Tips, Tricks & Techniques
There’s more to cooking than just having a recipe and list of ingredients! That may be the science, but there’s also the ‘art’ that comes from experience. Anyone who has been working with food for awhile has techniques that have helped. Sometimes, these little ‘extras’ can make a huge difference not only in the success of the finished product, but also in the cooks confidence!
This page is dedicated to sharing tips, tricks & techniques that make cooking and food preparation easier. Think about what you’ve learned over the years, and pass that wisdom on to others!
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So for the first tip: I’m sure that a chemistry specialist can explain this, but I’ve learned that if you put a cut green pepper and a cut cucumber in the same bag to store in the fridge, both items last much longer than when stored separately. For some reason, being together slows down the cut edges going ‘mushy’.
Of course, the best way to avoid that is to eat the whole pepper or cucumber faster! 🙂
Chefs tell us that oil should always be added to a hot pan, but how do you know when the pan is the right temperature? Some of the new cookware has a little dot in the centre that changes color when it heats. If you have regular pans, like most of us, here’s a reliable trick: rinse the pan or flick some water into the bottom before you start to heat it. When the water evaporates, the pan is heated just right to add the oil! This also stops you from adding the oil to early, since you don’t want to mix it with the water!
Parchment paper is probably the best cooking tool I’ve ever found. It’s just too bad I didn’t know about it years ago! Since I tried it, my technique has changed completely. I use it for any baking, and I’m now getting perfect crusts and easy cleanups. If you haven’t tried it, add it to your next shopping list and don’t be surprised when it becomes your standard baking essential as well!
Looking for a substitute for buttermilk for baking? I’ve had great success with this simple trick: for the amount of buttermilk you need, mix 1 part plain, unsweetended yogurt or sour cream with 1 part milk. Stir well and use as you would buttermilk for a more tender texture and added flavour.