It’s time to go through the pantry. Pull out that expired jam jar, crusty balsamic vinegar, and wine bottles with only a couple of drops left. Among this so-called trash might be buried treasure with a little TLC — some glass bottles are too cool to recycle just yet! A lot of thought goes into designing glass containers, and there’s an aesthetic and culinary value in repurposing them.
Glass bottles can make handy cooking oil dispensers with a pour spout attachment, similar to the ones bartenders use. A stainless steel cap with a suctioned base for the bottleneck will make a snug funnel to pour oil from while you’re cooking, and the Axe Sickle stainless steel dispensers on Amazon can fit any ¾ inch bottle mouth. A handheld glass oil dispenser is easy to wipe clean, and it gives you enough motor control to measure liquids mess-free. You can use it to drizzle over salads or fill a measuring cup to bake a cake without overflowing. No drop of your lemon-infused olive oil is going to waste.
Clean and label your glass oil dispenser
Start with a dark-colored bottle and pour spout with a cap. Light and oxygen can degrade the quality of your cooking oil over time. Once you’ve found your match, clean the bottle by filling it about halfway with some hot water and dish soap. Shake, scrub, and dry thoroughly — you won’t want any gunky residue to tamper with your cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil.
Using a label machine or multi-surface paint markers, design a label naming the type of oil and the expiration date from its original container. This is also a great time to give any homemade blended oils a life of their own with a personal touch. The best way to store cooking oil in your new easy-grip dispenser is by keeping it in a cool, dark location like a cabinet or shelf where sunlight can’t reach. Cooking oil is a chef’s best friend, so it deserves a worthy vessel.
