ASSORTED QUICK TIPS
PROTECTING PIE CRUST RIMS
1. Cut the center out of a disposable foil pie plate.
2. Place the trimmed pie plate, top side down, over the rim of the crust during baking.
REMOVING STUFFING EASILY
1. Make a cheesecloth bag by folding a piece of cheesecloth in half and sewing up the two sides. To keep the top edge from fraying, machine-hem along the bag top, if you like. Line the poultry cavity with the bag.
2. Fill the bag three-quarters full with the stuffing, then roast the bird as usual.
3. When the bird is done, simply remove the bag from the cavity. Since cheesecloth is permeable, the stuffing will have absorbed the juices of the bird, and you will have a clean carcass to use for soup or stock.
GIVING YOUR CAKE A SILKY LOOK
1. Frost the side and top of the cake and smooth out with a spatula as usual.
2. Use a hair dryer to "blow-dry" the frosted surfaces of the cake. The slight melting of the frosting gives it that smooth, lustrous appearance.
CLEANING COFFEE GRINDERS
Use a pastry brush or one-inch paintbrush to clean coffee grinders. The brush can get around the metal blade in a blade grinder and also get the corners of a mill grinder.
MAKING STEAMED SHRIMP GO FURTHER
1. Peel and devein the shrimp, then halve them length and steam.
2. The cooked shrimp will curl into spirals and make for an attractive presentation.
MAKING DECORATIVE CITRUS SPIRALS
1. Before juicing citrus, use a citrus zester to score around the fruit and make a long strip of curly peel.
2. Tape the end of the strip of zest to one end of a skewer or plastic drinking straw.
3. Wrap the citrus zest tightly around the rest of the skewer or straw, taping it at the other end.
4. Place the wrapped zest in the freezer. When serving lemonade, sangria, or other fruit drinks, remove the frozen spiraled zest from the skewer or straw, discard the tape, and use as a quick garnish.
MOISTENING PIE DOUGH
When making pie crust, it is often difficult to follow precisely the instructions to "sprinkle water evenly over the flour mixture 1 tablespoon at a time." Try this:
1. Pour the entire recommended amount of water into a small spray bottle and spray as needed onto the flour mixture.
2. This allows you to use the minimum amount of water and distribute it evenly with little effort, stopping as soon as the dough holds together.
PREPARING FAVA BEANS
When buying fava beans, look for pods that are bright green in color, with no signs of decay. Unlike green beans, which are best when crisp, the pods of fava beans should be soft; crispness is a sign of dried-out beans.
1. Remove the beans from the cushiony, foamlike outer pod.
2. The beans will be covered with a very pale green inner sheath. Although edible, this sheath is quite bitter in all but the youngest beans. Parboil the beans and peel the sheath off with a paring knife.
MEASURING EXTRACTS
When measuring out vanilla extract or other flavorings use a clean, plastic, measured dropper. This is not only an accurate way of measuring small amounts of liquid; it also avoids drips that are formed by pouring directly out of the bottle.
Source: Cook's Illustrated August 1995
PROTECTING PIE CRUST RIMS
1. Cut the center out of a disposable foil pie plate.
2. Place the trimmed pie plate, top side down, over the rim of the crust during baking.
REMOVING STUFFING EASILY
1. Make a cheesecloth bag by folding a piece of cheesecloth in half and sewing up the two sides. To keep the top edge from fraying, machine-hem along the bag top, if you like. Line the poultry cavity with the bag.
2. Fill the bag three-quarters full with the stuffing, then roast the bird as usual.
3. When the bird is done, simply remove the bag from the cavity. Since cheesecloth is permeable, the stuffing will have absorbed the juices of the bird, and you will have a clean carcass to use for soup or stock.
GIVING YOUR CAKE A SILKY LOOK
1. Frost the side and top of the cake and smooth out with a spatula as usual.
2. Use a hair dryer to "blow-dry" the frosted surfaces of the cake. The slight melting of the frosting gives it that smooth, lustrous appearance.
CLEANING COFFEE GRINDERS
Use a pastry brush or one-inch paintbrush to clean coffee grinders. The brush can get around the metal blade in a blade grinder and also get the corners of a mill grinder.
MAKING STEAMED SHRIMP GO FURTHER
1. Peel and devein the shrimp, then halve them length and steam.
2. The cooked shrimp will curl into spirals and make for an attractive presentation.
MAKING DECORATIVE CITRUS SPIRALS
1. Before juicing citrus, use a citrus zester to score around the fruit and make a long strip of curly peel.
2. Tape the end of the strip of zest to one end of a skewer or plastic drinking straw.
3. Wrap the citrus zest tightly around the rest of the skewer or straw, taping it at the other end.
4. Place the wrapped zest in the freezer. When serving lemonade, sangria, or other fruit drinks, remove the frozen spiraled zest from the skewer or straw, discard the tape, and use as a quick garnish.
MOISTENING PIE DOUGH
When making pie crust, it is often difficult to follow precisely the instructions to "sprinkle water evenly over the flour mixture 1 tablespoon at a time." Try this:
1. Pour the entire recommended amount of water into a small spray bottle and spray as needed onto the flour mixture.
2. This allows you to use the minimum amount of water and distribute it evenly with little effort, stopping as soon as the dough holds together.
PREPARING FAVA BEANS
When buying fava beans, look for pods that are bright green in color, with no signs of decay. Unlike green beans, which are best when crisp, the pods of fava beans should be soft; crispness is a sign of dried-out beans.
1. Remove the beans from the cushiony, foamlike outer pod.
2. The beans will be covered with a very pale green inner sheath. Although edible, this sheath is quite bitter in all but the youngest beans. Parboil the beans and peel the sheath off with a paring knife.
MEASURING EXTRACTS
When measuring out vanilla extract or other flavorings use a clean, plastic, measured dropper. This is not only an accurate way of measuring small amounts of liquid; it also avoids drips that are formed by pouring directly out of the bottle.
Source: Cook's Illustrated August 1995
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