Read the Directions

I bought these beautiful canisters from Chef's Catalogue, one of my favorite places for Kitchen stuff.

I used to be a loyal Williams-Sonoma customer; they had the best return policy: If you're not happy, bring it back. Period. No hassle, no recriminations.

No more. Now if something they sell breaks, you have to take it up with the manufacturer. At their prices? Are they kidding? If you own WIlliams-Sonoma stock, sell it now.  It's not the company I knew and loved. I know Chuck Williams had to retire sometime but boy do I miss him.

So anyway, the canisters: unpacking them they were very dusty. And being the slightly compulsive person I am (okay, more than slightly. Happy now?) (And have you checked your compulsive quotient lately?) I wash everything before I use it.  I looked at the bottoms: "dishwasher safe" so in they went. When they went in they were labeled - Flour, Sugar, Brown Sugar. When they came out, one had an F - the rest were naked. So I went back to the website, and yup - "Hand wash." Oops.

At first I was upset, and I felt like an idiot. Then I thought "it's my chance to label them in whatever language I choose. Italian, Lithuanian, French..."

I've been having a blast playing with typestyles. And language translators. Shall I label the smallest canister Rudojo Cukraus? or Zucchero di Canna? Cassonade? or with a skull and crossbones? And I can change the labels at will, thanks to an overzealous dishwasher.

Thank you mommy for teaching me to look for the opportunity in every disaster. And thank you Chef's Catalogue for canisters that are actually big enough to be useful. Cookies, anyone?