Kitchen Wisdom

     In the book Cook This, Not That by co-authors David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding (authors of the more familiar series, Eat This, Not That) they have a page of interesting tips of kitchen wisdom.  Here are some of their bits of advice:

Shop for food on Wednesday.  Research shows that only 12 percent of people do it, making it the best time to pick out first-rate products without the clamoring masses.

Freshen up limp vegetables:  Drop your aging produce into ice water before cooking. Plants wilt due to water loss; ice water penetrates their cells to restore crispness.

Never store tomatoes in the refrigerator.  And keep peaches, potatoes, onions, bread, garlic and coffee out of there, too.  Cold temperatures compromise the flavor and texture of these staples.

Warm food served on a cold plate is a rookie mistake.  Heat your dishes in a 150F oven for 10 minutes before plating a meal.  On the flip side, lightly chilled plates (use your freezer) boost the freshness of cold dishes like summer salads.

Try cooking with a 50-50 mixture of butter and olive oil.  Butter brings big rich flavors, while oil protects the butter from burning over high heat.

Teflon coatings can deteriorate on high heat, so save your nonstick pans for gentler tasks like cooking omelets and sauteing fish.

More pucker for the price!  Zap lemons, limes, or oranges for 15 seconds in the microwave before squeezing them.  The fruit will yield twice as much juice.

Overcooked meat?  Salvage dinner: Slice the meat thinly, put it on a plate, and top with chopped tomato, onion, and jalapeno.  Add olive oil and fresh lime juice (or a few spoonfuls of vinaigrette (Vinny Garette!).  The acid and oil will restore much needed moisture and fat to the mistreated meat.

Tomorrow:  Some of their Nutrition Nuggets!