Chefs are artists and scientists, honing their skills in the kitchen to create culinary masterpieces. These experts have developed a range of kitchen hacks to help home chefs elevate their cooking game. Whether it’s enhancing flavors, saving time, or ensuring consistent results, these tips can make your culinary experiences more enjoyable and successful. Bon appétit! Hold the Cork Before throwing the cork away after finishing a bottle of wine, a clever hack popularized by Chef Motokichi on Instagram is to slide the cork beneath the handle of a pot lid. Not only does this make the top easy to grab, but it also prevents your hand from coming in contact with the hot handle! Because sparkling wine corks tend to be a bit thicker in size, they’re best suited for the job. Peeling Garlic Made Easy Executive chef Nicholas Poulmentis of Akotiri in New York recommends thinking ahead when preparing garlic. The night before you cook, place garlic cloves in a container filled with water, and the next day, the skin will peel right off without a knife or tool. Chilled Plastic Wrap Is plastic wrap often more of a struggle than a help? Chef Chaz Eicke of The Salad House in New Jersey has a genius tip: Chilling your plastic wrap in the refrigerator will help prevent it from creasing and sticking together. Protect Your Fingertips Sydney Willcox, culinary instructor at The Brooklyn Kitchen, recommends tucking your fingers into your palm on your nondominant hand while chopping vegetables and herbs. If you use your knuckles to guide your knife, you won’t ever accidentally cut your fingers! Slice Meat the Right Way Did you know that slicing meat with the grain can lead to a tough and chewy entree? Willcox has another tip for that! She recommends always slicing meat, even tender filet mignon, against the grain. Creating restaurant-quality meals in the comfort of your own home has never been easier. These tips can help take your cooking skills to the next level while reducing time, frustrations, and errors! COOK LIKE A PRO CHEF-TESTED HACKS TO ENHANCE YOUR CULINARY CREATIONS
A SAFER HOLIDAY SEASON
Our Top Tips for Child Safety Month
November officially marks the beginning of the holiday season! But while the hustle and bustle of planning gatherings, shopping for gifts, cooking for loved ones, and decorating can be exciting, it can also be dangerous — especially for children. In fact, at least 156,800 children are injured each year around the holidays.
So, what can you do to still have fun celebrating the holidays while keeping your children safe from harm?
No. 1: Safety-proof your Christmas tree. Christmas trees can be beautiful additions to any home. However, if they aren’t properly maintained or “proofed,” they can be a hazard for children. The first step is to ensure that if you use an artificial tree, it is made from flame-retardant material. You can check this by looking for the letters “UL” in a circle somewhere on the tree’s battery pack, safety tag, or product packaging. This symbol means the tree has undergone product safety tests, including flammability. Then, ensure any small ornaments, especially those with removable parts, are located higher up on the tree so a child cannot grab them. These smaller ornaments are choking hazards for young children, whether they can walk or crawl. No. 2: Never leave a child around an open flame or heat source. Holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa all typically involve delicious meals that require a lot of time in the kitchen. It’s vital that while the adults cook, children are kept away from hot stoves, boiling pots, or open ovens. And keep all pot and pan handles turned inward and out of reach of curious hands. The same goes for any candles around the house during this season. Keep them only on shelves where children cannot reach (so no coffee or side tables!), and never leave a child unattended with an open flame — even if it’s high up. No. 3: Only allow children to play with age-appropriate toys. Many people believe that the age rating on toys refers to a child’s intellectual or physical ability, but it actually refers to their age. So, only buy toys for your child that match their specific age range, and if anyone gifts your child a toy outside of this range, either keep it until they’re old enough or only allow them to play with it while supervised. Also, be mindful of any toys with removable batteries, as they can pose a choking hazard if removed!
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