Great idea
@sdmhred
With apols for length.
Throughout our marriage my wife has been a really super cook - made all our bread and bread rolls (without breadmaker machine), yogurts, ice cream, pickles, preserves, etc., catered for family parties, dinner parties, exotic dishes, etc., etc, - and had collected numerous cook books and her own handwritten recipes and secrets.
She also went to various classes and courses. At one of these, there was a Dutchman, who regularly turned up with various Indonesian spices, with the packets in Indonesian so there would be no clue what each was or was for,
Since my wife became ill 6 years ago, it fell to me to do all the shopping and cooking etc. I only did simple stuff to begin with, then I started to read recipes and expand the repertoire. I have got rid of most of the dinner party recipe books as I'm never going to do the fancy stuff my wife loved to do.
My daughter suggested going through cupboards and possibly clearing up stuff that I no longer need. Well earlier today I went through the kitchen cupboard where we keep herbs and spices and sauces etc. Some of them, well passed their "best fore" dates by a long long way! It is probably nearly 20 years since my wife last went to a cooking class/course.
My wife cannot now hold a conversation other than to answer whether cup of tea is too hot or not, etc and often talks randomly and incoherently.
I came across several small paper packages with labels printed in Indonesian. I showed them to my OH and asked her what they were and what they were for. Well, knock me down with a feather, without a moment's hesitation she said "Ah, the Dutchman gave me those for the curries."
My daughter has challenged me to use them for our next curry! It is likely to be a bitter/sweet moment if they don't poison us!