Tips and Tricks for the kitchen

So many of us do things in the kitchen a certain way because we saw our mothers or grandmothers (or fathers and grandfathers!) doing it that way.  I cut onions with a very precise criss-cross pattern in order to obtain a fine dice, after watching my mother do it countless times.  Some of the tips below are courtesy of "Fine Cooking"......next week, I will include tips and tricks for  fish, dairy and desserts.  


Kitchen equipment:  


Non-stick pans:  for many years now we have known that most non-stick pans are coated with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) also know as C-8, a likely carcinogen that breaks down and likely releases toxic fumes when heated.  I threw out my non-stick pans years ago.  Now, many retailers (including Walmart in Canada, Target in the U.S. and many others) carry environmentally friendly and safe non-stick cookware.  Seriously consider changing over your pans, if you still use the old form of non-stick.
Burnt pans:  when you absolutely cannot clean out your pan, in spite of all the scrubbing and soaking, sprinkle a layer of baking soda (with enough water to cover) and wait a couple of hours.  Clean it again - your pan will come out sparkling.
Food Processor:  shredding carrots in the food processor always leaves an orange tinge on the bowl.  Pulse a few pieces of cheese (parmesan for example) and it will instantly remove the discoloration!  And then pop the cheese on your caesar salad!  

Keeping buns warm:  Fresh from the oven muffins or buns can be kept warm at the table for up to 30 minutes by putting a couple of cups of uncooked rice in a fabric sack (clean cotton tub sock, cheesecloth, etc) and heating the sac in the microwave until its warm to the touch, about 2 minutes.  Then hide the sac between two cloth napkins in the serving basket and place the baked good on top!


Produce:

Blueberries:  Big is best. The fattest berries are the sweetest - look for a graying purple colour and covered with a silvery sheen.  Unlike other fruits, don't bother sniffing - ripe blueberries aren't very fragrant.
Strawberries:  For lovely strawberries to serve in a fruit salad or as a topping, put the berries in an egg slicer - it's fast and easy and the berries come out picture perfect!
Citrus zest:  always remember to wash thoroughly any fruit before zesting.  Especially with non-organic produce, you will want to ensure you have washed off any pesticide residue and waxes before including the zest in your cooking.
Lemon juice:  to get the most juice out of the lemon, roll the lemon on the counter first and then microwave for about 30 seconds.  Then squeeze!
Cleaning hands after handling chiles:  rub a small amount of vegetable or olive oil on your hands.  Then wash as usual.  The oil removes the capsaicin, which is what irritates your skin / eyes.
Potatoes:  Don't peel!!!  Potato skins contain vitamin C, vitamin B6, Copper, Potassium, manganese and dietary fiber.  Peeling potatoes wipes away so many of it's vital nutrients - save yourself time, stop peeling!
Tomatoes:  to retain the sweet flavor of your tomatoes, store them out of the refrigerator.  Once a tomato falls below 50 degrees F, it's flavor enzymes are destroyed.  
Pesto: if you made a homemade pesto, store the extra in a plastic egg carton.  Put a portion into each egg cup, snap the top shut and pop into the freezer.  
Eggplant:  this veg soaks up oil like a sponge!  To avoid this, salt your sliced eggplant and let it sit for about 30 minutes.  Rinse, pat dry, cook as normal.