1 . “Leftover roast potatoes? There’s no such thing!” shouted people on social media when I shared a suggestion for using up remaining potatoes. This response is common whenever I propose ideas for ingredients (食材) considered “delicious” or a treat: wine, Easter eggs and cream. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure, and all that—but the way we handle leftovers has to change. Because of my work creating recipes, I am constantly dealing with leftover food. I live alone, work from home and enjoy the challenge of transforming leftovers into new culinary delights.
During lockdown, I witnessed in people a growing understanding of having to make do with what was already in the cupboards, fridge and freezer. This led to an increasing confidence around making substitutions and understanding food-safety issues (such as the difference between “best before” and “use by”). I learned everything I know about food safety during my professional life.
While sharing food with neighbors, friends and the wider community is one way to deal with remaining ingredients, managing random bits and open packets requires a different approach. So in May 2022, I started a series on social media called Rollover Leftovers, showcasing daily short videos of my home cooking. Simple concepts such as refreshing rock-hard bread, freezing leftover chips or creating a “clear out the fridge” tray bake gained millions of views — a much bigger audience than I would expect for anything using tricky methods or fancy ingredients.
Use your imagination and trust yourself, and you’ll discover that leftovers can be a joy, not a chore. And if you find you have the leftovers of a great big turkey but are fed up with the sight of it, or you have more cranberry sauce than you could possibly eat alone, why not try joining forces with neighbors or friends? Not so much bring a bottle as bring a loaf, because a post-Christmas leftovers sandwich is truly the best bite of the year. Isn’t it?
1. What do people think of the author’s suggestion for leftovers?
| A．It is impractical. | B．It is typical. | C．It is valuable. | D．It is irresponsible. |
2. What does the author intend to show in paragraph 2?
| A．The new trend in cooking. | B．The concern about food safety. |
| C．The importance of professional life. | D．The change of household appliances. |
3. What can we learn about the series of
Rollover Leftovers?
| A．It teaches cooking principles. | B．It is a community programme. |
| C．It focuses on fresh ingredients. | D．It has gained great popularity. |
4. What should people do with the remaining turkey according to the author?
| A．Reserve it in a bottle. | B．Share it with neighbors or friends. |
| C．Put it in the fridge for the next meal. | D．Use it to make sandwiches for charity. |
