PAT McGRATH / OTTAWA CITIZEN FILES
Glass-top stove
Question: I spilled coffee on my brand new white polyester blouse. Any suggestions as to how to remove the stain?
— Hilda
Answer: To remove coffee stains from fabric, blot with one teaspoon of vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes. Rinse with cold water and wash as usual. Check the stain before transferring to the dryer.
Coffee tips
You can make an unbelievable cup of coffee by bringing water to a boil, then putting instant coffee in the water. Heat the water once again until it boils. Let the coffee sit for a few minutes before drinking.
When preparing coffee, use two tablespoons of ground coffee per six ounces of water. This can be adjusted for personal taste.
The water you use will affect the taste more than anything. Coffee is 99 per cent water. Always start with cool water; don’t use demineralized water such as distilled, which lacks necessary minerals that give coffee flavour.
Using stainless steel or gold mesh paper filters will make coffee taste better. If you use paper filters, buy unbleached brown paper filters.
Question: I am invited to a potluck and have been asked to supply salad for a large crowd of people. I have already been told that there is no room in the fridge for the salad. Do you have any tips for how to keep the salad cold until it is time to serve?
— Parker
Answer: Here’s an easy trick that will keep your salad nice and cold. Fill a sealable bag full of ice and place it underneath the salad inside the bowl to keep your greens cool. Or place the entire bowl inside an even larger bowl that has crushed ice on the bottom. Be sure to add tomatoes, croutons and dressing just before serving.
Question: I accidently melted some tin foil on my glass top stove element. How do I remove it?
— Dally
Answer: One option is to use a razor blade device designed for glass cooktops to scrape the foil off and then some gentle liquid abrasive cleanser, but this takes a lot of elbow grease. Another option is to spray the melted foil with oven cleaner, let sit for several minutes and wipe. Contributors in the past have shared their success stories with this effective solution; however, be cautious and test on an inconspicuous area first.
Handy Hints from Manitobans!
It can be frustrating to hang strappy sundresses because they so often fall off the hanger. The solution is to use pant hangers, the kind that have a couple of clips. Clip onto the straps and they’ll stay put.
— Pieta
To seed pomegranates in a hurry, I score the peel. Twist and open the two halves. Loosen the peel from the flesh. Turn one half upside down onto the palm of my hand and hit the pomegranate with a wooden spoon until all the seeds are out.
— Johnny
I have noticed that it is easy to choose a perfect avocado if you follow this one rule: Look at the stem. If the stem is yellow-green the avocado is good. If the stem is brown, it’s too old.
— Jackson
I love eating popcorn while watching movies and here is my favourite trick for livening up the flavour. Open a box of Kraft Dinner and season the popcorn by sprinkling it with the cheese flavour. Use the noodles for something else like, macaroni salad or soup.
— Maranda
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