November 16, 1998
Hard cheese, such as Parmesan and Romano, have the lowest moisture content and keep the longest. The granular textures of these cheeses make them ideal for grating.
When serving cheese, remove it from the refrigerator and leave it unwrapped for 30-60 minutes before use. It needs that time to come to room temperature and full flavour.
Make lunch box sandwiches in batches, wrap individually and freeze for daily use. Some sandwich fillings that freeze well are:
Do not freeze sandwiches that contain mayonnaise, tomatoes, celery, lettuce or cucumbers.
Add cubed beef, lamb or pork along with onions and other vegetables to make a nice rice casserole.
To peel roast peppers, immediately after roasting, place the pepper in a paper bag and close it. Let it sit a few minutes. The steam will loosen the skin making it easier to peel.
A way to remove unpopped kernels from freshly popped pocorn; put the popcorn in a large bag with a small hole cut in the corner and shake. The unpopped kernels will fall from the bag.
To peel garlic quickly, put the clove on a chopping block, then place the flat side of a knife on top of the clove. Hit the knife with your fist. You will be surprised how easily the peel comes off.
Rejuvinate crystalized honey by placing the open (glass) jar in a warm 250F oven and heat until honey liquifies.
To help prevent foods from sticking, heat the pan over low heat first. Next heat the oil, then add the food.
Chop a quantity of onions at one time, and freeze them in recipe sized poritons in plastic bags. You'll always have chopped onions without a fuss, mess or tears.
Spices in powdered form lose their fresh taste the longer they are kept, so buy powdered spiced in the smallest quantity available. Seeds will keep for some months if stored in an airtight jar and with an electric grinder, you can make a powder which will last 4-6 weeks.
To peel hard cooked eggs smoothy, plunge them into cold water immediately after they are cooked. Crack them as you submerge them, then peel under cold running water.
Refrigerate all dairy products at 32-40 degrees F (0-4 degrees C) immediately after purchase.
Check the Best Before date on dairy products when making your purchase. This will tell you how long the product will maintain its original quality if stored correctly.
Never return unused portions of fluid milk from their serving containers into their original containers!
Keep dairy product containers closed to protect them from absorbing odours from other strong smelling foods in your refigerator.
Always keep butter in its original wrapper to help prevent spoilage from exposure to light or air.
To avoid crystallization of ice cream after it has been opened, cover the surface of the ice cream with protective wrap, then close as usual.
When choosing PLUMS, there's no need to queeze. Plums that yield to gentle pressure and are slightly soft at the tip end are ripe and ready for eating.
When looking for PEACHES, look for a yellowish or creamy background colour; smooth, unblemished skin and fruit that yields to gentle pressure. Aroma is important. A ripe peach has that wonderfully, unique, peachy smell.
Sniff CANTALOUPES. You can't miss the sweet aroma of a ripe cantaloupe at room temperature. Also check the stem end; it should have a soft, sunken depression, no cut. (This means it was vine ripened.) The net-like surface should be raised and evenly distributed. Before refrigerating, be sure to wrap whole or cut cantaloupe and keep airtight to keep the aroma from mingling with other foods.
When selecting BLUEBERRIES, select clean, dry berries with a deep blue or black colour. Berries may be covered in a greyish bloom; that's normal. Don't wash until just before using. Refrigerated, they'll retain their peak flavour for up to 2 weeks, as long as they are kept dry.
When using a cutting board, place a small, dry cloth, such as a washcloth, underneath to prevent the board from slipping and sliding while you cut your food.
