QUESTION: I just filled my second fridge crisper with fresh-picked apples. I always sprinkle baking soda and put a layer of paper towels under the apples. Do I set the crisper tray on high or low humidity? I also filled an old roaster pan with apples to hopefully keep them fresh for a while and put them on another shelf in the fridge. Should I place plastic wrap overtop? Should I puncture holes in it to help keep the rest of the fridge from absorbing the apples or the apples spoiling too quickly? Also, how does one keep head lettuce crispy to serve in salads (like in restaurants)? Mine seems to always be limp. V. J., Winnipeg
ANSWER: When picking apples, do so in the morning when they are still cool. As you know, apples need to be in a cool place such as the basement, garage or fridge (best choice). Humidity levels should be 90 per cent and the temperature between -1.1 C to 1.7 C. If stored correctly, apples remain fresh for up to five months, the thicker the peel, the longer the shelf life. Store apples in a plastic lined box or plastic bag with holes. Newspaper-lined boxes are another option.
To keep lettuce fresh: Line the fridge crisper with newspaper and a tea towel over top. Avoid storing lettuce near fruit, which give off ethylene gas. High humidity is ideal for lettuce and storing lettuce wrapped in a tea towel and placed inside of a plastic bag is another option. Extra Tip: Wash the entire head of lettuce in ice water, tear lettuce into pieces. Dry lettuce in a salad spinner or with a tea towel. Make a bed of newspaper and tea towels in the crisper and drop the torn lettuce into the drawer. Salads will be handy to create, and your lettuce is more likely to be used quickly. Do not cut lettuce with a metal knife -- unless you plan to use it immediately -- because metal that comes in contact with lettuce speeds up the browning process.
-- Did you know apples belong to the rose family?
-- Store an apple with; brown sugar and homemade cookies, cakes and breads to keep them fresh.
-- Keep potatoes fresh longer by storing an apple with them.
-- Eating a green apple is said to cure motion sickness.
-- If your horse won't take his medication, stick it inside of an apple. Horses love apples!
QUESTION: It is time to clean our kitchen ceiling fan and previously you mentioned putting some oil on it to prevent attracting dust. Could you please remind us what type of oil you recommend for this? Thanks. Joan, Winnipeg
ANSWER: For regular ceiling fan cleaning jobs, you can use a long-handled good quality microfibre dust cloth. If you clean your ceiling fan once every one to two weeks, then when you turn the fan on, less dust flies around the room and settles on furniture. However, when grease and dust have built up to the point of becoming sticky, more drastic measures are required. You will need a step ladder, gallon bucket of water, abrasive non-scratching cloth, 1 tbsp. dish soap and 1 tbsp. vinegar. Scrub each blade using the solution. Rinse with warm water and dry. In order to prevent blades from collecting dust, you can wipe them with furniture polish (or a fabric softener sheet) and a soft cloth.
QUESTION: I'm in the process of buying a small house that is a fixer-upper and the previous owner was a heavy smoker. Three of the rooms and a hallway have stippled ceilings and I'm wondering if it would be possible to clean them? For the walls and plain ceilings, I thought maybe a solution of T.S.P. might work, but the stippled ones have me baffled. Any advice would be most welcome. Barb, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Begin by deciding how much you like stipple. If you want to keep stipple permanently, then paint the ceiling with a primer called Kilz. This product will kill the odour and make the ceiling look new but, it will seal the stipple. Another option is to spray the stipple with water and scrape it off using a plastic putty knife. Clean the bare ceiling with dish soap and water and then either re-stipple or paint. Attempting to clean unpainted stipple will make a mess.
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