I am nothing without Ziplocs

I didn't grow up with Ziplocs. They were considered 'designer'. We only had the grocery store brand, which meant I'd have juice from my orange wedges seeping into my PB&J and soaking my paper bag by lunchtime. It was a fact of life that led to my mistrust of no-name plastic bags!

When I entered college, I worked in the kitchen for a caterer, Louise. My trust issues with zippered plastic bags were confronted head on. She employed these Ziplocs for everything--kasha varinishkas, roasted asparagus, tabouleh--with the dressing!!! This was outrageous! Oil was involved and NOT easy to clean up. I was amazed at her courage to trust something that'd always failed me. Was it the name brand?

She'd pack Ziplocs with banana bread for freezing, fill them with soup--liquidy soup(!) left over from parties not wanting to leave her plastic quarts at a client’s house. She used Ziplocs filled with soapy water and sponges for off-site events with no sink access. Louise had two answers for everything, "Needs salt!" and "Get me a Ziploc!" I slowly began to change my opinion of zippered plastic bags. (And salt. But that's another blog entry.)

It wasn't until seven years after college, when I opened my own catering business, that I began to fully understand the beauty, joy, freedom and confidence these bags offer. I started using them because "that's what Louise did," and soon learned that one of the best feelings in the world was right under my fingertips when that 'meaty plastic zipper' zipped. I knew that that bag was sealed with a lip-locked, zip-locked kiss and wasn’t gonna break or leak. I could sleep easy knowing my PB&J was safe, my marinated mushrooms (with the dressing on!) were contained, my crudites were separated and fresh, and my crostini were airtight and crisp. As an off premise caterer who has to pack up her kitchen for events big and small, Ziplocs not only transport food, they safeguard against oozing dishwashing liquid I travel with, they protect my business cards, license and insurance documents from the inevitable food schmutz that collects out of thin air, they maximize packing space replacing cardboard boxes of kitchen work gloves and most of all, they conserve, protect and defend my peace of mind.

So enamored of these bags, so enmeshed am I, that they show up in my bathroom, my suitcase, my purse, my closet, my office, my garage and even the entertainment cabinet just in case orphaned CD's need a home. They store, collect, organize and protect my toiletries, lipsticks, shoes, pens, various keys from long ago places that I might need again one day, my nuts-and-bolts of life and my precious memories.

I am nothing without Ziplocs! Thank you and goodnight :)