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Fruit
& Vegetable Tips
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- How To Choose a Watermelon (Source:
California - Arizona Watermelon Association). There are three
steps for choosing a whole watermelon:
1. Appearance - Look it over. Choose a symmetrical watermelon
that is free of bruises, cuts and dents.
2. Weight - Lift it up. The watermelon should be heavy for its
size.
3. Ripeness - Turn it over. The underside of a ripe watermelon
is yellow and the rind has healthy sheen.
- Cutting a Watermelon (Source:
California - Arizona Watermelon Association):
1. Cut off both ends of watermelon.
2. Slice lengthwise into four quarters.
3. Separate flesh from rind using two lengthwise cuts.
4. Cut quarter in half with a horizontal slice.
5. Secure both pieces and cut in one inch vertical strips.
6. Trim to one inch cubes.
7. Scrape into rigid plastic containers and seal with tight-fitting
lids.
- To keep corn on the cob fresh
up to a week, husk corn and remove silk and place the cobs in
large, self-closing plastic bags in between layers of dampened
paper towels, and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
- Lemon juice may be substituted
for vinegar in many salad dressings and vinaigrettes.
- A squeeze or two of lemon juice
to vegetables adds great flavor without much fuss.
- For fluffier rice, remove saucepan
from the heat once cooking is complete and let stand for 5 to
10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.
- White rice can be stored at
room temperature in an airtight container up to 1 year.
- Because brown rice and wild
rice have an oily bran layer that can turn rancid at room temperature,
they should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months
- Store freshly cut basil on your
kitchen counter in a glass with the water level covering only
the stems, occasionally changing the water. The basil will develop
roots and keep for weeks.
- When purchasing fresh spinach,
choose leaves that are crisp and dark green with a nice fresh
fragrance.
- Avoid spinach leaves that are
limp, damaged or have yellow spots.
- Keep fresh spinach refrigerated
in a plastic bag for up to 3 days.
- Unwashed fresh spinach, which
is usually very gritty, must be thoroughly rinsed before using.
- Spinach may be used raw in salads,
or cooked (usually by boiling or sauteing) and used as a vegetable
or as part of a dish.
- Since fresh spinach shrinks
when it is cooked, count on one pound of the fresh leaves yielding
about 1 1/2 cups cooked.
- A little trivia you may or may
not know...many dishes that use spinach as an integral ingredient
use the phrase "Florentine"
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