For some reason, stores tend to package mushrooms in little boxes wrapped in plastic cling film. Presumably, this is to allow customers to see the mushrooms, while also … I dunno … preventing them from escaping? Whatever the reason, the cling film is terrible for the environment, and just as bad for your mushrooms. Like … Read more
One really simple, rather obvious way to extend the shelf life of perishables is to cook them. If you have meat in the fridge that is approaching the Use By date, or vegetables that are starting to look a little not-so-fresh, and you don’t think you can eat them before they go bad: Cook them … Read more
Practically every recipe I’ve ever read for collard greens (and lots of other leafy greens, as well) instructs you to tear the leaves off of the stems and throw the stems away. This might have been practical advice back in the olden days, but it’s unnecessarily wasteful in today’s world. The stems are just as … Read more
This is called a flower frog. It’s used to make sure that flower arrangements stay arranged. You put it in the bottom of the vase or bowl and it sits in the water (like a frog… get it?). Then, as you’re arranging the flowers in the vase, you can put their stems through the holes … Read more
I get a lot of grief over this one, but not with any due cause. If you buy a full head of cauliflower from the store, chances are it looks like this. And chances are, you paid for it by weight. So, you’re paying for those leaves and they’re perfectly edible. Why would you throw … Read more
Made some bone-in chicken lately? Buy one of those Costco rotisserie chickens and you’re looking at its picked-over carcass? Don’t throw the bones away when you’re done! You can use them to make homemade chicken stock that kicks the ass of anything you can buy in the store (or make from a bouillon cube). The … Read more
Years ago Uwajimaya used to have a little rack near the check-out area that had free recipe cards for a variety of Asian dishes. This is one of the recipes that I picked up there. It is a very simple recipe, with few steps, but it has a ton of flavor. I find that it … Read more
I always keep different varieties of rice on hand for different recipes and purposes. There are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of different rice varieties. This is just a general outline of some of the ones that come to mind as I’m typing. Starchy Rice is a starchy grain, and different varieties of rice have … Read more
Sometimes recipes from Asian cultures, mainly Chinese, will refer to “light soy sauce”. This is not the same thing as low sodium soy sauce. There are lots of different types of soy sauce, but there is a common distinction between “dark” and “light” soy sauce. Dark soy sauce is, you guessed it, darker than its … Read more
If you find that you have bread that is going stale, or you’re not a fan of pizza crust, some quick action can turn that potential waste into future food. The process is super straight-forward, and easy. Just take the bread or pizza crust, tear it up into small pieces, place them on a sheet … Read more