Hints & Tips - G

Garlic - How to Handle
The complaint about handling garlic is usually the strong and persistent odor that it imparts to your hands. So, do you chop garlic yourself or buy a convenience product? The easiest and quickest way to peel garlic is to crush a clove with the flat of a large knife. If there is a green sprout, remove it or it will add an unwanted bitterness. The garlic can then be sliced, chopped, minced, or mashed, all of which involve a knife and your hands. If you need minced or mashed garlic, a less messy alternative is a garlic press. If you are not going to use garlic shortly after you cut it, refrigerate it in an air-tight container, or it will turn bitter. Although using fresh garlic can make all the difference in the world, you can also purchase garlic minced, mashed, or as a paste in a tube. You can also buy peeled cloves. While the first three save time and your hands, they are not exact flavor substitutes. They all have additives - such as acids, oils, salt, or potassium sorbate - to help preserve the garlic. These products have a much milder flavor, and the additives impart additional, potentially unwanted, flavors such as tanginess and saltiness. The price of handling fresh garlic must be balanced against its benefits.

Green Salad - Making One Perfectly
In the current culinary frenzy, the joys of simple green salads are often forgotten. A little selectivity at the market and proper preparation can yield a salad worthy of lingering over. A good salad is a mixture of textures and flavors. Instead of just plain iceberg lettuce, mix a soft butter lettuce with a crispy, mild flavored romaine or a stronger flavored leaf lettuce. Additionally, it just takes a few leaves of bitter radicchio, arugula, watercress, or baby organic greens to make the salad even more interesting. After bringing your greens home, wash them in cold water and spin them dry. Besides diluting your dressing, moisture will spoil greens more quickly. Store the greens in reusable bags or plastic containers with a slightly dampened paper towel at the bottom to maintain humidity. If you are serving the salad within a few hours, place the dressing in the bottom of the serving bowl and lay the serving utensils crosswise over the dressing. Pile the greens over the utensils, cover the bowl with cellophane and refrigerate to keep them crisp and flavorful until service. The addition of some freshly chopped herbs such as parsley or chives just before serving will also boost the salad’s flavor.

Grinder - Spices & Coffee
Coffee beans and spices have something in common: Since their delicate aromatic oils break down quickly, they taste their best when freshly ground minutes before use. However, to keep this morning’s coffee from tasting like last night’s curry, you might want to consider this simple solution: two grinders. Designate one for coffee and the other for spices; label each accordingly to avoid confusion.
To keep your grinders in top condition, remove loose grounds and residue with a pastry brush. Place a large piece of soft bread in the bowl, grind thoroughly, and remove the oil-absorbing bread crumbs.