Blogs

This tip is from our friends at America’s Test Kitchen: Storing a tomato with its stem end facing down can prolong shelf life by a week.

Mayonnaise has a bad reputation, being blamed for spoiled potato salads and upset stomachs after summer picnics and barbecues. Will switching from a mayonnaise-based dressing to a vinaigrette protect you from food poisoning? No—the real problem is the potatoes.

A few weeks ago, the Queen Anne Farmers Market kicked off amid a lot of fanfare and hoopla. The Mayor was there, along with city councilors and state lawmakers, to celebrate the opening with the denizens of one of Seattle’s oldest neighborhoods.

Why such a big deal? Because this year’s market almost didn’t happen.

Slightly wilted parsley or mint in the refrigerator? They are too expensive to waste. Bring them back to life by trimming off the stem ends and any brown leaves. Swish them in a bowl of ice water and leave them for about 5 minutes until they perk up.

I hate using brushes for basting on the grill. Cleanup is a mess and the brushes invariably end up with singed bristles. For a quick and easy substitute, try a handful of shredded corn husks, tied in a bundle with another piece of husk. A couple of nice large romaine lettuce leaves work pretty well, too.

We love fresh mozzarella sliced in salads, but it tends to shred rather than slice. Try using an egg slicer to make quick, uniform rounds.

Michael Jackson’s untimely death will undoubtedly dominate the news for a while – days, possibly weeks. 24-hour cable channels, newspapers, tabloids, blog-sites and even the major broadcast networks will frantically report every breaking news detail emerging from the circumstances of his death, and saturate us with retrospectives on his life, career, quirks and legal troubles.

I learned this from Chef Carol Dearth of the Sizzleworks Cooking School, when she was in our studio making Wasabi Mashed Potatoes for our Northwest Favorites show in May 2009.

The audience was on their feet before the show ended. When the hoots and hollers eventually settled, I turned to my date and we smiled and simply shrugged in total awe. No words necessary. Simply in awe.

We have been fielding a lot of calls and e-mails regarding the DTV transition and viewers not receiving KCTS 9. If you haven't re-scanned your DTV converter box or digital TV since Friday, June 12, please do so immediately.