4. Some fruit and veg thrive over a shallow bath.

“We tend to think of zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper, and cucumber as vegetables, but they are biologically fruits. This open shelf gives them a space to be outside the fridge. Also through the ritual of watering them everyday, they will stay fresh,” write Jihyun David. Produce that grows in warm places, tomatoes and bananas included, “gets injured” and loses nutrients and flavor when stored in the cold.

5. Spice benefits from rice.

The longstanding practice of pouring some uncooked rice into salt shakers also works for jars of spices: “Rice absorbs humidity easily,” notes Jihyun. “Adding rice to spice containers helps the spice stay dry without forming into lumps.” Since spices shouldn’t be exposed to sun or heat, Jihyun suggests “keeping the bigger quantity in a dark and cool space and a small quantity where it’s easy to use.”

6. A plinth with a water well keeps leafy vegetables fresh.

Noting that certain leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and cabbage, last longer when their stem or roots are in water, Jihyun David designed a hexagonal modular base of marble with a shallow water well. “Only the stem or root should touch the water, not much the leaves,” they note. “The temperature of marble helps keep the vegetables cool.” A cauliflower that they exhibited this way in Milan was still looking fresh 10 days after the show opened.

7. A tabletop celery bouquet is a good way to stay hydrated.

An idea from the designers’ blog: “Celery is one of the summer plants that quenches our thirst because 95 percent of celery is actually water.” The best way to keep the stalks fresh, they say, are to store them standing up: “Place the stalks in a vase with water like flowers. Just make sure not much is covered: Only the bottom of the celery should touch the water. Otherwise, it could get mushy. By having their beauty under our eyes, we will surely not forget to eat them.”

Watch Jihyun’s Ted Talk here. Interested in buying Jihyun David food storage designs? Shoot them a query at [email protected]

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