QUESTION: I am having a dinner party next week and would like to serve cocktails. Can you tell me how to make perfectly clear ice cubes instead of white or foggy cubes? Charissa, Portage la Prairie
ANSWER: The trick is to boil distilled water twice! In other words, pour distilled water into a pot and boil. Let cool and repeat. Freeze cubes in trays. Or if your party has a theme, freeze water in silicone moulds or a new rubber glove. Secure the opening of the glove with a rubber band and freeze. Remove the rubber band and glove and drop the giant ice hand into a bowl of punch. Feel free to get creative and add food colouring!
QUESTION: I have all three of your books and enjoy giving them out as gifts. I do, however, have a question that I could not find the answer to in your books. My son bought a $40 baseball hat; I nearly fell over when I saw the price tag. The worst part is that the hat is white. What is the best way to clean it? I have heard that it's OK to put it in the dishwasher or washing machine. Any suggestions? Shirley, Winnipeg
ANSWER: I would be very careful about fabric care on this one. Forget about risking the dishwasher; while dishwasher detergent works well sometimes it often leaves small irreversible spots on the fabric where bleach from the dishwasher touched the hat. Too risky. The washing machine may also work but can damage the rim of the hat leaving it flimsy or misshaped. Too risky. Instead soak the hat in a bowl of enough hot water to cover the hat, half-teaspoon dish soap and half cup of borax. Leave for two or three hours. Scrub if necessary, rinse and repeat if needed. Dry the hat on an inverted plastic or glass bowl.
QUESTION: I do hope you have an alternative to mouse traps or poison. We just don't have the stomach to kill or, perhaps worse, find maimed but alive mice in a trap. It's too cruel. This week two were found alive, one with a crushed jaw, one with an injured leg. We must find a way to repel them from entering the building. Thank you, Jana, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Mice love peanut butter even more than cheese. Locate a five-gallon (18 L) bucket with a lid. Cover the bucket and cut a four-inch (10 cm) hole in the lid. Make a ramp so that the mice can climb up and fall in. Spread peanut butter around the hole. Leave the bucket empty and, after they fall in, take them at least six miles (10 km) from your home before releasing them. If you have mice in your home, flatten an empty toilet paper roll; put peanut butter on one end, tape roll to counter extending beyond the edge. Put bucket on the floor underneath the counter, so the mouse will fall in.
To deter mice spread many fabric softener sheets around where the mice like to congregate or shaving cream on a cotton ball or oil of peppermint or Irish Spring soap slivers. These are all mouse deterrents.
QUESTION: I followed a recipe for making cinnamon buns but the results were disappointing. The buns did not rise as I had hoped any idea why? Graham, Clear Lake
ANSWER: First of all, did you turn on your oven light when the buns were rising in the oven? This step is important because it warms up the small space. The temperature of homes will vary, which is anything but friendly to yeast. By using your oven light, you are creating a warm, draft-free environment that is stable.
A second possibility of why the buns did not rise is that the yeast was either old or bad. Yeast is a living organism and its life is fairly limited. So, if you're using active dry yeast, one of the first steps is making sure the little imprinted expiration date is in order.
If you want to make sure your yeast is active before you dive into a weekend of bread making, begin by activating the yeast, simply dissolve the yeast in warm (not too hot and not too cold) water, add a pinch of sugar, cover and let it sit in a warm spot for about 10 minutes. It should be bubbly; in fact, a really active batch will have a sort of "foam" on the top of the water, almost as if you poured cold beer into a glass.
I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming! Missed a column? Can't remember a solution? Need a speaker for an upcoming event? Check out my brand new website: reena.ca
