Almonds
To peel the skin, it is best to bring almonds to a boil. It makes the skin soft and easy to peel.

Bread
Store bread with the bag in a plastic container and seal well so no moisture gets in. Keep the bread in the freezer after use; it remains fresh for days this way.

Butter
To soften butter, use a grater. Save the wrappers in the freezer. Use them for greasing pans or as cake pan liners.

Cabbage
To make stuffed cabbages, place them in the freezer overnight, defrost and the leaves will peel off easily. To soften leaves for wrapping dolmas, dip in boiling water, then fill and roll.

Cheese
Cheese tastes best when served at room temperature. To cut cheese, a blunt knife is better than a sharp one. When grating, use refrigerated cheese and do not forget to spray the grater with oil.

Coriander
Coriander and other herbs can also be frozen in ice trays filled with water. You can also follow these tips to store herbs and spices.

Coffee
Coffee beans taste best when purchased whole and kept in freezer. Grind only what you need. A blender or a food-processor will do as well as an electric grinder. Create your own flavoured coffees by adding toasted almonds, chocolate, vanilla, orange or lemon peels and cinnamon before grinding the coffee beans.

Corn
Use a shoe horn to remove kernels. Massage some oil so that it comes off easily.

Cream
Cream whips better if cold. To chill cream before serving, keep it in a bowl in water with ice cubes.

Eggs
Fresh eggs are rough and chalky. Old eggs are smooth and shiny. Test for fresh eggs by placing them in a bowl of salted water. Discard the ones which rise to the surface.

Egg whites can be stored in a freezer for a year. They can be re-frozen after defrosting.

Fish
Rub lemon on utensils to eliminate fish odour. If using frozen fish, thaw overnight in the fridge. Don’t freeze fish for more than two months.

Flour
Buy and store flour in a freezer. Don’t buy in bulk especially if you live in a humid climate.

Fruits
Buy fruits before they ripe and ripen them in a bowl at room temperature.

Garlic
Store garlic in the freezer, peel and chop before thawing. Sprinkle salt on garlic to prevent it from sticking to the knife. Soak garlic cloves in cold water for a few hours. Grind and store this garlic paste in air tight bottles and keep them in the fridge. It can last from a week to a fortnight.

Ginger
Fresh ginger is best. But for storage, peel and grind ginger and store in an air tight jar and keep it in the fridge.

Herbs and spices
Buy in small quantity. Keep them away from heat. Follow our tips for storing herbs and spices.

Iced Tea
You do not need to boil it. Place the, tea bag, sugar, lemon peel and mint in a jar filled with cold water overnight in the fridge.

Lemon and Lime
- To cut lemon or lime easily, dip in hot water for 15 minutes, roll on counter top before cutting.
- Save rinds in your freezer and use them when a recipe calls for zest.
- You may use lemon or lime juice on the cutting board and utensils to get rid of unpleasant smells.

Lettuce
Never serve wet lettuce. Wash it in cold water and seal in a bag with a paper towel to absorb moisture.

Meat
To tenderize meat, rub with vinegar, brown sugar, garlic or raw papaya with skin.

Nuts
To crack any nut, place it in a pillow case or a plastic bag before cracking.

Onions
Refrigerate onions or soak them in water before cutting to avoid tears. Use a sharp knife to peel.

Oranges
Place in a hot oven before peeling to removes white fibres while you peel.

Pasta
For perfect pasta, boil in salted water, stir in some oil, cover to let boil for some time, then turn off the heat and let sit for 15 minutes till done. Add butter or oil to water in order to prevent boil overs. It also keeps the pasta from sticking. Once you take out pasta from the hot water in a colander, run it under cold or tap water to prevent it from sticking together.

Popcorn
It stays fresh if sealed in bags.

Potatoes
- Use brown skinned potatoes for deep frying and baking, and red ones for boiling or steaming.
- Store potatoes in cool dry and dark place.
- Don’t ever store them with onions.

Rice
- When cooking, drain rice, run it under cold water to wash off the starch.
- Make packets of two or four cups separately and store in a freezer for convenience.

Green salad
Green salad is best when served cold. Store salad in a zip lock bag with a paper towel to prevent greens from going stale.

Salt
Put a few grains of raw rice in the salt shaker to prevent it from humidity and clogging.

Soups
Before adding veggies, toss them with flour to keep them from sticking at the bottom.

Vegetables
Prepare veggies in microwave as it takes less time and retains colour. You may also steam veggies in ice water to retain their colour.

How to prevent Cooking odours
To prevent cooking odours, boil or simmer a pot of water with some vinegar or lemon skin. Leave it in the kitchen for a while.

Storing Food

1. Do not leave cooked food for more then 3 hours at room temperature.
2. Store cooked food in a refrigerator for maximum 4 days.
3. If you want to store cooked food for more then 4 days, store it in the freezer.
4. Always keep your refrigerator at or below 40 degree Fahrenheit. If your refrigerator or freezer becomes warm, it will spoil all the ingredients present in it and will increase the growth of harmful bacteria.
5. If you are storing raw fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator, store them unwashed and wash them when you are going to utilize them. If you wash them before storing, the moisture will increase the growth of harmful agents.
6. If you want to wash fruits and veggie before storage, wash them and dry them with a paper towel before storing.
7. Always use shallow containers for storing food in the refrigerator so that all food gets proper cooling. Similarly use small plastic bags for storing food in the freezer.
8. Store dry grains, beans and pulses in a dry and dark place in the kitchen. The lid of containers should be tight so that moisture cannot enter.
9. If you have completely defrosted your food, do not refreeze it again, but if it is not completely thawed, you can refreeze it.
10. Do not overstuff your refrigerator with food. If the refrigerator is too stuffed, the food may not get proper cooling and can go to waste.
11. Clean your refrigerator and freezer every week to prevent any bacterial growth.
12. Never defrost your food or meat at room temperature. Defrost it in the refrigerator or in cold water.
13. Keep all food covered while storing in the refrigerator.
14. Always store meat in the freezer, even if you want to store it for 4 hours.
15. Store apples, pears, pineapples and melons in the refrigerator.
16. Store bananas and tomatoes at room temperature; when ripe, place them in the refrigerator for long time storage.
17. Store all berries in the refrigerator. Spread them on a tray in a thin layer. Never wash them before storing.
18. Keep potatoes and onions in a dark and dry place in the kitchen and never store them together.
19. Store mushrooms either in a plastic bag or spread them on a shallow container in a thin layer in the refrigerator.
20. Wash and dry leafy vegetables before storing in the refrigerator. Tear leaves from the stems and put them in plastic bags with paper towels to absorb extra moisture.
21. It is good to cut tops off of beetroots, turnips and carrots etc. Put them in a plastic bag and then store them in the refrigerator.
22. Store bread in a dark dry place in a cupboard. If you want to store bread for more then 5 days from purchasing day, store it in the freezer in sealed form.
23. Always store milk and eggs in the refrigerator.
24. If you some doubt that food is spoiled, throw it away. Never take a chance.

Be sure to read up on more posts for preserving vegetables and storing herbs and spices.