12. Lemons- slice and freeze to add to drinks when you need them.
13. To slow ripening of bananas - wrap the end of the bunch in plastic wrap or separate the bunch, the plastic stops the ethylene from escaping.
14. To save cut fruit from going brown, squeeze with a little lemon juice.
15. Eggs - check if they are edible, place raw egg in a bowl of water, if it sinks it is fresh, if it floats it is gone off.
16. Skim off fat from a stock, stew or sauce, use a few ice cubes in kitchen paper and skim along the surface, the cold helps solidify the fat.
17. Peeling ginger - use a spoon to scrape off the thin skin of ginger .
18. Peeling hardboiled eggs - if peeling lots of eggs, shake them in a lidded container, then the shell comes off v easily, perfect to mash up for egg mayonnaise. Here is a video on how to tell if an egg is fresh or not!
19. Hulling strawberries - use a straw, insert at the bottom of the strawberry and push through until it breaks through the top removing hull.
20. Freezing berries - freeze locally produced berries on a flat tray, once frozen they can be transferred to a bag or container and they wont freeze in clumps.
21. Pomegranate - roll on a work surface, then cut along the circumference, turn flat side onto palm of your hand and bash with a wooden spoon to release the seeds into your palm
22. Hard to open jar - tap the side of the lid on a work surface a few times to release pressure before opening.
23. Buttermilk - don’t have any but need it for a recipe, add 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice to fresh milk for a similar result.
24. Cherry tomatoes- Cut cherry or grape tomatoes in half with ease by placing them between two lids or plates. Gently slice horizontally through the bunch of tomatoes while pressing down the top lid for perfectly halved tomatoes.
25. Measuring something sticky without making a mess, dip the measuring spoon in hot water first so the honey/treacle fall off the spoon.
26. Save fresh herbs for another day, freeze in ice cube-trays with water or stock.
27. Avoid freezer burn on ice cream, place some wax paper on top of the ice cream before placing in freezer.
28. How to clean glass bottles- Use cleaning beads for decanters, the motion of the beads on the glass, cleans all the hard to reach places.
29. How to Chop an onion- Half cutting through the root, peel, slice a few times horizontally but only 90% way through to root, then turn and cut a few times vertically again only 90% way to root, turn and cut parallel to root 100% to achieve even pieces! Video below
30. To clean a cast iron pan, use coarse salt and kitchen paper.
31. To clean onion or garlic smells from your hands use lemon juice or baking soda directly.
32. To clean a coffee grinder, place some chunks of stale bread in it and grind - any coffee will cling to the bread.
33. Slipping chopping board. Place a damp (not sopping) dishtowel underneath a cutting board to keep it from slipping and sliding across the kitchen countertop.
34. If a pot is about to boil over, place a metal spoon or knife in it and it will absorb the heat and prevent it boiling over.
35. Tomatoes going rotten? Slow down rotting tomatoes by storing them upside down and not in the fridge.
36. Crystallised honey, place container in a bowl of hot water for 5-10 mins.
37. Storing guacamole - store the avocado stones in the guacamole to help slow down the chance of going brown.
38. Tea/Coffee stains on cups - use a bread soda and water paste to remove tea and coffee stains from cups.
39. Anchovies - If you don't use all the anchovies in one sitting, store the remainder in a small jar in the oil and keep in the fridge for weeks.
40. Eat more greens! Keep a bag of frozen peas in the freezer so you always have green veg to hand. Unless you grow them yourself, usually frozen peas have more nutrition than fresh as they are snap frozen once picked!
41. Crudités veg as snacks - Cut veg like carrots, celery, beans etc. into crudités (finger pieces) & store in a jar of water in the fridge so they are ready for you to snack on.
42. Under ripe fruit- to speed up ripening of a banana or peach, place them in a paper bag, the trapped ethylene gas speeds up ripening.
43. Parmesan crusts - Save the hard crusts and add to the pot when making stock for more flavour.
44. Natural Cream Cleaner - Instead of using harsh chemicals, why not mix 1/2 cup bread-soda, 2.5tsp Castille soap and 12 drops of essential oils with a little water to make an effective, natural cream cleaner.
45. Storing Pomegranate - Freeze seeds flat on a try then store in a jar in the freezer to add to porridge or muesli each morning. Reminder video below on how to remove the seeds is below.
46. Re use egg shells - Use egg shells in your garden beds to deter slugs! Add daily as rain makes them ineffective.
47. Recycling Coffee grounds- Add left-over ground coffee to your compost, they are PH neutral and can add nutrients.
48. Keep your knives sharp - I use a ceramic sharpener and sharpen about twice a week & before each cookery demo. If you regularly sharpen them they will do their job and last along time.
49. Don't waste leftover wine- Freeze it in ice cube trays and use to add to sauces like bolognese.
50. Read the whole recipe first- nothing more frustrating than finding out you were meant to do step 1 the day before!.
51. Adding food grade essential oils to food - Dip a skewer in the oil and then into the food to add in tiny amounts, often a drop is too much.
52. Recycle lemon skin & pith - Place your leftover lemon skin/pith into the dishwasher to leave it smelling fresh.
Happy Cooking
Fiona
