Friday, September 2, 2011
Recork wine bottles
Cork expands when exposed to air, that is why it is almost impossible to plug it up again. Rub the end of the cork with a piece of wax paper, lubricating it, and making it easier to wedge it back into the bottle.
Hard skin on pudding surface
Press a piece of wax paper onto the surface while it is still hot. That will seal in steam, preventing thick layer from forming on surface of creamy pudding.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
When mother nature comes to town...
Make sure your shellfish are alive
Before cooking clams or mussels, give open ones gentle taps. If they close, keep them in a "good" pile. If they do not close, put them in a "bad" pile and wait couple minutes. Some have longer reaction times and will close slowly, being perfect to be added to the "good" pile, then to the pot.
Seasoning a pan sauce
To avoid salty sauces, wait until the end to add the seasoning, after the sauce has been reduced. Liquids reduce considerably while being cooked, making the salt super-concentrated.
Extra crispy French fries
Cook potatoes, already sliced, in boiling water for about 5 minutes, making them already softened in the center before frying. That will give your French fries an extra crispy result.
Perfect crumb crust
After using your fingers to press the crumbs into dish, place a second pie plate (exactly the same size as first) over the crust, pressing to get an even result, then remove the plate, and crust is ready to fill.
Filling spice grinder with peppercorns
To avoid making a mess with peppercorns while filling spice grinder, transfer them to a zip-top plastic bag, snip the corner creating a funnel, and pour them into the grinder.
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