New Uses for Old Jars

An empty Bonne Maman jar makes a great twine dispenser.

It sounds crazy, I know, but there are certain jars and other glass containers that I simply cannot discard into the recycling bin.

I love Bonne Maman jars (and their contents), and always seem to find a use for mine, as in the photo above. So simple: Just punch a hole in the top and bingo! You've got a dispenser for kitchen twine.



Bonne Maman jars also hold leftover foreign coins, US quarters, pie weights, rubber bands, lentils, beans, and paper clips. The tiny jars - the kind that come in sample sets or with breakfast on SNCF trains - are good for small amounts of spices or homemade rubs, or whatever small food items you cannot bear to toss away. I also use them for mixing paints; when I have time, I love to do stenciling and repair of old pottery and ceramics.

Whenever we buy glass-jar yogurt in France, I bring the jars home. They are perfect for salad dressing (below) or for melting butter for popcorn in the microwave.

Finally, I love this brand of sea salt and use the jars for candle holders, as well as for small, dry things I make in my own kitchen (meat rubs or herbs de provence, or for storing other small kitchen items.

Glass yogurt jar holds onion vinaigrette, Cahors, 2008.