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Thursday, 05. July 2007

Ancilliaries and Hints

Cheeses

Variety	Flavour	Colour	Texture	Use	Melts

Blue.	Very sharp, pungent, tangy	White with blue or green streaks	Firm and crumbly	Salads and egg dishes	No
Brie.	Mild with a bit of taanginess	White	Soft and creamy with firm edible rind	Snacks, melted on hors d'oervres, sandwiches	Yes
Camembert.	Mild with subtle pungency	White	Very soft and creamy with grayish edible rind	Snacks, cooking, sandwiches.	No
Cheddar.	Mild to extra sharp	Yellow or white	Firm	Snacks, cooking, sandwiches, salads.	Yes.
Cheedam.	Mixture of Cheddar and Edam	Yellow or white	Firm	Snacks, cooking, sandwiches, salads.	Yes
Colby.	Moderately tangy	Yellow	Firm	Snacks, cooking.	Yes.
Cottswold.	Sharp and tangy, herby.	Deep yellow with flecks.	Hard	Elegant snacks, cooking.	Yes
Edam.	Mild, slighty tangy.	Pale yellow.	Firm.	Snacks, cooking, sandwiches.	Yes
Feta.	Sharp, pungent.	White.	Firm and crumnbly	Salads, omelettes.	Yes
Gorgonzola	Piquant to a mild sourer side or semi-sweet or spicy	Creamy blue	Buttery	Italian cooking or as an appertif with wine etc	Yes
Gouda.	Mild, slightly nutty.	Pale yellow.	Firm.	Snacks, cooking, sandwiches.	Yes
Goat.	Earthy, smokey, pungent.	White.	Semisoft	Cooking, snacks, salads.	Yes.
Jarlsberg.	Mild tangy	Pale yellow	Firm	Sandwishes, snacks.	Yes
Mozzarella.	Mild	Pale yellow	Semisoft	Sandwiches, pizzas, salads, pasta.	Yes.
Romano	Strong, pungent	Pale yellow	Hard crumbly	Grating, cooking.	No
Parmesan	Strong, earthy.	Pale yellow	Hard crumbly	Grating, cooking.	No
Swiss	Medium-sharp.	Pale yellow.	Firm.	Sandwiches, snacks, cooking.	Yes

Spices

What are the main spice flavours?

Spices can be grouped into five basic categories. These are; sweet, pungent, tangy, hot, and amalgamating. The way we use these and the amounts we put into cooking are governed by these characteristics. Examples of the different types of spices are;

Sweet:      Cinnamon,    allspice,    nutmeg,    vanilla

Pungent:     Cloves,    star anise,    cardamom

Tangy:     Ginger,    tamarind,    sumach,    kokam

Hot:     Pepper,    chilli,    mustard,    horseradish

Amalgamating:     Coriander seed,     fennel seed.

What Spice to use where

Food

Basil

Chives

Chillies

Cinnamon

Cloves

Corriander

Cumin

Dill

Garam

Ginger

Mixed Herbs

Oregano

Paprika

Parsley

Rosemary

Sage

Tarragon

Thyme

Carrots

Yes

Casseroles

Yes

Chicken

Yes

Curries

Yes

Deserts

Yes

Dips

Yes

Dressing

Yes

Eggplant

Yes

Eggs

Yes

Fish

Yes

Lamb

Yes

Meats

Yes

Pasta

Yes

Potatoes

Yes

Rice

Yes

Salads

Yes

Stir fry

Yes

Soups

Yes

Tomatoes

Yes

Vegetables

Yes

What Pasta to use where

Name	Description	Use

Conchigliette	Little shells	Seafood sauces, marinara
Farfalle	Butterflies	Pesto or oil based sauces
Fettuccine	Small ribbons	Cream or oil based sauces
Fusilli	Twists	Marinara or pesto sauce
Lasagna	Broad leaf	Layered with cheese and tomato sauce and baked
Linguine	Little tongues	Mainaa or oil based sauces
Macaroni	Elbows	Butter, cheese and/or milk
Manicotti	Muffs	Stuffing and baking, marinara or cream sauce
Penne	Pens	Hearty marinara or mince dishes, baked with cheese
Ravioli	Ravioli	Light cream sauce or butter and Parmesan
Rigatoni	Wheels	Hearty marinara, cream sauces
Spaghetti	Strings	Any sauce, meatballs
Tortellini	Little twists	Sauces

Hints

Corn.

When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural sweetness.

Eggs.

To prevent egg shells from cracking while boiling, add a pinch of salt to the water.
To determine whether an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh. If it rises to the surface, throw it away.
When boiling eggs, add a few drops of vinegar, it stops the pot from discolouring.
To separate yolks from whites, partly freeze the egg first.

Garlic.

To get rid of garlic breath, chew fresh parsley.
To get garlic smell off your hands after handling, rub your hands over the stainless steel sink.
To peel garlic cloves, place them in a bowl and cover them with boiling water. Allow to soak for at least 10 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water, the skins then slip off.

General.

To easily remove burnt-on food from a frying pan, simply add a drop or two of detergent and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove-top. The pan will now be much easier to clean.
Spray Tupperware with non-stick cooking spray before pouring in tomato-based sauces, no more stains.
If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato-it absorbs the excess salt for an instant "fix me up".
Wrap celery in aluminium foil when putting in the refrigerator-it will keep for weeks.
Place a slice of apple in hardened brown sugar to soften it.
To make opening jars easier, put latex dishwashing gloves on your hands. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.
Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.
To get rid of the itch from a mosquito bite, apply soap to the area for instant relief.
To remove ants, draw a chalk line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march.
Use air-freshener to clean mirrors: It does a good job and better still, leaves a lovely smell to the shine.
When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily. For a deep splinter or thorn, put bacon on it over night and voila! it will be out in the morning.
To keep fresh parsley, place it in an airtight jar in the refrigerator.

Lemons.

To get the most juice out of fresh lemons or oranges, slightly warm them in a microwave oven then roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing.

Onions.

To stop onions from making you cry when you are cutting them (they make you cry because when you cut, the onion releases noxious sulphur fumes. When this gas hits your eyes it produces a mild sulphuric acid as the gas dissolves in the watery tears) you can either:

After the first cut, run the onion under cold water.
Heat the onion in a microwave oven prior to cutting.
Semi freeze the onion before cutting.

Potatoes.

To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rinse with water.
When mashing potatoes, use hot milk instead of cold, and add 1 teaspoon baking powder to mix. It makes the mash more fluffy.

Different Cuisines

Chinese.

There are 4 major styles of Chinese cooking, Peking (North), Sichuan (West), Shanghai (East) and Cantonese (South).

Peking.	Wheat is the staple grain in the north and noodles made from wheat flour constitute a portion of many meals. Flavours are strong with soy sauce, salty bean paste, vinegar, spring onion and garlic all being important ingredients.

Sichuan.	Sichuan pepper, which is hot and pungent and can leave a numb sensation in the mouth is the dominant spice in many dishes. Chilli oil, sesame oil, bean pastes and vinegars are common in this cuisine.

Shanghai.	Shanghai is based on slow braising rather than steaming or stir frying. Generally the vegetables, fish, and seafood are treated simply.

Cantonese.	The most popular Chinese food, specializes in stir frying, steaming and roasting a wide variety of meats, poultry and seafood. It is also know for its subtle use of sauces.

Malaysia.	Famous for its spicy flavour, Malay dishes are distinguished by the liberal use of coconut milk, coriander, lemon grass, cumin, ginger and galangal.

Indonesia.	Indonesian food is closely tied with other SE Asian countries and some of the main ingredients are cumin, coriander, ginger, caraway, coconut milk, kaffir lime, lemon grass and dried shrimp paste. Sweet soy sauce is a favourite sauce.

Singapore.	Based on a mixture of Malaysian, Indonesian, Chinese and Indian cooking, with the main ingredients usually lemon grass and coconut cream. Laska is a classic Singaporean dish

Soy sauces

The major ingredient of soy sauce is the soy bean. Roasted soy beans are combined with roasted wheat to form a paste, lactobacillus, salt and yeast are then added and the mixture left to ferment. The resulting liquid is strained and bottled. Buy only sauce that has been made the traditional way. Do not buy sauce that is labelled ‘imitation’. Each Asian country has developed its own distinctive flavoured soy, so if you are cooking a Thai dish, use Thai soy, etc.

Light or thin soy.	This sauce has the thinnest consistency, and should pour freely from the bottle like water. Use for dipping, marinades and over sea-food .

Medium soy.	This sauce is a little thicker and darker in colour, is slightly sweet and has a light wheat like flavour. Use for noodles, rice dishes and over darker meats.

Dark Soy.	This is glossy and has the consistency of tomato sauce, it is distinctly sweet due to its malt sugar content. Great for noodle dishes and red meats.

Stain Removal tips

Beer.

Paint a paste of Napisan Oxygen on the strain, leave for 15 mins, then wash normally.

Beetroot

Smear glycerine over stain before washing

Ball point pen ink.

To remove ink from clothes,

Spray stain with hairspray to dissolve the ink then wash as usual , or
Soak ink stains in coca cola overnight, then wash as usual.

To remove ink from furniture, soak a cloth in milk, squeeze out the cloth and rub it on the ink mark

Blood

To remove fresh blood stains, soak or sponge with cold salt water, then wash in cold water.
To remove old stains, soak in a solution of 1 part ammonia to 8 parts water, then cold wash with a few drops of ammonia added to your usual laundry liquid or powder.
To remove blood stains from carpet, mix starch and water to a thick paste and apply it to the stain - once the powder is dry, brush or vacuum off.

Chewing gum.

Rub the chewing gum with ice and then scrape or chip off as much as possible - use methylated spirits or eucalyptus oil to remove any residue

Chocolate

First clean with soap and cold water, then wash in soap and hot water.

Crayon

Rub gently with a damp sponge and baking soda

For crayon marks on walls, spray with a lubricating oil, such as WD40, then wipe - follow with dishwashing liquid diluted in water and wash with a sponge

Deodorant

Clean with dry cleaning fluid before washing

Fruit stains

If the stain is dry, dampen it and then sprinkle salt on the stained area. Wash with a liquid detergent.
If the stain is stubborn, try applying some hydrogen peroxide to it

Glue.

To remove the residue left by glue and adhesives, rub with eucalyptus oil on a soft cloth

Grass

If the stain is on a washable item, lightly wet the mark and then rub with glycerine or Methylated spirits. Leave the item for one hour and then wash as usual.

Grease and oil

Soak in baby oil, then wash in hot watger and detergent

Hair dye

Soak in kerosene then wash in warm water and detergent

Leather

Remove marks from leather by rubbing gently with eucalyptus oil on a soft cloth
Use a damp cloth with saddle soap to remove stains
Avoid over wetting leather as it will stiffen and shrink as it dries out

Lipstick

Sponge with methylated spirits then rub with undiluted dish-washing liquid and wash as usual

Marble

To remove stains on marble, mix baking soda, water and lemon juice to make a paste. Rub into the stain, rinse and dry

Metal Polish

Scrape off as much as possible, then rinse in cold water and rub with liquid detergent

Mulberry juice

Rub the stain with a green mulberry, then wash as usual

Pencil marks

To remove pencil marks from walls, rub with a clean, white eraser. Rub stubborn pencil marks with toothpaste (not a gel)

Perspiration

Dissolve three tablespoons of bi carb soda in a bucket and leave item to soak for at least an hour, then wash as usual

Scorch marks on fabrics

Brush the mark gently with a soft brush or dry sponge to remove as much of the scorch as possible, then wash in a combination of regular detergent and an all fabric bleach

Tar

Scrape off as much as possible, then rub with eucalyptus oil and wash as usual

Tomato

To remove tomato stains from clothing, try wetting the item and hanging it the sun to dry

Vomit

Soak overnight in Napisan, then wash normally.

Wax

If the wax is on material, scrape off as much as possible then put the item in the freezer. When the wax has hardened, it should come away easily
If a mark has been left in material from wax, place sheets of absorbent paper above and below the stain and iron with a warm iron. You may need to repeat this a number of times to totally remove the stain.
If the wax is on carpet, place absorbent paper over it and iron on a cool setting
Dry-cleaning fluid or methylated spirits will also remove wax marks
If the wax is on wooden furniture, use a hairdryer to soften the wax and wipe off as much as possible. Wipe the residue with a mixture of vinegar and water then polish as usual

Wine

Red

If the stain is fresh, soak in vinegar then wash normally
If the stain is old, make a paste of glycerine, bicarb soda and detergent, rub on stain, leave overnight then wash normally

White

Soak in vinegar then wash normally.

Wood

Most stains on wood can be removed by rubbing them with a cork

Zinc cream

Dab with undiluted wool wash on a hot, damp cloth. Repeat until the mark has disappeared, making sure you use a clean cloth to avoid transferring the stain back

General Cleaning tips

Use black/white board duster to remove paper lint after cleaning windows with paper.
To get a glistening, no streak finish for your windows and mirrors, clean them with some methylated spirits diluted in water then rub dry with screwed up newspaper.
To clean windows and mirrors without streaking and with very little effort, mix a little bit of dishwashing liquid in hot water and use this to wash the surface, then use a squeegee to dry. No polishing required to get a perfect, streak-free finish.
To keep mirrors from fogging up, wipe them with the cut surface of a potato and then polish with a sheet of newspaper.
To bring back the sparkle to crystal vases and decanters, fill the crystal item with hot water and dissolve a denture-cleaning tablet in it. Leave for half an hour and rinse with warm water.
To clean drains that are slightly blocked or gurgling, put half a cup of bi carb soda followed by half a cup of vinegar down the drain. Put the plug in and leave for 10 minutes, then remove plug and pour boiling water down to flush the pipes.
To clean silver, line a bowl with aluminium foil, add water and a handful of washing soda. Put your silver items in the bowl, making sure that each piece touches the foil and is covered by water. Leave to sit for ten minutes then remove and wipe dry.
To clean copper, rub with a paste made of equal parts vinegar, salt and flour.
To clean brass, dip a damp cloth in Worcestershire sauce and rub well. Buff the item with a soft cloth.
To clean terracotta tiles, wash with vinegar.
To clean baseball caps, put them through a cycle in the dishwasher - they'll come out clean and won't lose their shape

Floors

To keep wooden floors shiny, wash with half a cup of kerosene added to a bucket of warm water.
To clean and shine slate floors, use a capful of carwash detergent in a bucket of hot water.
Scuff marks on vinyl floors can be removed by wiping with eucalypts oil on a soft cloth.
To deodorise carpets, mix two parts of cornflour with one part borax. Sprinkle liberally on carpet, leave one hour, then vacuum
If heavy furniture has left marks in your carpet, set your iron to "steam" and hold over the flattened area.
If you have to replace furniture on carpet that's damp from being cleaned, put drink coasters under the legs to stop stains and rust marks

Kitchen

When washing dishes by hand, add a tablespoon of baking soda to the water - it'll help cut the grease and will also soften your hands.
To clean microwave ovens, add a small amount of ammonia to a cup of water and place in the oven. Run the microwave long enough to steam up the interior surfaces, then wipe with a clean cloth. As an alternative, you can use a mix of lemon juice and vinegar in water.
To clean the inside of your dishwasher, place a bowl with half a cup of bleach on the bottom rack and run the machine through the wash cycle only. Then put half a cup of vinegar in the bowl and run the machine through one whole cycle.
To clean the window on your oven, make a paste of water and baking soda - cover the glass with the paste and leave for at least ten minutes, then rinse off.
To remove plastic from the outside of a toaster, rub with eucalyptus oil

Bathroom

To get the shower curtain really clean, put the curtain through a normal wash cycle (in a washing machine) with a load of towels, a cup of vinegar, and your normal laundry detergent.
To kill germs in the bathroom, half fill a spray bottle with vinegar and top it up with water - spray taps, floors and surfaces then wipe clean.
To remove soap scum and mildew from tiles, bath and shower areas, use undiluted vinegar.

Household Odours

Put kitty litter in the bottom of your garbage bin to absorb smells and any liquids.
To keep a closed-up fridge smelling sweet, put 2 teabags on each of the shelves.
Sprinkle baking soda or tea bag or coffee grounds in your shoes to reduce foot odour.
Baking soda in the bottom of rubbish bins helps reduce odours
Baking soda in the bottom of litter box won't harm your cat and will absorb some of the urine smell.
For urine odours on furniture or mattresses, dampen and sprinkle borax on the area - the borax should neutralise the odour - then clean the area with mild detergent. For new urine accidents, use either soda water or vinegar and pour it on the spot

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