Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
Freeze chocolate for no-static shavings in cappuccino
Question: I have a block of Callebaut chocolate which I shave for sprinkling on cappuccinos etc. I have tried a potato peeler and a handheld grater for this purpose, but both cause static electricity shavings everywhere! Is there anything I can do to prevent the static? Thanks. —Jeanne
Answer: Ah, one of my favourite subjects! Begin by freezing the chocolate for 30 minutes. Chill the dish that you will grate the chocolate onto. Spread a little margarine or butter onto the grater. Spray the grated chocolate with a small amount of water. It won’t fix the issue, but it will reduce the static. The harder the chocolate, the better the results. You can also use a sharp, serrated knife to form perfect, clean chocolate shavings. Lay the chocolate onto the counter and place the blade teeth onto the chocolate, pull the knife towards you, repeatedly, for perfect little curls.
Question: We had a gas fireplace installed five years ago. It is running well with no issues at all. Is there anything that I should do for general maintenance, or are they self-sufficient appliances? —Fred
Answer: Regular maintenance on your gas fireplace should be completed annually, whether it seems to need it, or not. Schedule an appointment with a certified gas service provider. They will check to make sure the unit is working properly, and safely, service the batteries, and clean the fireplace. This should not be completed by the homeowner.
Question: I cooked chocolate pudding from scratch. While it was hot, I put it in the fridge to cool, but it would not thicken up, so I threw it in the garbage. Is there anything I could have done to save my dessert? —Joyce
Answer: Yes definitely. Next time, pour one quarter cup of milk into a cup and add three tbsp. cornstarch. Stir to dissolve and add the milk to the pudding. Bring to a boil while stirring. The pudding will thicken to the proper consistency.
Question: I purchased a used couch, and when I removed the cushions to clean, I noticed gum stuck on the bottom of the cushions. How can I remove ground in chewing gum? —Charles
Answer: Pile ice onto the gum, wait for 10 minutes until the gum has hardened. Peel it with your fingers or a plastic spatula. You can also spread, smooth peanut butter, or mayonnaise onto the area; work it onto the mess. The gum will become oily and easy to remove. After it is gone, clean the area with dish soap and water.
Household Hacks
I save dryer lint and stuff it inside empty toilet paper rolls to make my own kindling. These are perfect for starting bonfires outside. —Terrance
Make your own canvas bag or shoe, cleaner. Combine one tablespoon of Dawn dish soap and one tbsp. three per cent hydrogen peroxide. Wipe onto shoes and scrub with a soft toothbrush. Wipe off with a wet dish cloth. —Salver
To help your ground beef go further, add a freshly chopped mushroom. Mushrooms are less expensive and easy to find at the store. —Jemima
I took a flight to the U.S. and had extra clothes that I couldn’t fit into my carry on. I stuffed them into a pillowcase to make a pillow and the airline didn’t charge this as an extra carry on. I don’t know if this would work for all airlines, but I was happy and wanted to share my experience! —Denise
Note: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.
Have a great suggestion or tip? Send it to reenanerbas@outlook.com.
Renovation & Design
Try alcohol and water for streak-free glass
Question: What is the best way to get mirrors and glass doors clean and streak free? Carol
Answer: Into a spray bottle combine one-third cup rubbing alcohol with two-third cups water. Clean with a soft, excellent quality microfiber cloth.
Question: A while back I used a plumbing “snake” to unplug my toilet. Sadly, it scraped the porcelain and left horrible grey marks. I have tried many cleaners, but nothing got it back to it’s original white. Thanks for your help. Barb
Answer: This is a common issue and many people have had excellent results by cleaning the toilet bowl with Bar Keeper’s Friend. Apply the product onto a non-scratching abrasive pad. Leave for 10 minutes and scrub.
Question: I bought a brand-new salt and pepper shaker set to place in the middle of my brand-new dining room table. The set is quite nice, but I find that the holes of the salt shaker were made too large. Salt pours out of the holes very quickly, and I end up over salting my food. Do you have any ideas in your bag of tricks as to how I can fix the shaker? Edward
Answer: Replace table salt with coarse salt so that each grain is larger, making it more difficult for salt to pour out of the shaker. Also, store rice inside the saltshaker to prevent the salt from clumping. If all else fails store something besides salt in the shaker such as cinnamon, sugar or baking soda.
Solutions galore
For people who use a plastic dish rack, here is an easy way to de-gunk it without having to use a scrub brush. Fill the kitchen sink full of hot water. Add a few drops of dish soap and stir in about two-third cups of bleach. Immerse the dish rack and let it soak for an hour. The gunk will lift right off. Rinse the rack with hot water. Cheers! Vincent
I use make-up pads that come in a plastic sleeve. When reaching the centre of these sleeves, I was having difficulty grabbing the pad, so I came up with a solution. I push the pads toward the top of the sleeve/tube, twist it, then tie it with a twist tie. Now the pads are once again at the top of the sleeve/tube and easy to get at. Ann
Next time you cook fajitas, add cooked pork, peppers, onions and seasoning to your baking pan. Next, cook powdered onion soup and water on the stove. Thicken soup with cornstarch (the way that you would gravy). Add this to the fajita pan for great flavour and texture. Mae
For fluffier boiled potatoes, pour off all the water after they are boiled and cover the pot with a double thickness of paper towels, then cover with the saucepan lid. In ten minutes, steam will be absorbed by the towels and your potatoes will be dry and fluffy. The idea behind cooking potatoes with the lid left ajar is to cook the potatoes in less time while preventing the water from boiling over. Terry
To cook cabbage, plunge the cabbage into a pot of boiling water, cover the pan only until the water returns to a boil. Remove the lid and let the cabbage cook gently until tender and still a vibrant color. Terry
Here is my best hack! The best and easiest way to crack an egg is to drop it directly into the frying pan. It cracks in half, cleanly. Ananya
Note: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.
Have a great suggestion or tip? Email reenanerbas@outlook.com
