Martha A. Cheves's Blog, page 31

Many Uses of Dryer Sheets

Why dryer sheets are your answer for everything Tip from Today.comFrom dusting to tackling static, dryer sheets are your new best friends. Some effective uses for them include:·         Dampening them to clean fan blades, dust shelves, books and plant leaves·         Placing them in drawers and boots for a fresh scent
·         Rubbing them on the inside of coats to prevent static

Removing Sticky Price Tags

Spray laundry stain remover on pesky stickers If you have ever struggled to get those sticky price tags off of your new pictures frame or ceramic mug, here is your answer: laundry stain remover. Just make sure the remover contains petroleum distillate, which is what actually dissolves the residue.
Simply spray it on the tag on the glass or ceramic and let it sit for 10-20 seconds, then clean off the solution with water. Tip from Today.com

Treat Stained Mugs with Toothpaste

Get your tea-and-coffee-stained mugs looking as good as new with a little help from…toothpaste! The abrasive texture is perfect for getting gunk out of your mugs, and even for tackling dirty faucet. Make sure that you're using regular white toothpaste — not gel. Tip from Grandparents.com

Use Baking Soda to Clean That Dirty Roasting Pan

Another tip from Grandparents.comStill scrubbing that roasting pan's burnt bits from last night's dinner? Reach for the baking soda and get your life back.
Simply take about a quarter cup of your favorite dish detergent (powder or liquid) and mix it with a quarter cup of baking soda. Spread the mixture on the bottom of the pan, then fill it with hot water and let it soak overnight. Dump out the water in the morning, wash as normal and you have yourself a clean pan! 

Keeping Kitchen Staples Fresher Longer: - Part 5

Vanilla
Shelf Life - long lasting
Do keep vanilla in a tightly sealed container away from light and heat.

Don't get rid of old vanilla.  Vanilla's high alcohol content makes it extremely self-stable.  Tests found that even 10 year old vanilla is indistinguishable from fresh.

Keeping Kitchen Staples Fresher Longer: - Part 4

Soy Sauce

Shelf Life 1 year
Do store pasteurized soy sauce (most common type) in the pantry.

Don't store unpasteurized soy sauce in the pantry: put it in the fridge.  Though the high levels of salt, sugar, and acid in this fermented soybean liquid protect against rapid spoilage,  tests showed it took on a fishy flavor after a few months in the cupboard.

Keeping Kitchen Staples Fresher Longer: - Part 3

Vinegars
Shelf Life - long lasting
Do ignore any sediment in your vinegar.  The sediment is a harmless cellulose that has been shown to not affect taste.  It can be easily strained out if you want.

Don't toss old vinegar.  Most vinegars contain about 5% acetic acid, which (along with pasteurization) prevents the growth of harmful bacteria, and will last indefinitely.

Keeping Kitchen Staples Fresher Longer: - Part 2

Olive Oil 
Shelf Life - unopened 1 year; opened 3 months
Do check the harvest date printed on the label and high-end oils to ensure the freshest bottle possible (some labels cite an expiration date, which producers typically calculate as 18 months from harvesting, but unopened olive oil can go rancid 1 year after the harvest date.
Do move olive oil from the countertop or windowsill to a dark pantry or cupboard.  Strong sunlight will oxidize the chlorophyll in the oil, producing stale, harsh flavors.
Don't buy olive oil in bulk.  Once opened, it has a very short shelf life.Checking for freshness - heat a little olive oil in a skillet.  If it smells rancid, throw out the bottle.  This test works for all vegetable oils.
Other Oils
For optimal flavor, replace these oils 6 months after opening:
Store in the pantry:  Canola
  Corn
  Peanut
  Vegetable
Store in the fridge:  Sesame
  Walnut

Keeping Kitchen Staples Fresher Longer - Part 1

Spices and Dried Herbs
Shelf Life:  Whole spices 2 years; Ground spices and dried herbs 1 year.
Do buy spices whole, versus ground, whenever possible and grind them just before using.  Grinding releases the volatile compounds that give a spice its flavor and aroma.  The longer the spice sits around (or is stored) the more compounds disappear.
Don't store spices and herbs on the counter close to the stove.  Heat, light, and moisture shorten their life. 

Checking for freshness - crumble a small amount of the dried herb between your fingers and take a whif.  If it releases a lively aroma, it's still good to go.  If the aroma and color of the spice have faded, it's time to restock.
Info from Cooking Illustrated Magazine

I Didn't Know That - Worcestershire Sauce

Worcestershire Sauce
If you can't think of Worcestershire sauce without thinking of Lea & Perrins, blame it on more than just branding. In the early 1800s, chemists John Lea and William Perrins tried to duplicate an Indian sauce recipe for Worcester nobleman Lord Sandys. The chemists found the result of their attempt "unpalatable" and moved on to other projects while the jars of sauce gathered dust in the cellar. Years later, they tasted the aged sauce and found it delicious and savory. The men bottled the sauce and sold it throughout Europe. In 1839, New York entrepreneur John Duncan imported the sauce to the states where it became the oldest commercially bottled condiment in the U.S.

Just in case you were wondering, you can properly pronounce the sauce a number of ways: "WUST-ter-shire," "WOOS-ter-sheer," or "WOOS-ter-sher" sauce, according to manufacturers. 
Info from Grandparents.com