Here is an interesting tip on making your vegetables last as long as possible: keep produce in its original packaging. Often, vegetables are sold in bags that preserve their freshness the longest, such as greens being packaged in bags that allow ethylene, a gas that causes ripening, to escape. Other vegetables as you [...]

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I got this tip from the July and August 2008 Cook’s Illustrated and found it interesting. When garlic is chopped, the compound allicin forms. Alliin reacts with allinase to produce allicin as a defense mechanism against insects and fungi. Unfortunately, allicin quickly breaks down after it forms, usually in 1-6 days. [...]

Posted in Food Science, Kitchen Tips No Comments »

This kitchen tip comes from the July and August Cook’s Illustrated. The test kitchen examined whether removing the seeds and jelly from a tomato, as many recipes call for, has any effect on the final flavor of the food.
The conclusion? The recipe with the seeds and jelly was significantly more flavorful. Apparently [...]

Posted in Food Science, Kitchen Tips 3 Comments »

Here is a quick kitchen tip as a follow up to my post on cookware materials: know your pots and pans. Since I’ve started cooking, I’ve realized that heat recommendations in recipes (medium-high, low, simmer, etc.) don’t mean much. With a variety of cookware materials available and everyone owning a different stove, it [...]

Posted in Equipment 3 Comments »

I wanted to mention a few tips and tests from the latest issue of Cook’s Illustrated magazine (March/April 2008).
PAM Professional, the new high heat line, does actually hold up to high heat better than original PAM. In a pan over medium-high heat, the original burned while the Professional stayed clear. Cook’s Illustrated does, [...]

Posted in Equipment 5 Comments »

Here is a tip on keeping fresh ginger without letting it go bad. I got this from the my free issue of Cook’s Illustrated and thought I would pass it on.

Cut leftover ginger into 1-inch pieces and place them in a zipper-lock bag.
Store the bag in the freezer for one month or longer. [...]

Posted in Stocking the Kitchen 3 Comments »