing in front of the refrigerator, and, hands trembling, peeled open the door. The only chills that greeted me were the ones that ran down my spine as I realized, with horror: My fridge was dead, leaving all of my food at risk.

Okay, so maybe it didn't play out quite so dramatically, but anyone who has experienced a broken fridge or a loss of power understands the doom I describe. Thankfully, my fridge thermometer gave me a good indication of how long it had been out, and I was able to salvage most of the perishables, stashing them into coolers, where they stayed safe and cold. Then, with the resourcefulness of every horror film's "final girl," I sprang into action to use up my ingredients.

I whipped up homemade waffles and eggs for breakfast, and for dinner, I threw together a take on chicken parmesan with veggies. Berry cobbler for dessert helped me use up several bags of frozen fruit. Then it was yogurt bowls, mushroom-chive omelette, and lemony olive oil cake in quick succession. The desserts sat out on the counter, making room for the rest of the leftovers until the new fridge arrived. My horror story had a happy, delicious ending, and I have to admit, I had a lot of fun cooking so strategically.