Welcome to Cooking and Kitchen Hints!

We hope you find answers to all of your kitchen questions right here! If we don't know the answer, we'll find someone who does. Also, any hints or tips you may have and would like us to share would be great, just e mail them to: carla@wvgourmetfoods.com.

How can you tell if baking soda or powder is active?
Place 1/2 t. in a half a glass of hot water, if there are lots of bubbles, it's active.

Can baking soda and baking powder be substituted for each other?
No, but you can make baking powder from 1/2 t. baking soda plus 1 t. cream of tartar for every one teaspoon of baking powder that is required. There is no substitute for baking soda.

Should you add cooking oil to your water when preparing pasta?
No, it doesn't prevent the pasta from sticking together like you might think, it floats on the top and coats the pasta as you drain it preventing the sauce from absorbing properly. Add salt to the boiling water instead (add 2 T. per 3 quarts of boiling water) this will raise the boiling and keep the pasta separated. Don't forget to stir often.

Why can't I use my silver set when serving caviar?
It will give it a metallic taste, use crystal, acrylic or porcelain.

How do you know when it's time to flip a pancake?
When you see the bubbles appear on the surface, when it's bubbled all over lift one edge and check the bottom, then flip it over.

Gravy too light in color?
Add a teaspoon of instant coffee to darken and it won't change the taste.

Can light brown and dark brown sugar be substituted for each other?
Yes, the dark brown contains more molasses and will make the flavor of your recipe more intense.

How do I know which pasta goes with which sauce?
We have heard, "the longer the strand, the thinner the sauce". So pesto and capellini or angel hair, creamy alfredo and noodle-shaped. Meaty or chunky sauces go with "ruffled" pastas.

Mashed potatoes lose their fluff?
Add a pinch or two of baking powder and continue to beat.

Are your pears, mangoes and peaches hard?
Place them in a closed paper bag for one or two days and they will ripen.

Stale marshmallows?
Seal them up with a slice of fresh bread for 3 days, they'll be just like new, again.

Molasses stuck to the sides of your measuring cup?
If you butter your measuring cup before you measure molasses it won't stick to the cup.

Is your iced tea cloudy?
Squeezing the excess out of the tea bags is a "no no" to begin with and the main cause of cloudiness. To clear up your iced tea add a little bit of boiling water.

Does your meringue get clear "tears" on the top?
You are letting it cool down too fast, keep it in the oven (after you have shut it off, with the oven door left open) and the tears will not appear.

If you use unsalted butter when frying or grilling your meat, eggs, etc... are less likely to stick.

Are your raisins sinking to the bottom of your cakes?
Coat them with a little flour before you add them to your recipe and that will help them "float".

Crying over your food? To avoid crying when peeling onions, put them in ice water. To reduce the strong taste of onions in a salad, dice them and put in refrigerator overnight.

Fat can be removed from hot soup by floating a large lettuce leaf on the surface. Remove and add more leaves if necessary.

Keep paprika in the refrigerator to assure freshness.

Can't find your garlic clove in your sauce? When cooking with garlic cloves, pierce each one with a toothpick. This makes them easy to retrieve especially in a sauce.

Trouble sleeping? Try some honey and warm milk or chamomile tea before bedtime.

Cleaning small-neck bottles? Place a little rice and warm soapy water inside and shake well. Rinse out and let drip dry.

For Vanilla Extract, combine 2 vanilla beans, cut in half lengthwise and then chopped (about 1 Tbsp), 1/2 cup brandy, and 1/4 cup water. Place in ½ pint jar, with lid, let sit for 3 days before using.

For Lemon Extract, thinly peel 1 lemon with a vegetable peeler, taking care not to include any pith. Dice the peel (about 2 Tbsp) and combine it with 1/2 cup vodka and 1/4 cup water. Place in ½ pint jar, with lid, let sit for 3 days before using.

For Orange Extract, thinly peel 1/2 navel orange (as above), and cut the peel into chunks (about 1 1/2 Tbsp). Combine with 1/4 cup vodka and 1/2 cup water. Place in ½ pint jar, with lid, let sit for 3 days before using.

Want to sweeten up your onions? Shake a little salt on the onion-rings, and wait for 20 - 30 min. Rinse or wipe the salt and excess juice off, and the onion taste very mild and sweet.

Handy coring tip - use an apple corer to core tomatoes.

Keep a vanilla bean in the bottom of your sugar canister for wonderful flavoring.

Losing your color? Add a little lemon juice added to the water you cook green vegetables in will help them retain their color. Also, to help prevent color loss, do not cover vegetables when cooking them.

Coffee anyone? One pound of coffee will yield 40-50 cups.

Mango manners: Pick mangoes that are orange-yellow to red in color and which give slightly with pressure. Green mangoes are hard, and have to ripen before you can eat them.

Freezing chives is the best way to preserve the flavor and you don't have to defrost them before using!

For a low fat substitute: Use 2 egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute instead of one whole egg.

More low fat ideas: Use cream style corn instead of oil in your cornbread recipes.

Removing a cork from inside an empty wine bottle, pour some ammonia into the bottle, set it in a well ventilated location. In a few days the cork will be desintegrated.

Keep vodka in the refrigerator, it will be more flavorful.

Champagne should only be ice-chilled up to the neck of the bottle, and higher and the cork may be difficult to remove.